Dominant second half performance gets Ferbane back to winning ways

FERBANE bounced back from their defeat to Rhode in the last round to emphatically overcome Durrow in round three of the Offaly Senior Football Championship thanks to a totally dominant second half display.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 1 Round 3

FERBANE 3-16 DURROW 2-7

Ahead by four points at half time, thanks principally to a goal late in the half from Darragh Flynn, they took complete control after the break and added 1-5 without reply in the third quarter to put the game out of the reach of Durrow.

They continued to push on after that and were 15 points ahead in injury time when Durrow netted their second goal with the last play of the game to leave 12 points between them at the final whistle.

After their setback against Rhode last time out, Ferbane showed they meant business from the outset in this encounter. However they didn't have it all their own way in the first half and a goal after eight minutes gave Durrow the early advantage. Ferbane slowly whittled the gap down as they got on top but their shooting let them down and they hit nine wides in that first half alone which kept Durrow very much in touch.

Only a point ahead four minutes before the break, Ferbane then struck for their first goal and although Durrow cut the lead to two again, Ferbane had the final say of the half and went in leading by 1-8 to 1-4 at half time.

It was virtually all one way traffic in the second half. It took Durrow 18 minutes to get a score and their injury time goal was their only score from play in the half. They struggled to get out of their own half and Ferbane came at them in waves.

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Ferbane were more clinical with their scoring opportunities in the second half. They were dominant at midfield where some of the high fielding was very impressive. They ran at the heart of the Durrow defence and some of their link up play was excellent. They were patient in waiting for the scoring opportunity to come and Durrow simply had no answer to them.

Durrow had to start without the unavailable Dan Bourke and his absence was felt, particularly in an attacking sense, but they had all their other main players available. Kevin McDermott accounted for 2-5 to their 2-7 with the other two points coming from a free and from a midfielder, so that clearly indicated where their main problems lay.

When these sides met in the group stages last year in Ferbane only a point separated the teams but on this occasion Ferbane were clearly the better team. Conor Dunican, Mark Wren and Kevin Nugent impressed in defence, Conor Grennan won some great high ball in the middle of the field and the attack looked very slick with Cathal Flynn, Brian Carroll, Cian Johnson and Jack Clancy looking particularly sharp.

Durrow have enjoyed better days but they had strong performers in Ciaran Burke, Jack O'Brien, Ross Ravenhill, Brian Duignan and Kevin McDermott.

Durrow were first off the mark when Kevin McDermott slotted over a nice point but Ferbane levelled with a fourth minute point from Kevin Nugent. Durrow then struck for their first goal after eight minutes when Mark Troy dinked a lovely foot pass into the path of Kevin McDermott and he finished well to the net.

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Cian Johnson from a free and Cathal Flynn from a two point free brought the sides level at the midway point of the half but Ferbane were missing a number of other chances as their wides tally mounted up. They went in front for the first time after 18 minutes when Kyle Higgins' shot went over off the inside of the post but Barry O'Rorke levelled from a free. Cian Johnson restored Ferbane's advantage with a fisted point and then four minutes before half time Brian Carroll and Cathal Flynn were involved in the build up to set Darragh Flynn away and he found the net, although Dermot Colbert did get a hand to the ball.

Durrow almost bounced back with a goal of their own but when Brian Duignan took a return pass from Ross Ravenhill, his effort flew over the crossbar. Kevin McDermott added a point from a free to cut the gap to two, but Jack Clancy and Cian Johnson, from a free, replied for Ferbane to give them a 1-8 to 1-4 interval lead.

A minute after the restart Darragh Flynn fisted over another Ferbane point and three minutes later they struck for goal number two. Brian Carroll took a quick return pass from Darragh Flynn and drove on before shooting low to the net. He quickly added another great point from the left and centre back Mark Wren came forward to kick another as Ferbane began to turn the screw.

