Tullamore Town play out entertaining draw against Abbeyleix in season opener
The hard-fought contest between the two sides took place at Leah Victoria Park on Friday evening
Tullamore Town FC Senior Men’s team kicked off their 2026/27 CCFL Division 1 campaign with a point following an entertaining 1-1 draw with Abbeyleix AFC in Leah Victoria Park on Friday evening.
The match started evenly as both sides looked to get a foothold in the game, two tight offside calls prevented either team from having any clear cut chances in the opening stages.
Abbeyleix captain Jamie Stratford played an outside of the boot pass from the left wing into the path of Joe Cole before Tullamore’s Arron Tuohy latched onto a long ball from defence but both players were judged to have made their runs too early with only the keeper to beat.
Abbeyleix striker Cole held the ball up well bringing his teammates into play as they looked to progress down the pitch but the partnership of Dan Maguire and Jack Murphy at centre back for Tullamore stopped them from advancing.
The defensive duo constantly looked for diagonals with Tullamore wingers Jakup Prekop and Tuohy providing outlets down the channels as Tullamore looked for an early breakthrough.
The first shot on target came in the 10th minute as Tullamore’s Dan Maguire’s low effort from a free-kick 25 yards out tested James Thompson but the Abbeyleix keeper was able to gather at the second attempt.
The visitors had an opportunity of their own from a free-kick minutes later after Aaron O’Dea was fouled but Stratford’s speculative effort sailed high and wide.
Tullamore’s Evan Brickland picked up the game’s first yellow card for a late challenge in the 18th minute after Joel Amoakoh skipped away.
The home side showed good attacking intent as they pushed for an opener and came close when Calum O’Connell was played in down the left channel but his low shot from a tight angle was well saved by Thompson.
Tullamore’s wingers were heavily involved and good work from Prekop down the right side saw him stand up a cross which O’Connell couldn’t divert goalwards under pressure from a defender.
On the other side, Tuohy was set free down the left wing and his inviting cross was pushed to safety by Thompson before any Tullamore player could put the finishing touches on it.
O’Connell was proving to be a positive influence for Tullamore driving into space and carrying the ball forward at every opportunity. He nearly turned provider following a mazy run but his through ball for Prekop was slightly overhit and the Abbeyleix keeper was once again able to gather.
Abbeyleix continued to search for their first shot on target as a long free-kick by Tally Hassett could only be glanced wide by Lee Maher.
Tullamore’s best opportunity of the first half came 30 minutes in following an intricate exchange. Kian Baniassadi played in Adam Murphy down the right side of the box and Murphy returned the favour with a squared pass but Maher brilliantly blocked Baniassadi’s goalbound effort to keep the game scoreless.
The home side continued to test Thompson as half-time approached. Tuohy drew a fine save from the keeper after O’Connell laid the ball off to him on the edge of the box.
Although Tullamore were in the ascendancy, Abbeyleix continued to look dangerous on the break and Cole nearly got on the end of a cross at the back post which was diverted away before the striker could finish.
Tullamore continued to pile on the pressure as Brickland’s influence in the game grew, his defence-splitting pass played Tuohy in on goal but the winger couldn’t sort his feet out and Abbeyleix managed to clear.
Moments later, Brickland had a sight of goal from distance after O’Connell’s deep cross evaded everyone but he failed to hit the target.
There was a real bite to the game with both sides unafraid to go in for tackles and challenges, evident as Dylan Phelan Doyle went into the book for a foul on Prekop.
Tullamore had one more opportunity before the interval when a loose ball was pushed out by Thompson to Brickland outside the box but his shot was deflected for a corner with the keeper looking all but stranded.
The game was scoreless at half-time but it was an entertaining affair with a host of chances particularly for Tullamore, though the clinical finish proved elusive for the home side.
Tullamore started the second half where they left off as O’Connell won a free-kick in a promising central position after some nice play but Maguire’s resulting effort was blocked by the wall.
In contrast to the first half, Abbeyleix grew into the game as the second half progressed and began to create more meaningful opportunities.
Joe Cole won a free-kick for the away side on the right wing and Tally Hassett’s delivery presented the striker with a chance but he couldn’t get any real purchase on his volley and Tullamore keeper Szymon Skura was able to gather.
Moments later, Stratford tested Skura from distance after a loose ball broke to him but the Tullamore keeper saved it down to his left.
The shot-stopper was once again called into action when Phelan-Doyle’s lay-off to Cole resulted in a driven shot which he parried away.
Tullamore battled their way back into the game and a long diagonal pass from Jack Murphy released Prekop down the right wing and he pulled it back for Brickland on the edge of the box.
