Ferbane experience that winning feeling at last in final against Tullamore
Brosna Press Division 1 Football League final
IT was all very familiar, yet different in important ways as Ferbane and Tullamore clashed in the Offaly Division 1 Football League final in Tubber on Friday evening with Ferbane finally getting the better of their arch rivals in an extra time ding dong battle of wits.
Brosna Press Division 1 Football League final
Ferbane 4-18
Tullamore 1-24
These clubs have emerged as the great forces in Offaly club football in recent years, clashing in a handful plus of league and championship finals. Tullamore have been able to come out on top in those big finals and this was a win that Ferbane needed so much. They fell over the line to an extent, made hard work of it, left the door open for Tullamore and kept inviting them back into it but over the course of the 80 minutes plus, they deserved it and it would have been an awful blow if they had thrown another one away.
It was an entertaining, well contested game that provided fine entertainment for the decent sized crowd and almost from the start, Ferbane looked like they would finally have the measure of a club who have inflicted so much hardship on them in championship and league finals in this decade. It is an absolute tribute to Tullamore that they just refused to go away and were not far from snatching another against the odds win.
With both teams missing several of their best players because of county commitments and injury, this game won't have any bearing on their championship meeting in a few weeks time and both teams ended a long evening with players on the field who won't feature much if at all in the senior championship from July on.
A lot of this Tullamore team will play senior B this year, while it was great to see an All-Ireland U20 football star from 2021, Oisin Keenan-Martin among the subs here – Keenan-Martin came on in the 49th minute and showed that he will be an important asset to Tullamore once he gets training and games under his belt.
Keenan-Martin hadn't featured until now, there had been speculation that he wouldn't play amid the fall out from a court case that has divided the club and it is in everyone's interest, the player included, that this very talented man plays football this year – that court case concluded earlier on Friday and hopefully everyone will now be able to put it aside and get on with the club's main business of winning championships and providing footballers and hurlers for Offaly teams, something they have accomplished very well in recent years.
Ferbane's cause was helped when they got permission to play two of their county panelists who didn't make the 26 for Saturday's Tailteann Cup semi-final, Darragh Flynn and Cian Johnson – Niall Furlong was released for Tullamore in the same situation and Johnson was absolutely key for Ferbane, scoring 1-5 with 1-3 from play.
While both teams were missing plenty of players, Tullamore were very young and there were spells in this game when they looked more like a senior B side than a senior one. Ferbane also had players who may not play senior but they had a definite edge in experience and this proved pivotal in the wind up.
Tullamore wanted to win but the title meant so much more to Ferbane and this showed in a variety of ways. Tullamore were missing one of their most experienced players, Declan Hogan who was at a wedding while a long serving Ferbane midfielder, David Kelly drove up from a wedding in Clare to play, planning on making the journey back down afterwards – he contributed very well in midfield before going into the red and being replaced in the closing ten minutes of normal time. Declan Hogan's absence was unavoidable as he was at a long planned family wedding in the UK and had to be there – his commitment to Tullamore is beyond reproach and the Tullamore management would have told him to go to the wedding while it was a serious gesture by Kelly to make that effort.
Kelly also had a much delayed return to Clare as it was approaching 10pm before the trophy was presented. In a way Tullamore did very well to bring it to extra time and to be only three points behind at the finish. Ferbane were definitely the better side but as usual with their meetings with Tullamore, they made fierce hard work of it.
Tullamore started well and were 0-5 to 0-2 up after 15 minutes but Ferbane got on top in the second quarter. They got an important break when a misplaced Aaron Hensey kickout led to a tap in goal for Cian Johnson in the 18th minute and a 1-3 to 0-5 lead. The brilliant Mike Fox got in for a deliciously taken goal in the 24th minute to give Tullamore a 1-6 to 1-4 lead.
Adam Nugent converted a two point free as Ferbane trailed by 1-8 to 1-7 at half time and with the wind to come, it was clear that they had a great opportunity of a big win.
They went at it from the start of the second half, leading by 1-12 to 1-9 after 41 minutes and they were in pole position when they were 1-16 to 1-12 ahead with just five minutes left.
Somehow, Ferbane managed to throw it away from here as Tullamore went into all out attack. Goalkeeper Aaron Hensey kept the losers alive with a 58th minute two point free and Luke Plunkett converted one to make it a one point game a minute into injury time. Another few minutes were played and it was panic stations for Ferbane with corner back Jake Moore equalising in the 64th minute.
Tullamore had an attack and then Ferbane had one late chance but Adam Nugent's long range two point free was gathered on the line by the super Patrick Kenna and cleared, 1-16 each.
Eoghan Grennan broke through for a fine goal two minutes into extra time to give Ferbane a 2-16 to 1-17 lead and Joe Maher then converted a 69th minute penalty after Cian Johnson was fouled. Ferbane were 3-17 to 1-19 ahead but again they floundered with Nigel Bracken's two point free making it 3-17 to 1-21 at half time.
Ferbane finally opened up a sufficient gap in the second period with Bernard Corcoran's goal putting them 4-18 to 1-21 ahead. With players cramping up and running on fumes all over the place, Ferbane again wilted. Tullamore got three points to bring the gap down to one score, a goal, but this time the county champions had nothing left and a relieved Ferbane held on.
