Crucial win for Ferbane as understrength Durrow go down battling
DOING just enough to win and not a whole lot more, Ferbane were still full value for their win over Durrow in the Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship in Tubber on Tuesday evening.
Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 1 Round 2
Ferbane 1-14
Durrow 2-7
It was a mixed display by Ferbane. They certainly played within themselves and gave the impression that there is another gear or two in them. Those extra gears would turn them into title contenders but as things stand, the jury has to remain out on them and we just don't know where they are yet.
On the basis of this display, they are behind Rhode and Tullamore at the moment and probably ahead of everyone else but they will have to play much better to win the Dowling Cup. The group, however, is all about getting out of and the result was very much the bottom line here. Having lost to Tullamore in the first round, this result should enable Ferbane to qualify – they will be favourites against struggling Clara in their final game, though they will be taking nothing for granted.
Durrow will be quietly happy with the way they played. A defeat is always a defeat but they competed very well and were not that far away. They were down a few players that would have made a difference. Jack Fogarty and Ciaran Burke were suspended while Brian Duignan has opted to concentrate on hurling this year and this trio would really have strenthened them.
As things were, Durrow gave it their best shot, without truly looking like salvaging a result. They did get it down to a goal in injury time before a Joe Maher point restored a safe four point gap for Ferbane and Durrow really would have been stealing it if they had managed a draw or a win.
Ferbane were the better side on the day and could have won by a bit more. They moved well at times but missed quite a bit in the first half while they didn't take a couple of second half goal chances that would have killed it off. Durrow's attack didn't play well enough for them to win and creating and taking chances represented an ordeal for them all evening.
Billy Fogarty had a super first half, giving Ciaran Cahill loads of food for thought but he wasn't near as prominent in the second half as Durrow struggled to get the ball into him. Dan Wyer worked very hard for Durrow out on their half back line but Ferbane's work rate increased in the second half, as did their volume of turnovers – too many Durrow players didn't pose a scoring threat.
A very interesting tussle emerged in the first half. Darragh Flynn, free, and Paddy Clancy got Ferbane going but Durrow took the lead with a freak seventh minute goal – Billy Fogarty's didn't get the height into his '45' but it bounced treacherously in the goalmounth and deflected off Ciaran Cahill into the net.
Ferbane had most of the possession after this but both their shooting and shot selection was way off. They had seven poor wides in the first 18 minutes and most of these could have been points – Ferbane only had one further wide in the game.
It was level at 1-2 to 0-5 when Ferbane took the lead with a 27th minute goal and it was every bit as sloppy as Durrow's one. Goalkeeper Stephen Fitzgerald and Sean Hughes got their wires crossed and Cian Johnson nipped in to punch to the empty net.
Fitzgerald did very well to save from Darragh Flynn moments later as Durrow rocked precariously before steadying the ship. Ferbane's 1-7 to 1-4 half time lead was a fair reflection of the way the first half went.
A Ferbane win looked likely the whole way through the second half. They got the first two points but a great Kevin McDermott goal after Dan Wyer did very well in the build up gave Durrow a lifeline, 2-4 to 1-9.
Ferbane responded well and Joe Maher made a crucial intervention off the bench. He added real threat to the Ferbane attack and his fisted point after Fitzgerald saved well from the very lively Cathal Flynn made it 1-11 to 2-4. Darragh Flynn should have ended it as a contest in the 45th minute but his rocket hit the post.
Durrow kept plugging away, without ever looking like getting a winning run going. Steven Doran cut it to a goal but points from Cian Johnson and Maher made it 1-13 to 2-5 inside the last five minutes.
A deseverd black card for Ferbane sub Kieran McManus after he pulled down the flying Dan Bourke in the 24th minute gave Durrow a flicker of hope. They pushed hard. Alan Geoghegan got a free and Billy Fogarty curled over a fine score to bring it down to a point but Joe Maher broke for the final point in the 63rd minute and despite another five minutes of injury time being played, Ferbane had enough in the tank for the win.
MATCH ANALYSIS
MAN OF THE MATCH
Dan Bourke (Durrow): Dan Bourke's display at wing back was so good that the man of the match has to go to a losing player on this occasion. He was the best player on the field by a distance and he caused consternation for Ferbane with his frequent attacks up the wing. He drew plenty of fouls, used the ball well and his athleticism and movement was a joy to behold. A key member of the Offaly U-20 hurling team this year, he showed that he is also a natural at football. Leon Fox was Fetrbane's best player, tackling well and cutting out a lot of attacks at centre half back. Patrick Taaffe and Cathal Flynn also caught the eye for the winners while Cian Johnson showed that he is still a fine finisher and David Nally did well off the bench. Oisin Cusack and Billy Fogarty also did very well for Durrow.
