Oct 14,2024
Tullamore 0-15 Ferbane 0-14
When Tullamore and Ferbane met in last year's Offaly SFC decider, the full time scoreline read 1-5 to 0-6 and the match was talked about throughout the winter for all the wrong reasons.
The dreadful weather did provide extenuating circumstances on that very forgettable day but, thankfully, this year's renewal will be talked about for the right reasons.
While there was a stiff wind that favoured Ferbane in the first half here, weather conditions were much more favourable and an infinitely better, more expansive and enjoyable game emerged.
In the end, Tullamore just barely won, breaking one of their longest hoodoos in the process as they retained their title for the first time since 1926.
It was their fifth successive final, and it took another relentless display to do it on a day when Ferbane pushed them to the pin of their collar and were so unlucky not to get a second chance.
This was the latest in a series of gut-wrenching defeats for Ferbane since they ended a 25-year famine in 2019 and they must be wondering what they have to do to win another one.
Sensational displays by John Furlong and Cillian Bourke were instrumental in Tullamore's win as they showed great character to turn the tide at two different stages.
Tullamore had a solid start against the wind and without doing anything spectacular, led by 0-4 to 0-2 after 11 minutes.
Ferbane played their best football after this, opening up a shocked-looking Tullamore with some great attacking play.
From the 15th to the 23rd minute, they got seven points in a row and while only two of those, Jack Clancy's and Darragh Flynn's, were from play, it was a run that had Tullamore in serious trouble.
John Furlong's free made it 0-9 to 0-5 at the break but Tullamore went at them in the second half.
Four points in a row had the sides level at 0-9 each after 40 minutes and it was dog eat dog for the next ten minutes.
Tullamore led by 0-11 to 0-10 after 48 minutes before Ferbane mounted what seemed a winning charge. A Cian Johnson point and frees from Darragh Flynn and Joe Maher had them 0-13 to 0-11 in front and they could almost touch the Dowling Cup.
Somehow, Tullamore found a way to win it from there. With the pressure at its most severe, they got four points in a row to take the glory from the field.
A great John Furlong point from play and a Harry Plunkett free levelled it up after 59 minutes.
In injury time, Tullamore conjured up two magical points, the first from Daire McDaid after a fantastic Cillian Bourke turnover and the other a sensational score from sub Diarmuid Egan. Playing his first game of the year because of injury – despite being the only man forward, he took it on and kicked a wonderful point.
Cian Johnson got a 65th-minute free for Ferbane but the injury time was up and the final whistle went about half a minute later.
Tullamore: Corey White; Paul McConway, Declan Hogan, Daire McDaid (0-1); Nigel Bracken (0-2), John Furlong (0-4, 3f), Oisin Keenan-Martin; Aaron Leavy, Arron Hensey; Cillian Bourke, Michael Brazil, Cormac Egan (0-1); Luke Egan, Dan Fox (0-1), Harry Plunkett (0-5, 5f).
Subs – Diarmuid Egan (0-1) for Hensey (30m), Niall Furlong for Luke Egan (52m). Mike Fox for Dan Fox (62m), Sean McCabe for Diarmuid Egan (65m).
Ferbane: David Dunican; Patrick Taaffe, Ciaran Cahill, Jack Egan; Kevin Nugent, Leon Fox, Stephen Wren; Oisin Kelly, Kyle Higgins; Brian Carroll, Cathal Flynn (0-1, '45'), Jack Clancy (0-1); Cian Johnson (0-3, 1m), Joe Maher (0-6, 6f), Darragh Flynn (0-3, 2f).
Subs – David Nally for Carroll (34m), Shane Nally for Clancy (46m), David Kelly for Higgins (62m),
Referee: Eamon O'Connor (Ballycommon)
