Clara perform on the big day to return to top flight as emerging Ballinagar endure fighting loss

WITH their big and most important players standing up to be counted, Clara answered any questions about their ability to perform on the big day, with high stakes pressure on, very emphatically as they returned to senior football with a convincing win over an emerging Ballinagar in an engrossing Senior “B” Football Championship final on Sunday in O'Connor Park.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior “B” Football Championship final

Clara 3-14

Ballinagar 3-7

The better team almost all the way, their seven point winning margin was an accurate reflection of the way this went. Clara led 2-7 to 0-3 after playing with a strong wind in the first half and their response when Ballinagar threatened to get back into it on a couple of occasions in the second half was the most impressive aspect of their win.

Ballinagar had the gap back to four points, 3-8 to 2-7 after 45 minutes and there was a definite opportunity for a sensational come from behind win. Clara, however, shut the door on them quite brilliantly, controlling the closing quarter and restricting Ballinagar to an injury time goal from Conor Bracken that didn't matter as the game was out of reach at this stage.

It was a very important win for Clara, a traditional footballing stronghold, who have fallen on hard times in recent years. Relegated twice out of the top flight in the past few years, the absolute key for Clara now is to re-establish themselves up there and try and emerge as contenders then. They will also need to develop new players. Two of their elder statesmen, Graham Guilfoyle and Thomas Deehan were instrumental in them winning this grade but it is doubtful if either will be able to truly prosper in senior football at this stage of their football lives, particularly against the top teams – though the format next year with Clara in a weak group along with Clonbullogue, Durrow, Ballycommon and, probably, Bracknagh, will suit these players and Clara's rebuilding programme as they should be very comfortable here.

They were clearly the best team in this final and over the course of the championship, returning to senior entirely on merit. The key for Clara was that their best players performed on the day and pushed them over the line.

Christian McKeon, Marcas Dalton and Cormac Delaney were all brilliant. The veteran Graham Guilfoyle helped carry them to victory when the pressure came on in the second half and Adam Kelly, playing the best football of his life this year, put in a great second half shift, causing a lot of problems when carrying the ball forward.

By contrast, Ballinagar's key players found the going tough. They suffered a devastating early blow when midfield powerhouse, Adam Strong limped off after just 11 minutes and the significance of his loss can't be understated – even if you would be stretching a very flexible piece of rope to suggest that Ballinagar would have won with him on the field.

Their star man Robbie Gallagher played his heart out but was given very little change off the excellent Christian McKeon, who did what he had to do by marking him tightly. Another key Ballinagar player, Morgan Tynan also tried very hard but it didn't quite happen for him on the day and Ballinagar needed those players cutting loose to make senior football for the first time since the early 1890s.

Little went right for Ballinagar on the day. Wing back Aaron Gorman was instrumental in them getting back into it in the second half but was replaced in the 46^th minute, presumably with an injury. Yet Ballinagar can be very proud of the way they performed and battled back into it in the second half. They only emerged out of junior football in 2022 and have made the greatest strides of any Offaly football club since then.

Injuries were a major problem for Ballinagar this year – Adam Strong's twin Ryan only came on near the end and he would be a great asset if fully fit as would older brother Craig who did his cruciate earlier in the season. Jacob Beatty and Ray Daly were also out for the championship and Ballinagar just did not have the strength in depth to sustain this volume of absentees – if they can get most of them back and keep everyone around, they may be the team to beat next year.

They have been on a great, heart-warming journey but this game was a bridge too far for them. It was not a surprise that they should lose as they had lived on their wits throughout the year – coughing up ten point leads to Tubber and Daingean in a group draw and defeat and then getting out of jail in their extra time semi-final win over Daingean. Lady luck was never going to carry them the whole way and in the heel of the hunt, Clara were just too good and professional.

It was a really good and solid display by Clara and they were the better team by a mile in the first half. Ballinagar started okay with a Morgan Tynan point and wasted a couple of more attacks before Clara took over. Cormac Delaney was sensational in the first half as he scored 1-4 and ran the game. Ballinagar were in trouble when they fell 1-4 to 0-1 behind after Barry Egan's neat goal, set up by Graham Guilfoyle in the 14^th minute. Gallagher and Conor Bracken missed chances for Ballinagar and Clara turned the screw at the other end.

Cormac Delaney's goal came in the 19^th minute, deflected home after Graham Guilfoyle turned down a simple point to go for the jugular. Clara should have killed the game off when Myles Handy was wide with a great 26^th minute goal chance. Trailing by 2-5 to 0-3 in injury time, Ballinagar would have settled for that but an excellent Delaney two point free in injury time gave the winners a ten point half time lead and meant it was theirs to lose.

Ballinagar hadn't performed in the first half and it was impossible to envisage them winning at the break but they almost got back into it. A great Adam Mangan goal after cutting in from the left followed by a super Robbie Gallagher brought the gap back down to five points, 2-8 to 1-6 in the 36^th minute.