MATCH ANALYSIS
MAN OF THE MATCH
Cian Johnson (Ferbane): Cian Johnson's importance to Ferbane was shown in all its glory here as he scored 1-5, 1-3 from play. In many ways, Tullamore had the two best players on the field in centre back Patrick Kenna, who put in some amount of work, both defensively and offensively, while Mike Fox was sensational in their attack, scoring 1-6, 1-5 from play, and oozing quality. Without those two players, Tullamore would have been beaten earlier and by more and their displays commanded complete respect.
It would be wrong, however, not to give it to a Ferbane man and the choice is Johnson, who once again showed how deadly of a finisher he is. He also won their extra time penalty, set up other scores and his fitness levels have improved as a result of being on the Offaly senior football panel – even though he has not featured for them. His ability to win ball was very important.
Ferbane wing back Jake Maher was a consideration. A serious prospect, his tackling and covering was excellent and while he gave away a couple of balls, he also attacked well. Leon Fox put in a great shift at full back before cramping up and having to be physically dragged over the end line while Eoghan Grennan did a lot of very good things for Ferbane and Conor Grennan and Paddy Clancy had very good spells.
Joe Maher was also very important for Ferbane. He came off the bench to score a decisive 1-4 and he was very good on the ball. He scored an important second half two pointer when he launched a snap shot when he spotted Aaron Hensey off the line but it went over the bar – Hensey regularly left his posts, often contesting kickouts. Maher took a sabbatical from senior football last year but clearly has plenty to offer at this level.
THE SCORERS
Ferbane: Cian Johnson 1-5 (2f), Joe Maher 1-4 (goal from a penalty and 1 x 2p), Eoghan Grennan 1-1, Bernard Corcoran 1-0, Adam Nugent (1 x 2pf) and Paddy Clancy (1 x 2p) 0-2 each, Aaron McCabe, Jake Maher, Ronan Flynn (f) and Darragh Flynn 0-1 each.
Tullamore: Mike Fox 1-6 (1f), Nigel Bracken (1 x 2pf, 1f) and Luke Plunkett (4f) 0-4 each, Aaron Hensey 0-3 ((1 '45' and 1 x 2pf) , Niall Furlong 0-2 (1 x 2p), Jake Moore, Michael Brazil, Davin Keegan, Tom Furlong, Luke Bourke 0-1 each.
THE TEAMS
FERBANE: Adam Nugent; Aaron McCabe, Leon Fox, Jack Egan; Shane Nally, James Nally, Jake Maher; Ciaran Cahill, David Kelly; Conor Grennan, Eoghan Grennan, Paddy Clancy; Cian Johnson, Darragh Flynn, Ronan Flynn. Subs – Joe Maher for Ronan Flynn (HT), Bernard Corcoran for Conor Grennan (45m), James Wren for Egan (45m), Ronan McGuire for Kelly (53m), Sean Flynn for Darragh Flynn (61m),
TULLAMORE: Aaron Hensey; Jake Moore, Jack Maher, Dylan Hensey; Ciaran Burns, Patrick Kenna, Jay Sheerin; Michael Brazil, Davin Keegan; Niall Furlong, Tom Furlong, Nigel Bracken; Mike Fox, Luke Egan, Peter Fox. Subs – Luke Plunkett for Bracken (47m), Oisin Keenan-Martin for Sheeran (47m), Luke Bourke for Brazil (52m), Shane Dooley for Tom Furlong (55m), Nigel Bracken for Dylan Hensey (57m),
Referee – Chris Dwyer, Clara.
REFEREE WATCH
Chris Dywer had a good game, despite the pressure he came under from both sides. Both sides looked for frees at different stages but he adopted a let it run policy and applied that consistently. Tullamore's first half goal did come after a line-ball went their way but seemed to have come off a Tullamore hand – it wasn't Dwyer's call and there was a clutter of players around the ball at that stage.
This very much balanced out a few minutes into the second half when Leon Fox took a free back to his goalie Adam Nugent, which should be a free in. Dwyer had his back turned, the quick thinking Fox immediately claimed he was giving the ball back to Nugent to take the free and a relieved Ferbane got away with one.
There were a lot of “referees” on the Ferbane sideline and they were fortunate that Dwyer wasn't aware of some of their protests and the manner of at least a couple of them or that the linesman didn't report them as he has the scope to award frees to the opponents for comments – in fairness to the Ferbane people, this didn't descend into abuse but there were spells when three man breaches were roared for and every other decision was debated.
A couple of three man breaches were missed and Tullamore were not as well organised as usual in this regard but if Ferbane had been punished on at least a couple of occasions with the award of a free to the losers, they would have had to take it on the chin. And while Ferbane did complain at some decisions, they certainly got their share of calls and were very fortunate that two bounces by Jake Maher in the build up to Bernard Corcoran's extra time goal were not spotted.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
Joe Maher's penalty goal a minute from half time of extra time put Ferbane 3-17 to 1-19 ahead and that was a big lead at that stage.
VENUE WATCH
Tubber's ground was in great order and they managed the fixture very well.
WHAT'S NEXT
Both sides now concentrate on the championship.
STATISTICS
Wides: Tullamore - 10 (4 in first half, 4 in 2nd half, 1 in 1st period extra time, 2 in 2nd period); Ferbane - 8 (2 in first half, 4 in 2nd half, 1 in 1st period extra time, 1 in 2nd period).
Yellow cards: Ferbane – 0; Tullamore – 1 (Nigel Bracken).
Black cards: 0
Red cards: 0