Tullamore get away for easy win as wheels come off for Ballycommon in second half

THE Tullamore supporters looking for a real statement win were left disappointed but their team are back in the Offaly Senior Football Championship semi-finals once again after two goals from John Furlong just before the 40 minutes mark broke Ballycommon's stiff resistance in the second quarter-final at O'Connor Park on Sunday.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship quarter-final

Tullamore 5-13

Ballycommon 0-12

Tullamore now face an in-form Rhode side in the semi-finals and if we go strictly on the form book, they are the underdogs for that – Ferbane and Shamrocks clash in the other semi-final.

It is strange territory for the four in a row seeking champions. While they got away for a comfortable win in the second half, they floundered badly for a lot of the first half, displaying new vulnerabilities once again.

They made a flying start with Luke Plunkett netting a goal after just fifteen seconds, Davin Keegan, John Furlong and Cormac Egan racing forward to send him in, and Niall Furlong and Mike Fox added quick points for a 1-2 to no score lead.

It looked all over but Ballycommon displayed terrific resilience to steady the ship and get back into it. With county player David Dempsey outstanding, Ballycommon did really well to lead by 0-9 to 1-5 at half time.

They won a lot of individual battles with Ryan Kenny having his eye in as he scored five first half points, a two point free, two from frees and one from play. Tullamore struggled woefully after that bright start and their energy levels just did not look right. They led by 1-5 to 0-4 after 19 minutes but didn't score again as Gareth Mann got a point from play and a two point free to push Ballycommon ahead at the break.

It was a tribute to Ballycommon to go in ahead against their big town neighbours but there was no sense that a shock was going to happen. We all knew that Ballycommon would go into the red as the second half progressed and that Tullamore had extra gears to tap into.

And so it happened as the wheels came completely off for Ballycommon, Tullamore played some excellent attacking football and outscored them by 4-8 to 0-3. Ryan Kenny got the first point of the second half from a quick free but Ballycommon not only managed only two further points but that was all they looked like scoring.

The difference in class was apparent once Tullamore took off the shackles and raced at them from all over the field and it ended up a very convincing win. The final sccoreline of 5-13 to 0-12 is hard on Ballycommon and does not reflect the great effort they gave for 35 minutes but at the same time, they can't complain at a heavy beating.

Their chickens came home to roost to a small extent as two of their players Karl and Conor Dunne were selected to play a Leinster League rugby game for Tullamore on Saturday. Rugby is their first choice, their primary commitment is to Tullamore Rugby Club, they have always made that clear and Ballycommon have always accepted it – for the very simple reason that they are very good footballers and they would be significantly weaker without them.

It was, however, not good preparation for this game. There was no evidence of that in the first half as Karl Dunne worked his socks off but it showed in the second half when Conor Dunne came on as sub in the 33rd minute but was wearing a heavy bandage and had to go off just twelve minutes later – he was replaced by another player with a bandage, Sean Conway, whom he had initially replaced as he wasn't running freely. It is not the reason Ballycommon lost and the Dunne's have made a terrific contribution to their great run in recent years but it is not the first time, they have been torn with rugby and football commitments and you can be sure of one thing: no team with serious ambitions of winning a senior championship would allow two of their players to play another sport the previous day.

A quarter-final was the limit of Ballycommon's potential, particularly when they drew Tullamore and they will reflect with great satisfaction on their year and making the quarter-finals. They were still alive in the 36th minute when Mike Fox's point edged Tullamore 1-8 to 0-10 ahead but the game slipped out of grasp in the blink of eye.

John Furlong, in just his second game back from a long injury lay off and first start, was instrumental in this. Moved up field to full forward, Furlong's positional sense and footballing intelligence ended the game as a contest as did the unselfish play by Liam Dillane and Mike Fox who sent him in for goals when they could have went for them themself.

