Tullamore end Ballinagar dreams with controlled performance to leave Bracknagh smiling

BALLINAGAR almost staged a powerful late snatch and grab raid in an intriguing Offaly Senior “B” Football Championship final in O'Connor Park on Saturday but Tullamore held on for a win that was fully deserved on the overall balance of play.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior “B” Football Championship final

Tullamore 1-13

Ballinagar 2-8

Tullamore were excellent for much of the second half when playing against a wind that may not have been as big a factor as the flags behind the town goal suggested. They looked home and dry when leading by 1-13 to 1-6 with five minutes left and Ballinagar were struggling badly.

The favourites finally ignited in the final few minutes, almost rescuing the game. A tap over Morgan Tynan free when Jack Sheil blasted wide but was on advantage was followed by a Ryan Strong point and a Conor Bracken goal in the 58th minute – Bracken tapped home after a great build up involving Aaron Gorman and Morgan Tynan.

Suddenly the gap was two points and Tullamore were in survival mode. Three minutes of injury time were played and Ballinagar had plenty of possession but couldn't create a two point shot to force a replay or a goal to win it at the first attempt.

Those few minutes at the end were the only time that Ballinagar produced the type of football they were capable of and they will harbour huge regrets about their display. They just didn't play well enough to win it, made too many errors and didn't generate true momentum until that late charge.

It was a great win for Tullamore, who owed their place in the semi-finals to Ballinagar, who beat Cappincur on the same night they lost to Tubber. A sensational two point winner at the end of injury time got them past Daingean in the semi-final and Tullamore's capacity to perform in and win finals manifested itself once again here.

The game only really sprung to life in the second half and Tullamore were outstanding for 25 minutes. They were in a spot of bother when level at 1-5 each after playing with the wind in the first half but outscored Ballinagar by 0-8 to 0-1 in those 25 second half minutes.

Morgan Tynan's point levelled it up at 1-6 each in the 36th minute but Tullamore were superbly efficient after this. They scarcely put a foot wrong on and off the ball and scored seven points on the trot to take complete control of the final.

Ballinagar were at nothing in that spell, their energy levels way below requirements. Not only that but they were error strewn and Tullamore won the final in a devastating spell from the 45th to 55th minute. Jay Sheerin was outstanding in the second half, scoring two fine points, Peter Fox got two, Ryan Sheerin lofted over one and Tom Furlong got their final point in the 55th minute for a seven point lead.

It should have been all over and while Ballinagar nearly salvaged it, they left themselves with too much to do. They just couldn't get their hands on the ball when Tullamore got on top and their error count was way too high. An example was Tullamore's final point in the 55th minute when Ballinagar goalkeeper Ryan Kinahan went short with his kickout but Declan Crombie was inside the arc, couldn't play it and Tom Furlong nipped in to score a point that did make a big difference.

There were other scores of a similar nature and it is very hard to win a final with that volume of mistakes. Tullamore made far less and that makes their win so deserved.

Robbie Gallagher and Shane Dooley were the standout figures in the first half with Gallagher in sensational form for Ballinagar, roasting the Tullamore defence alive. However, Tullamore captain Shane Enright really tightened up on him in the second half while Gallagher's shooting boots left him as he failed to add to his 1-4 tally. He missed an early free and was also off target with a '45' while Jacob Beatty underhit a simple chance at a stage when Ballinagar had enough play to have got ahead and if they had, it may all have opened up for them.

Tullamore will be delighted with this win while Bracknagh were also big winners as this result saves them from relegation from senior football – Bracknagh would have been down if Ballinagar had won while the losers go into the Leinster Club Intermediate Football Championship as a second team can't compete at that level.

It was a disappointing day for Ballinagar who have made a meteoric rise up the ranks, winning junior in 2022 and intermediate in 2024. They have the players to play in senior but simply didn't produce enough football for long enough on the day.

It was a sweet win for Tullamore and while their players enjoyed every moment of it, the celebrations of their supporters were mute compared to the scenes that would have erupted with a Ballinagar win.

The first half was a tame enough affair with both sides playing nice football but there was no huge intensity or bite to proceedings. The excellence of two players rescued it. Shane Dooley, celebrating his 40th birthday on Saturday, oozed quality every time the ball went into him, scoring 1-3, 1-1 from play and adding a crucial second half point. His ability to win ball and do the right thing was crucial for Tullamore.

Robbie Gallagher succeeded in trumping Dooley's first half tour-de-force and was the reason Ballinagar were in a strong position at half time. The sides were level on three occasions before Tullamore pushed on with 1-1, Ben Connolly arrowing over a fine point and Shane Dooley scoring their goal in the 23rd minute. Dooley's finish after Tom Furlong's pass was sublime but the goal was a calamity for Ballinagar as Aaron Gorman didn't hold onto a mark at midfield and everything sprang from there.