THE SCORERS
Ferbane: Cian Johnson 1-3 (1f); Darragh Flynn 0-4 (3f), Joe Maher 0-3, Jack Clancy 0-2, Paddy Clancy and Ronan McGuire 0-1 each.
Durrow: Billy Fogarty 1-2 (Goal from a '45' and 1f), Kevin McDermott 1-0, Dan Bourke, Gavin Hand, Steven Doran, Ross Ravenhill and Alan Geoghegan (f) 0-1 each.
THE TEAMS
FERBANE: Adam Nugent; Stephen Wren, Ciaran Cahill, Patrick Taaffe; James Nally, Leon Fox, Shane Nally; David Kelly, Kevin Nugent; Paddy Clancy, Jack Clancy, Cathal Flynn; Cian Johnson, Ronan McGuire, Darragh Flynn. Subs – David Nally for Shane Nally, inj. (15m), Joe Maher for McGuire (37m), Kieran McManus for Kelly (40m), Conor Grennan for James Nally (66m).
DURROW: Stephen Fitzgerald; Sean Hughes, Oisin Cusack, Jack O'Brien; Dan Bourke, Gavin Hand, David Magner; Niall McDermott, Ross Ravenhill; Steven Doran, Shane McDermott, Dan Wyer; Mark Troy, Billy Fogarty, Kevin McDermott. Subs – Alan Geoghegan for Shane McDermott (34m), Mark Hughes for Niall McDermott (42m), Colin Waters for Sean Hughes (47m).
Referee – Adam Kinahan (Clodiagh Gaels).
REFEREE WATCH
Adam Kinahan had a very good game. It was an entertaining, tough, physical battle and the referee had to be on his toes all the time. Kieran McManus had no complaints about his black card – the player himself knew he had committed a black card offence, not a yellow card one. Kinahan consulted with an umpire after Darragh Flynn went down injured in the 36th minute. He initially didn't award a free and from my vantage point, it didn't look like it was one but the reaction of David Nally and a couple of other Ferbane players suggested that something had happened. After talking with his umpire, he awarded a 14 metre free that Flynn tapped over. Joe Maher flirted with a second yellow card late on, a few minutes after picking up one but the referee probably was right to give him the benefit of the doubt as the Durrow player went down a bit too dramatically. He played over eight minutes injury time at the end and while there were stoppages, including one in the added minutes, this seemed a lot.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
Cian Johnson's 27th minute goal was crucial. It gave Ferbane the lead at a stage when things weren't going well for them and without it, they would have been in a real dogfight.
VENUE WATCH
Tubber hosted the game very well. Once again they had loads of stewards and they quickly photo copied programmes when their initial supply went. Tubber is a lovely, homely venue for these evening games and clearly take great pride in their facilities. The decision to fix a senior hurling game here on Sunday between Kilcormac-Killoughey and Tullamore is questionable. While ideal for senior football, there are definitely better hurling pitches available and it cut up a bit as the game wore on – if the weather remains wet, this will be a factor on Sunday.
TALKING POINT
This game was postponed to Tuesday because of the death of former Offaly GAA chairman Brendan Ward. While it had to be played on Tuesday, it shows the problem facing dual clubs. Many of these players will be out again for Ballinamere and Belmont senior hurlers this Saturday and it is a quick turnaround. Durrow would have loved to have Brian Duignan here but he is concentrating on hurling this year, and it is not simple with dual players. James Nally and Leon Fox got heavy late knocks for Ferbane but that is the “joy” of being a dual club – the games come thick and fast, they must be played and the clubs have to accept that.
WHAT'S NEXT
Durrow play Tullamore while Ferbane have Clara.
STATISTICS
Wides: Ferbane – 8 (7 in first half); Durrow – 5 (3 in first half).
Yellow cards: Ferbane – 1 (Joe Maher); Durrow – 2 (Alan Geoghegan and Oisin Cusack).
Black cards: Ferbane – 1 (Kieran McManus); Durrow – 0.
Red cards: 0.