Tullamore edge out Kilcormac-Killoughey in real war of attrition

TULLAMORE did just enough to claim their 30th Offaly Minor Football Championship title when they edged out a gallant Kilcormac-Killoughey team in O'Connor Park on Saturday afternoon.

Offaly Minor Football Championship final

Tullamore 1-6

Kilcormac-Killoughey 0-7

It was a real war of attrition with every ball hard earned, scores at a premium and the football teak tough. It was certainly not an occasion for the purists with both sides making plenty of mistakes and coughing up hard won ball.

Tullamore eventually got there but this game could have swung either way. K-K were in the hunt right to the end and were just a point behind with time almost up. It would have took very little for them to have forced extra time or won it but they couldn't manufacture the scores they needed.

On first examination, this was a mediocre game of football. There was no real fluency to it, little open football and not many scores that will last in the memory. Neither side generated any true momentum for any significant period of time, though both had spells where they were dominant.

Yet there was something strangely compelling, engrossing about it. Spectators might have shook their head at some of the football and balls splilt but there attention never wandered and it went right down to the wire.

Both sides were fiercely honest and committed in everything they did. The conditions were far from ideal, heavy underfoot and there was a swirling wind that increased the difficulty. Both sides played patches of very good football and there was a lot to admire in the way they tried to retain possession and use the ball, even if things did break down under fierce pressure.

Nothing was earned easy and there was a real physicality to the game that made it enjoyable. Players challenged hard for everything and they hit hard. K-K played the last few minutes with fourteen men when Daniel Hand was sent off for a second yellow card – referee Martin Carty was called by linesman Eamon O'Connor and that really loaded the dice against K-K.

Having said that, they had attacks that could have yielded a match winning goal near the end but a resolute Tullamore defended in numbers and held them out.

The first half was a very good, tough affair. K-K were the better side early on and were full value for their 0-3 to 0-1 lead after nine minutes, despite playing into the wind.

Tullamore settled down after this, though a couple of off target Niall Furlong frees didn't help them. They took the lead in the 18th minute with a Alex Rooney penalty goal after James Mahon handled a Niall Furlong shot on the ground – it was a bad penalty for K-K to concede as the ball should have been cleared before it fell to Furlong.

Cillian Martin added a point and Adam Screeney (free) and Alex Rooney exchanged points to leave Tullamore 1-3 to 0-4 ahead at the interval.

The second half was not for the faint hearted and creating and taking chances represented a big ordeal for both sides. Niall Furlong and Oisin Guinan swopped early frees and there was then a long scoreless spell before Guinan's 51st minute free made it a one point game, 0-6 to 1-4.

In between both sides battled fierce hard for everything but struggled to create chances. Adam Screeney impressed for K-K in a roving role out the field and one searing run almost broke through the Tullamore cover while Guinan and Ciaran Scully were wide with frees that the losers couldn't afford to miss.

An excellent Jack Donegan point was the response Tullamore needed. A Mark Mulrooney free made it a one point game again but Hand's dismissal left K-K reeling. Jack Daly, excellent at centre half back despite spilling some ball, hit the post with a point chance before a 59th minute Niall Furlong free gave Tullamore a two point lead and a sliver of breathing space for the four minutes of injury time that was played.

MATCH ANALSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Cillian Martin (Tullamore): Cillian Martin was immense for Tullamore and the game suited him down to the ground. He revelled in its physicality, turning over a lot of ball, winning dirty ball, carrying it into contact and using it well. Like most players, he also lost a bit of ball but he was a major factor in Tullamore's win. An Offaly minor hurler this year, he was especially influential in the first half when he almost single handedly got Tullamore motoring after a poor start. Jack Daly and K-K's Ter Guinan, Richard Bracken and Adam Screeney were also contenders on an afternoon when a couple of Tullamore's marquee players did not find top gear and it was their collective work ethic that won the day.

THE SCORERS

Tullamore: Alex Rooney 1-1 (goal from a penalty), Niall Furlong 0-3 (2f), Cillian Martin and Jack Donegan 0-1 each.

K-K: Oisin Guinan 0-4 (3f), Mark Mulrooney (f), Ciaran Scully and Adam Screeney (f) 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

TULLAMORE: Sean Kavanagh; Jake Moore, Patrick Kenna, Jack Bracken; Jack Maher, Jack Daly, Eoghain Spain; Cillian Martin, Cillian Bourke; Luke Duffy, Davin Keegan, Niall Furlong; Adam McCarthy, Alex Rooney, Jack Donegan. Subs – Cian McConnell for Duffy (50m), Shane Horkan for Keegan (54m).

KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY: Michael Kelly; Donnchadh Kilmartin, James Mahon, Harry Sweeney; Leigh Kavanagh, Ter Guinan, Brecon Kavanagh; Richard Bracken, Mark Mulrooney; Stephen Gleeson, Daniel Han, Ciaran Scully Aaron Dalzell, Adam Screeney, Oisin Guinan. Subs – Luke Bracken for Sweeney (38m), Odhran Fletcher for Gleeson (49m).

Referee – Martin Carty (Walsh Island).

REFEREE WATCH

Martin Carty had a decent game. He may have been a bit quick to penalise over carrying on a couple of occasions and both sides complained at frees given against them but he was very consistent – it was very tough football and there was a lot of fouls. He got the big calls right. Tullamore's penalty was a foul and he was 100% right to disallow an Adam McCarthy free after he took it not only five metres from where it should have been but ran right into the penalty area before kicking it near half time.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Tullamore's first half penalty goal separated the sides and K-K will regret it as the ball should have been cleared.

VENUE WATCH

Despite heavy rain, the O'Connor Park pitch looked in great shape and the game was well hosted.

TALKING POINT

It has been a very busy year for some players between football and hurling not to mention county and school commitments. Managing the load of these young players is crucial for Offaly GAA.

WHAT'S NEXT

That concludes the minor football campaign for both clubs though several players have big minor hurling games to look forward to.

STATISTICS

Wides: Tullamore – 5 (3 in first half); K-K – 5 (2 in first half).

Yellow cards: Tullamore – 1 (Jack Daly); K-K – 3 (Richard Bracken and Daniel Hand 2).

Black cards: 0.

Red cards: Tullamore – 0; K-K – 1 (Daniel Hand, 2 yellows).