Dillane was superb with Furlong's first in the 37th minute. Furlong still had work to do but calmly took his time and sidestepped the ball to the net. The second two minutes later was a disaster for Ballycommon as Gareth Mann blazed over the bar with the goals in front of him. Ballycommon had to get that to have any chance but their punishment was doubled when Tullamore drove forward at lightening pace, Mike Fox centred and Furlong punched to the net for a 3-8 to 0-11 lead.

There was no chance of Ballycommon coming back from that. Sean Conway scored their final point immediately after coming back on in the 46th minute but the final quarter was a victory procession for Tullamore. Sub Luke Bourke got a quality 48th minute goal after a great Diarmuid Egan surge forward and Harry Plunkett netted their fifth goal from a 50h minute penalty when brother Luke was uncermoniously dragged to the ground by Robert Conneely.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Mike Fox (Tullamore): David Dempsey was the dominant influence on the field for most of the first half and the single biggest reason Ballycommon were in front at the break. Ryan Kenny also went well in their attack in the first half but it has to go to a Tullamore man.

Their defence was solid all day, even when Ballycommon had a lot of forward possession while Diarmuid Egan, Luke Plunkett and Mike Fox made a great contribution up front. Diarmuid Egan was terrific in the third quarter when his driving runs were instrumental in them taking control. Luke Plunkett was hungry and lively on the full forward line while Mike Fox just gets the nod. He is having an excellent year for them, scored four points and nearly always did the right thing in possession.

THE SCORERS

Tullamore: John Furlong 2-0, Harry Plunkett 1-3 (1-0, penalty, 1f), Mike Fox 0-4, Luke Plunkett 1-1, Luke Bourke 1-0, Nigel Bracken 0-2 (2p), Declan Hogan, Niall Furlong and Diarmuid Egan 0-1 each.

Ballycommon: Ryan Kenny 0-6 (1 x 2pf, 3f), Gareth Mann 0-4 (1 x 2pf), Stephen Conneely and Sean Conway 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

TULLAMORE: Arron Hensey; Patrick Kenna, Declan Hogan, Jack Maher; Cormac Egan, John Furlong, Oisin Keenan-Martin; Davin Keegan, Luke Egan; Niall Furlong, Diarmuid Egan, Liam Dillane; Mike Fox, Luke Plunkett, Harry Plunkett. Subs – Luke Bourke for Keenan-Martin (47m), Daire McDaid for Diarmuid Egan (50m), Ciaran Burns for Cormac Egan (54m), Nigel Bracken for John Furlong (57m),

BALLYCOMMON: Robert Conneely; Zach Wright, Aidan Bracken, Killian Owens; Brian Todd, David Dempsey, Jack Kenny; Tom Mealiffe, Paul Conway; Stephen Conneely, Chris Kenny, Karl Dunne; Ryan Kenny, Gareth Mann, Sean Conway. Subs – Matthew Dempsey for Owens (HT), Conor Dunne for Sean Conway (33m), Sean Conway for Conor Dunne (45m), Micheal Conneely for Chris Kenny (54m), Daniel Scally for Todd (54m),

Referee – Chris Dwyer, Clara.

REFEREE WATCH

Chris Dwyer had an excellent game and was not a factor in the outcome at all. Robert Conneely's foul on Luke Plunkett for Tullamore's penalty was deliberate and very much a black card offence – by that stage Tullamore had the game won, and Dwyer let him off with a yellow.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

John Furlong's second goal in the 39th minute killed off the Ballycommon challenge. It came just after Gareth Mann blasted over when Ballycommon had to get a goal, that was a five point swing and the result was a formality from here on.

VENUE WATCH

This was the fourth game in O'Connor Park this weekend and the pitch held up very well. Fair play to the O'Connor Park workers for staying behind for a clean up on Saturday evening and making sure everything was to the right standard.

WHAT'S NEXT

Tullamore go into the semi-finals against Rhode.

STATISTICS

Wides: Tullamore – 8 (3 in first half); Ballycommon - 10 (8 in first half).

Yellow cards: 0

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0