By: Mary Dunne
Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Semi Final
Tullamore: 5-13
Ballycommon: 0-12
Reigning Champions Tullamore booked their place in the final four, when a powerful second half display saw them ease past Ballycommon in the second of the senior football double headers on Sunday evening last in Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore.
Ballycommon who were outscored by 4-8 to 0-3 in the second half and simply no answer for Tullamore in what was very impressive second half showing and they now will come to face off against Rhode on the semi final in two weeks’ time.
While Tullamore were was going to win this game, Ballycommon have to be commended for the way they took the game to them in the opening half. They pushed Tullamore to the maximum and they deserved their lead at the break, but Tullamore were a different animal in the second half and they really were ruthless.
Tullamore played a lovely blend of football in the second half. They didn’t allow Ballycommon the same level of freedom and for the vast majority of the half they had Ballycommon on the back foot, giving them no chance of breaking the line forward like they did in the opening half.
Tullamore may well have not been expected to have to come through a quarter final on route to looking for their fourth Senior Title in row, but that’s where they found themselves when they took to the field on Sunday last.
Facing off against Ballycommon who were playing in their first quarter final in a long, long time following a very impressive group campaign.
Tullamore who lost their last two games at the group stages were in a position that they hadn’t been in a for a long time and certainly losing back to back games had not been part of the plan and while they were never in any doubt of reaching the knockout stages, they wouldn’t have been happy especially with how they finished the group stages.
Ballycommon excelled in leaps and bounds this year and while many would have said coming into Sunday it was going to be step too far from them, apart from Tullamore’s flying start they didn’t read that script and they were very much in the game at the half time break.
In fact they should have been ahead by more than the one point lead they brought into the break, but a few punt shots and a little bit of indecisiveness in front of goal left meant they only had one to spare at the interval.
Tullamore had a dream start to this game and certainly looked like they were meant business. The game was only fifteen seconds on when they attacked. Davin Keegan broke the ball in midfield into the path of the flying John Furlong who was back making his first start after a lengthy injury, who in turn fed Luke Plunkett to drive the ball home.
It was the best possible start for Tullamore, but for Ballycommon it was the stuff of nightmares and Tullamore didn’t stop there.
Niall Furlong added a point and with a second coming from Mike Fox, they were 1-2 to no score to the good with six minutes played.
Ballycommon to be fair while being rattled, they soon started to find their feet. David Dempsey was building them brilliantly from the back and final with ten minutes on the clock Stephen Conneely had them off the mark.
Ryan Kenny who too has come back from a long term injury, hit over a two pointer free and just like that the gap was back to two 1-2 to 0-3 with twelve on the clock.
Harry Plunkett hit over for Tullamore but Ryan Kenny was hot on his heels with a fine score, before Tullamore but a little daylight between the sides thanks to Luke Plunkett and Declan Hogan who made the run from his own full back position.
Tullamore were now four clear 1-5 to 0-4 with twenty played, but once again it was Ballycommon who responded and finished out the half very impressively.
Gareth Mann and Ryan Kenny pointed before Gareth Mann hit over a two pointer free and then with the last action of the half another score from Ryan Kenny left Ballycommon ahead by one 0-9 to 1-5 at the interval.
Ryan Kenny stretched the lead to two on the resumption, but from the 31t minute to 37th Tullamore really came into their own.
The decision to move John Furlong to fourteen was a master stroke and he caused all sorts or mayhem inside.
Liam Dillane, Diarmuid Egan and Mike Fox in particular were making some brilliant runs and Fox who is having a super year this year, not only did he add to the scoring but also contributed a lot of the passes for others.
Harry Plunkett hit over Tullamore’s opening score of the second half and by the 35th minute a Diarmuid Egan score had the sides level 0-10 to 1-7, before the aforementioned Mike Fox gave Tullamore the lead a minute later.
Tullamore were winning all now and with a lovely move between Luke Plunkett and Liam Dillane they paved the way for John Furlong who with his first touch of the second half sent the ball to the net, Tullamore now four clear 2-8 to 0-10.
Gareth Mann did reduce the gap somewhat, but Tullamore had more to come with Mike Fox picking out John Furlong who made no hesitation in driving home his second goal of the evening and Tullamore were now coasting.
Mike Fox and Sean Conway swapped scores but Harry Plunkett brought it to 3-10 to 0-12 on the 46th minute, but the Blues who donned their white jerseys on Sunday had more to come.
Luke Bourke was only on the field and playing a lovely one two with Diarmuid Egan the substitute rifled the net for Tullamore’s fourth goal.
Matters for Ballycommon only went from bad to worse when Luke Plunkett was taken down on the edge of the square. Harry Plunkett stepped up to the resulting penalty and making no mistake he brought the scores to 5-10 to 0-12 with four minutes of normal time to play.
Mike Fox landed his fourth of the game and third for the half on the 57th minute and with a fine two pointer at the death from Nigel Bracken it was Tullamore who ran out comfortable winners. The final scores reading 5-13 to 0-12.
The Scorers
Tullamore: John Furlong 2-0, Harry Plunkett 1-3 (1-0 Penalty, 0-1 Free), Luke Plunkett 1-1, Mike Fox 0-4, Luke Bourke 1-0, Nigel Bracken 0-2 (TP), Niall Furlong 0-1, Declan Hogan 0-1, Diarmuid Egan 0-1.
Ballycommon: Ryan Kenny 0-6 (0-2 TPF, 0-3 Frees), Gareth Mann 0-4 (0-2 TPF), Stephen Conneely 0-1, Sean Conway 0-1.
The Teams
Tullamore: Arron Hensey; Patrick Kenna, Declan Hogan, Jack Maher; Cormac Egan (Capt.), John Furlong, Oisin Keenan Martin; David Keegan, Luke Egan; Niall Furlong, Diarmuid Egan, Liam Dillane; Mike Fox, Luke Plunkett, Harry Plunkett.
Subs: Luke Bourke for Oisin Keenan Martin (47 mins), Ciaran Burns for Cormac Egan (54 mins), Nigel Bracken for John Furlong (57 mins).
Ballycommon: Robert Conneely; Zach Wright, Aidan Bracken, Killian Owens; Brian Todd, David Dempsey, Jack Kenny; Tom Mealiffe (Capt.), Paul Conway; Stephen Conneely, Chris Kenny, Karl Dunne; Ryan Kenny, Gareth Mann, Sean Conway.
Subs: Matthew Dempsey for Killian Owens (Half Time), Conor Dunne for Sean Conway (33 mins), Sean Conway for Conor Dunne (inj. 45 mins), Daniel Scally for Chris Kenny (55 mins), Michael Conneely for Brian Todd (55 mins).
Referee: Chris Dwyer (Clara).
By Offaly Secretary Mon 14th Sep
