Tullamore and Ferbane to face off again in Offaly SFC final

Tullamore's Michael Brazil and Joe Maher of Ferbane during the Offaly SFC final at O'Connor Park ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Tullamore and Ferbane will contest the Offaly SFC final for the fourth year in-a-row after seeing off Rhode and Shamrocks respectively in yesterday’s semi-final double-header at Glenisk O’Connor Park.

Paul McConway’s Tullamore charges are just 60 minutes away from completing a four-in-a-row of Dowling Cups after recording a surprisingly comfortable 2-13 to 1-6 victory over Rhode, who had beaten them in the group phase. In a game that saw three players sent off – Ross and Ryan Kellaghan for Rhode and Michael Brazil for Tullamore – the holders never looked back after Aaron Leavy fisted home a third-minute goal.

They went on to lead by 1-6 to 0-4 at the break after playing against the wind and it was all over bar the shouting after Niall Furlong crashed home a second Tullamore goal in the 42nd minute. Aaron Kellaghan – who won a New York SFC medal with Sligo a fortnight ago – grabbed a late consolation goal for ‘The Village’.

In the other last-four clash, Ferbane recovered from a slow start to overcome Shamrocks by 2-19 to 3-11. Conor Egan and Jack Bryant helped Nigel Dunne’s charges to an early 2-0 to 0-1 lead, but Ferbane rallied to trail by 0-12 to 3-4 at the break.

With the wind behind them in the second half, the West Offaly side gradually took control as goals from Cian Johnson and Jake Maher propelled them into another decider.