Robbie Gallagher brought Ballinagar back into it before half time, scoring a super point off his left foot and then blasting to the net off the post just in injury time to level it up at 1-5 each at the break.

It was set up for Ballinagar but Tullamore's football in the first 25 minutes of the second half commanded complete respect and warranted a win every day of the week.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Jay Sheerin (Tullamore): Tullamore had a lot of players who produced. Shane Dooley was excellent in the first half, Shane Enright did really well in the second half and Patrick Fahey, Ryan Sheerin, Shane Horkan and Peter Fox all had very good spells. The choice is Jay Sheerin who floated in and out of the game in the first half but really ran the show in the second half as they got on top. He scored two points and oozed quality on the ball, giving astute passes left and right as well as showing leadership qualities, dictating to players where to go and where the ball should be given.

Tom Furlong was once again a contender for Tullamore, giving an other relentless display of efficient football matched by a fierce work rate.

Robbie Gallagher was Ballinagar's most influential player and it was a big problem for them that he was starved of the ball for a lot of the second half. Declan Crombie did a lot of very good work in defence for them and Jack Gorry and Oissine Troy had good spells but Ballinagar's performance from midfield up was not at the level they needed – Morgan Tynan did try very hard to rally the forces in the closing quarter as he got on an increasing amount of ball.

THE SCORERS

Tullamore: Shane Dooley 1-4 (2f), Peter Fox 0-3, Jay Sheerin and Tom Furlong 0-2 each, Ryan Sheerin and Ben Connolly 0-1 each.

Ballinagar: Robbie Gallagher 1-4, Conor Bracken 1-0, Morgan Tynan 0-2 (1f), Ryan Strong and Jacob Beatty 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

TULLAMORE: Donnacha Keoghan; Jake Moore, Dylan Hensey, Shane Enright; Jack Daly, Patrick Fahey, Kevin O'Brien; Ryan Sheerin, Shane Horkan; Jay Sheerin, Tom Furlong, Martin Keogh; Peter Fox, Shane Dooley, Ben Connolly. Subs – Paul McConway for Daly (37m), Sean Afolabi-Joseph for Keogh (49m), Dan Fox for Connolly (49m), Daire Foley for O'Brien (49m),

BALLINAGAR: Ryan Kinahan; Kevin Beirne, Declan Crombie, Jack Gorry; Oissinne Troy, Brian Malone, Adam Joyce; Aaron Gorman, Alex Cuddy; Adam Mangan, Morgan Tynan,Conor Bracken; Jacob Beatty, Jamie Ballesty, Robbie Gallagher. Subs – Adam Strong for Cuddy (34m), Diarmuid Finneran for Beirne (36m), Ryan Strong for Ballesty (38m), Jack Sheil for Beatty (46m),

Referee – Eamon O'Connor, Ballycommon.

REFEREE WATCH

This was Eamon O'Connor's fifth time to referee Tullamore in the Senior “B” Football Championship this year. He handled their group games against Daingean, Ballinagar and Tubber and their semi-final win over Daingean. This comment is no reflection whatsoever on O'Connor, who is high up on the list of Offaly's elite football referees, has vast experience and handles the overwhelming majority of his games with great efficiency and competency.

However, it is too many times for any referee to handle the same side in a six team championship and it is not healthy for the club or the referee involved. There were big calls involving Tullamore in earlier games – it is very much in O'Connor's favour that these split evenly both in their favour and against them but it was not the best planning by the Competitions Control Committee to give him so many of their games.

The Ballycommon member, however, fully deserved a big final and he was completely tuned in. He handled the fixture very well with no big issues and communicated well with his officials. He penalised Shane Dooley for an throw ball to Martin Keogh for an early goal chance that hit the crossbar and was ideally positioned to make his call. The way he refereed it was a credit to him.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

At the time, it didn't really seem to matter but Tullamore's final point from Tom Furlong in the 55th minute proved crucial. Firstly, it showcased what went wrong for Ballinagar as a short kickout was over turned when it didn't go outside the arc, while it also ensured a two point cushion when Ballinagar did stage their great late rally.

VENUE WATCH

A new robot mower has been installed in O'Connor Park and this is certainly enhancing the pitch, with different patterns making it visually appealing. The ground was very well presented for Saturday's double bill and the finals were given the right profile.

WHAT'S NEXT

Ballinagar compete in the Leinster Club Intermediate Football Championship while Tullamore's year is over.

STATISTICS

Wides: Ballinagar – 4 (1 in first half); Tullamore – 6 (3 in first half).

Yellow cards: Tullamore – 1 (Dylan Hensey); Ballinagar – 0.

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0