Six minutes followed without a score before Cian Johnson pointed a free after Durrow were penalised for a three on three breach. Another slick Ferbane move ended with Jack Clancy's effort being deflected just outside the post for a '45', which Cathal Flynn pointed to leave them 2-13 to 1-4 ahead midway through the second half.

Durrow finally got off the mark in the second half after 16 minutes when Kevin McDermott pointed a free but Ferbane came back with a point from sub Ronan Flynn and a two pointer free from Cian Johnson. Kevin McDermott cancelled out that latter score with a two point free himself but as the game entered injury time, Ferbane won possession deep in their own half and Cathal Flynn, Jack Clancy, Flynn again and Cian Johnson linked up before the latter kept his composure before slotting the ball to the Durrow net.

Durrow kept coming and Gavin Hand linked up with Kevin McDermott, who cut in from the right. His initial shot was well saved by Adam Nugent but the rebound was gathered by McDermott who shot to the net to leave the gap at full time at 12 points.

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MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

FERBANE: Adam Nugent; Aaron McCabe, Ciaran Cahill, Conor Dunican; David Nally, Mark Wren, Kevin Nugent; Conor Grennan, Cathal Flynn; Brian Carroll, Kyle Higgins, Jack Clancy;

Adam Egan, Cian Johnson, Darragh Flynn. Subs. Stephen Wren (for David Nally, 38 mins), Ronan Flynn (for Darragh Flynn, 45 mins), Eoghan Grennan (for Conor Grennan, 56 mins).

DURROW: Dermot Colbert; Sean Hughes, Ciaran Burke, Gavin Hand; Sam Bourke, Jack O'Brien, Ross Ravenhill; Jack Fogarty, Brian Duignan; Darragh Wyer, David Magner, Stephen Doran; Mark Troy, Barry O'Rorke, Kevin McDermott. Subs. Conor Wyer (for Sam Bourke, 36 mins), Colin Waters (for Barry O'Rorke, 42 mins).

REFEREE: Kevin Williamson (Tullamore).

MAN OF THE MATCH

Durrow's Kevin McDermott deserves mention for scoring 2-5 of his side's tally but the main contenders were on the Ferbane side. There were a number of fine performances, including from Conor Grennan, Cian Johnson and Brian Carroll, but I've gone with Cathal Flynn. He played the 'general' role in directing operations for Ferbane and was involved in the build up to two of the goals as well as a number of other scores and for that reason he gets the vote.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Ferbane's second goal four minutes into the second half put them eight points clear and they never really looked back after that as they took control of the game from there on.

REFEREE WATCH

Kevin Williamson did a good job throughout. He kept the game moving and his calm and unflustered approach ensured the game ran smoothly. He communicated well with the players and also with his other officials and they was little for either side to quibble about.

WHAT’S NEXT

Ferbane face Edenderry in their final group game on Saturday August 30^th in O'Connor Park while Durrow face a big clash with Ballycommon in Ballycommon on Friday August 29^th with a win needed to keep alive any hopes of qualifying for the knock out stages.

VENUE WATCH

Clara hosted the game very well. The pitch was in fine condition, while there were plenty of stewards on duty to look after parking and controlling traffic in and out of the ground, which was done with great efficiency.

STATISTICS

Wides; Ferbane 13 (9 in first half) Durrow 4 (1 in first half)

Yellow Cards: Ferbane 0 Durrow 3 (Ciaran Burke, Ross Revenhill, Stephen Doran)

Black Cards: None

Red Cards: None

THE SCORERS

Ferbane; Cian Johnson (1-6, 0-3 frees, 1 x 2pf), Darragh Flynn, Brian Carroll (1-1 each), Cathal Flynn (0-3, 1 x 2pf, 0-1 '45'), Kevin Nugent, Kyle Higgins, Jack Clancy, Michael Wren, Ronan Flynn (0-1 each).

Durrow; Kevin McDermott (2-5, 0-2 frees, 1 x 2pf), Barry O'Rorke (free), Brian Duignan (0-1 each).

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