With the wind on their back, Ballinagar suddenly had a great chance but the third Clara goal in the 38^th minute was an absolute calamity for the losers. It was also entirely self inflicted as first Eoin McGuinness got blocked down and then Jack Sheil got turned by Graham Guilfoyle who raced in on his own and blasted to the net. It was way too soft for Ballinagar and gave Clara a lot of breathing space.

Again Ballinagar rallied powerfully as Geordi O'Meara split open the Clara defence, off loading to Aaron Gorman who slotted to the net in the 39^th minute. Robbie Gallagher added a free and suddenly the gap was back to four points with fourteen minutes left, more than ample time to rescue it.

Conor Bracken had a goal shot blocked in the 45^th minute and the life finally went out of Ballinagar after this. Clara were excellent in the closing quarter. Adam Kelly came good and settled them with a 48^th minute point and Christian McKeon, Graham Guilfoyle and Josh Fleming all pointed to make it 3-12 to 2-7 as it drifted into injury time.

Conor Bracken got a scrambled goal for Ballinagar in the 60^th minute but they knew the game was up as their resistance levels declined late on and Clara knocked them out with closing points from Conor Egan and Josh Fleming.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Cormac Delaney (Clara): There are strong cases to be made for both Christian McKeon and Marcas Dalton who were super in their defence. McKeon did his primary defensive duty very well and also got forward for a good point while Dalton's influence, both defensively and offensively, was profound.

Cormac Delaney, however, has to get the nod. He has blown hot and cold this year and has been too peripheral of a figure at times for a man with his talent but he certainly delivered when it mattered. He was the best player on the field in the first half and apart from the 1-4 he scored, he ran the game. He scored their first point of the second half and continued to work hard, foraging for the ball and laying it off with simple but effective passes.

Graham Guilfoyle should also take a bow as he showed his vast experience, scored 1-1, had a few assists and his ability to do the right thing, under pressure, commanded complete respect. Clara had several other players who ranged from good to solid and Ballinagar by contrast had very few that reached the level of their star men.

THE SCORERS

Clara: Cormac Delaney 1-5 (1 x 2p), Graham Guilfoyle 1-1, Barry Egan 1-0, Ed Cullen (1 x 2p) and Josh Fleming 0-2 each, Christian McKeon, Adam Kelly, Conor Egan, Thomas Deehan 0-1 each.

Ballinagar: Robbie Gallagher 0-6 (4f and 1 x 2p), Conor Bracken, Aaron Gorman and Adam Mangan 1-0 each, Morgan Tynan 0-1.

THE TEAMS

CLARA: Adam Scanlon; Alan Gavin, Christian McKeon, Darragh McKeon; Conor Doyle, Marcas Dalton, Carl Stewart; Ed Cullen, Graham Guilfoyle; Cormac Delaney, Adam Kelly, Myles Handy; Barry Egan, Josh Fleming, Thomas Deehan. Subs – Conor Egan for Handy (HT), Ryan Carroll for Gavin (47m), David Falsey for Deehan (47m), Kevin Minnock for Barry Egan (60m), Eoin Gavin for Guilfoyle (62m).

BALLINAGAR: Ryan Kinahan; Declan Crombie, Diarmuid Finneran, Eoin McGuinness; Jack Gorry, Brian Malone, Aaron Gorman; Adam Strong (Capt.), Alex Cuddy; Adam Joyce, Geordi O'Meara, Adam Mangan; Conor Bracken, Morgan Tynan, Robbie Gallagher. Subs – Jack Sheil for Strong, inj. (11m), Conor McGuinness for Gorman (46m), Jamie Ballesty for Sheil (52m), Ryan Strong for Cuddy (57m), Ryan Dunne for Gorry (57m),

Referee – Kevin Williamson, Tullamore.

REFEREE WATCH

Tullamore's dominance in senior football has co-incided with Kevin Williamson's emergence as arguably the top football referee in the county and means that he hasn't refereed a senior final. It was only right that he got this fixture and he handled it with typical professionalism with no talking points emerging.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Clara's third goal from Graham Guilfoyle in the 38^th minute was a killer blow for Ballinagar. They made a couple of mistakes in the lead up to it and Guilfoyle's strike was crucial as Ballinagar struck for 1-1 in the next few minutes and had serious momentum at that stage.

VENUE WATCH

There was a lot of interest in this unique pairing and a large crowd created a very good atmosphere. The pitch held up very well.

WHAT'S NEXT

Clara go into the Leinster Club Intermediate Football Championship.

STATISTICS

Wides: Ballinagar – 8 (4 in first half); Clara – 4 (2 in first half).

Yellow cards: Ballinagar – 2 (Jack Gorry, Adam Joyce); Clara – 2 (Graham Guilfoyle, Conor Egan).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0