The midfielder done brilliantly to evade the defender with a fake shot and cut back in on his left foot but wasn’t able to keep his shot down as he looked for the far top corner.
The two sides began to exchange chances as the game became stretched, Abbeyleix were next as Amoakoh sprayed the ball out wide to Cole who whipped in a cross to the front post but substitute Sam Quinn couldn’t direct his header on target.
Soon after, O’Connell was on the attack for Tullamore as he drove at the defence before playing in Adam Murphy for a chance on goal but Maher once again got across to intervene with a well-timed tackle.
As the game passed the hour mark, Abbeyleix substitute Chris Shiel was booked for stopping a potential break after being spun by Touhy following a quick throw from the Tullamore keeper.
Another chance for Tullamore passed by when Touhy’s corner made it all the way to Prekop at the back post but the winger couldn’t divert his shot at goal on the stretch.
The deadlock was finally broken through a set-piece in the 79th minute when an Abbeyleix corner was flicked goalwards by Cole before being blocked by a Tullamore defender.
The loose ball presented substitute Finn Roell with a simple finish and he made no mistake smashing home emphatically to put the visitors ahead.
Their lead was short lived as Tullamore responded just a minute later when another substitute Adam Malone provided an outstanding side-footed finish from outside the box into the bottom right corner following a neat lay-off to delight the home fans in attendance.
Malone’s finish was a moment of real quality in a game that had so many chances throughout but lacked that same level of composure and finesse in converting them.
The home side’s equaliser set up a tense final ten minutes with both sides searching for a winner. As stoppage time approached, Prekop was once again fouled on the edge of the box after being played through with a lofted volley from O’ Connell.
The foul earned Tally Hassett a second yellow card, having only picked up his first offence two minutes prior for a tackle in front of the dugouts meaning Abbeyleix were going to have to see the game out with ten men.
From the resulting free-kick, Tullamore’s Ciaran Egan rolled the ball across to Malone but he couldn’t repeat his goalscoring heroics and his effort flashed wide of the left-hand post.
As Tullamore looked to make their numerical advantage count, another Maguire free-kick was well saved by Thompson low to his left after Prekop was fouled on the right wing.
Tullamore had one final chance at the death when Thompson uncharacteristically misplaced his kick-out which dropped to Malone who shot from distance with the keeper out, but he could only drag his shot wide as the game finished 1-1.
Abbeyleix AFC will take a lot of encouragement getting their first point on the board having lost 5-2 to Kinnegad Juniors in their opening game of the season last week.
The Laois side will be happy with a well-earned point away from home especially after going down to ten men in the closing stages.
Meanwhile, Tullamore Town will be disappointed not to start the season with all three points given the amount of chances they created but there were lots of encouraging signs in their play throughout the game.
The Offaly side will certainly take the positives from a strong performance as they look to make a real impact at the top end of Division 1 this season.
Tullamore Town FC: Szymon Skura (GK), Patrick Ryan (Oleksii Stasiuk 65), Dan Maguire (C), Jack Murphy, Ciaran Egan, Kian Baniassadi (Benjamin Kelly 83), Arron Tuohy, Adam Murphy, Calum O’Connell, Evan Brickland (Adam Malone 60), Jakub Prekop.
Subs not used: Pat Grennan.
Abbeyleix FC: James Thompson (GK), Joel Amaokoh, Eoin Fitzgerald, Lee Maher, Tally Hassett, Cian McNeill (Chris Sheil 46), Dylan Phelan Doyle, Aaron O’Dea (Sam Quinn 55), Adam Broady (Aaron Smith 76), Joe Cole (Cian Mills 83), Jamie Stratford (C) (Finn Roell 66).
Subs not used: Sean Dullard, Gezahegn Teka Dawit.
Man of the match: There was many candidates all over the pitch including players from both defences who were solid throughout. The two wingers for Tullamore Aaron Tuohy and Jakub Prekop also had really good games creating constant danger in behind on their respective channels. Striker Joe Cole had a great game leading the line for Abbeyleix as well with some fine hold-up and link play along with an impressive work ethic pressing from the front. However, Tullamore’s Calum O’Connell was the standout player on the night, he consistently picked the ball up in deep areas and always looked to go forward whether that was a pass or a driving run. The striker was unlucky not to register a goal or an assist, which his performance deserved but O’Connell was at the heart of so much of Tullamore’s good attacking play.
Referee: Darren Bancroft
Yellow Cards:
Tullamore: Evan Brickland, Kian Baniassadi.
Abbeyleix: Aaron O’Dea, Dylan Phelan-Doyle, Chris Sheil, Joel Amoakah, Tally Hassett
Red Cards:
Tullamore: None
Abbeyleix: Tally Hassett