By: Mary Dunne
Tullamore Court Hotel Senior B Football Championship Semi Final
Tullamore: 0-19
Daingean: 1-15
It has been said so often a game is never over until the final whistle and that was exactly the case when in the depths of injury time and forty seconds over the announced three minutes, Peter Fox backed himself with a sensational two pointer kick to propel Tullamore to the Senior B decider.
With a championship final placing up for grabs, it certainly was a case of fever pitch as Daingean and Tullamore took to O’Connor Park on Saturday afternoon last.
This was a staggering ending to the game and Daingean certainly will be extremely sick with the outcome. They looked to have sealed the win with a late score from Charlie Burns, but as we all know the injury time is at the discretion of the match official and while Daingean will feel that that whistle should have been blown on the kick out it wasn’t and Peter Fox backed himself completely to snatch the win.
Tullamore in fairness despite playing against the wind in the second half, they certainly were a lot more composed than in the opening half and they never really allowed Daingean into a flying rhythm that they would have liked.
In saying that. All the signs were pointing in Daingean’s favour at half time. They only trailed by two against the wind, but Tullamore hit them with a force at the beginning of the second half and for long spells the game passed them by.
Daingean did get a great goal and it did look like they were going to push on from there and with Tullamore down to fourteen following a black card for Daire Foley, in reality they should have closed out the game, but they left the door open and Tullamore dished the ultimate blow.
Daingean were bidding to reach the final and aim to win the Senior B Title for the first time since 1987 and return to the top flight. They are a club who certainly have been on the crest of a wave for the past number of years and while they will be extremely disappointed they will bounce back.
On Saturday they faced off against Tullamore and their second team who only came into the Senior B ranks following their Intermediate success last year. Tullamore while they haven’t been as prominent as in Senior Football over the past decade, they certainly are building and they would love nothing more than to be the club to have effectively two teams senior.
This meeting was the side’s second clash this year, one that Daingean came out on top in. Tullamore had a massive start to the opening half and led by double scores, but Daingean put in a tremendous shift in the second half to take the win with six points to spare.
It was Tullamore who played with the aid of a strong wind and by the half time whistle they held onto a two point lead and one was always going to wonder would it be enough.
With ample amounts of chances, Tullamore who did kick four two pointers in the half, also hit eight wides. Time and time again they persisted in going for the two pointer kick, but it wasn’t always the best choice and it was a heavy obstacle that they were going to carry for the second half.
Attacking on the throw in it was the Blues who pulled the first action from the game with Ben Connolly rounding the Daingean defence brilliantly, but his goal bound shot was saved brilliantly by Conan Curley.
It was a let off for Daingean and they regrouped well and with the opening score of the game Ryan Conway made the run from his own full back line position to fire over.
Jack Daly who was later replaced with an injury just before half time levelled matters a minute later, before Peter Fox hit over the game’s opening two pointer to leave Tullamore 0-3 to 0-1 to the good seven minutes in.
Daingean then took over. They fielded extremely well in the middle of the field and with their movement up front second to none, they had the Tullamore rearguard in all sorts of muddles and it was only inevitable that the scores would come.
Charlie Burns played very well in along the stand side wing and with the next three scores on the bounce from the Daingean youngster had Daingean in front 0-4 to 0-3 much to the pleasure of their big support.
Tullamore were struggling to find the range but finally with fifteen minutes on the clock they struck with Martin Keogh hitting over a fine two pointer and Tullamore were back in front 0-5 to 0-4.
Shane Tierney levelled up matters again on the 26th minute, but that’s when Tullamore started to find their shooting boots.
A two pointer from Shane Horkan had them back in front and then with a Ryan Conway clearance out of defence intercepted Jay Sheerin landed the fourth two pointer of the half, and just before Tom Furlong brought it to double scores 0-10 to 0-5 with twenty six played.
Tullamore needed to push on from there and keep the pulse on the Daingean jugular, but it was Daingean who finished the half extremely well.
Cormac Whittle popped up with a customary score and with two more on the bounce from Shane Tierney one from a free, the gap was back to two 0-10 to 0-8 at the half time whistle.
Shane Tierney brought it to a one point game twenty seconds into the restart and really this is where Daingean should have pushed on, but they allowed Tullamore to play and with four scores on the bounce from Shane Dooley, the gap was suddenly five 0-14 to 0-9 with thirty seven played.
Shane Tierney responded again and with Ryan Conway dispossessing Peter Fox he landed a lovely ball to Ciaran McEvoy for a brilliant two pointer and the gap was two 0-14 to 0-12 with forty six played.
Shane Dooley hit over a free again moments later, but it was Daingean who finally started to come to life. Shane Marsden and Shane Tierney left it with one between the sides and then with a brilliant move Cian Bracken laid off an inch perfect pass to Shane Tierney who palmed the ball to the net. Daingean two clear 1-14 to 0-15.
They should have taken it further from there. Tullamore were down to fourteen, but with Shane Dooley on the other end in fine scoring form along with a score from Dan Fox the sides were level 1-14 to 0-17 with fifty eight played.
Extra time looked to be on the cards, but Charlie Burns hit Daingean in front three minutes into injury time.
Tullamore still had one more attack and when it looked like they would look for the equaliser, Peter Fox found himself in the pocket of a two pointer, he struck in hope and what a return it was sealing the win and bringing the final scores to 0-19 to 1-15.
The Scorers
Tullamore: Shane Dooley 0-6 (0-3 Frees), Peter Fox 0-4 (0-4 TP’s), Martin Keogh 0-2 (TP), Shane Horkan 0-2 (TP), Jay Sheerin 0-2 (TP), Jack Daly 0-1, Tom Furlong 0-1, Dan Fox 0-1,
Daingean: Shane Tierney 1-6 (0-2 Frees), Charlie Burns 0-4, Ciaran McEvoy 0-2 (TP), Ryan Conway 0-1, Cormac Whittle 0-1, Shane Marsden 0-1.
The Teams
Tullamore: Donnacha Keoghan; Jake Moore, Dylan Hensey, Shane Enright (Capt.); Jack Daly Jay Sheerin, Patrick Fahey; Ryan Sheerin, Shane Horkan; Tom Furlong, Kevin O’Brien, Martin Keogh; Peter Fox, Shane Dooley, Ben Connolly.
Subs: Daire Foley for Jack Daly (inj. 30 mins), Sean Afolabi-Joseph for Martin Keogh (49 mins), Dan Fox for Ben Connolly (49 mins), Paul McConway for Jake Moore (inj. 54 mins).
Daingean: Conon Curley; Cathal McKnight, Ryan Conway, Casey Evans; Finn McGuinness, Adam Bolger (Capt.), Cormac Whittle; Sam Wright, Scott Milne; Charlie Burns, Aran Byrne, Cathal Ryan; Shane Tierney, Cian Bracken, Odhran Connolly.
Subs: Ciaran McEvoy for Finn McGuinness (38 mins), Shane Marsden for Aran Byrne (42 mins),
Referee: Eamon O’Connor (Ballycommon).
By Offaly Secretary Sat 12th Sep
