Offaly Football Finals Programme
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Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Final 2020 An Ród V AN Tulach Mhór SUNDAY 4th OCTOBER at 4pm Réiteoir: Marius Stones. Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Uíbh Fhailí Tullamore Court Hotel Senior B Football Championship Final 2020 Darú V PáIRC DE GRáS SUNDAY 4th OCTOBER at 1pm Réiteoir: Eamon O’Connor. lcormac/Killoughe Ki y Tullamore Court Hotel Intermediate Football Championship Final 2020 Runaí N Í N ILE EA CHÉ RT GO CUR LE CILL CORMAiC/CILL AICTÍ V NAOMH RAGHNACH SATURDAY 3rd OCTOBER at 4pm Réiteoir: Fergal Smyth. Luach €3 Tullamore Court Hotel Junior A Football Championship Final 2020 An DAINGEAN V AN Tulach Mhór SATURDAY 3rd OCTOBER at 1pm Réiteoir: Chris Dwyer. CLÁR OIFIGIÚIL Extra time will be played if necessary in all finals. Pairc Uí Chonchúir Bord na Móna, An Tulach Mhór Supporting1991 Offaly since www.carrollsoftullamore.ie also deserve massive thanks and credit for all they Fáilte do on match days, all year round. In what is a particularly difficult year financially for Tá an athas orm fáilte the association, I want to pay particular thanks to roimh go léir go Tulach all our sponsors. Thanks to the Tullamore Court Mhór inniu. Tá súil Hotel for your sponsorship of all our adult football agam go mbeadh cluichí competitions. To Carroll’s of Tullamore, thank brea spoirtúil againn you for extending your sponsorship and for your agus taispeantas thar loyalty over the years and to Bord na Móna thank bharr don peil in ár you for your ongoing support. gcondae. I would like to wish our referees and officials the In what has been an extraordinary year in so very best of luck today. In particular, I’d like to wish many ways I would like to welcome you all to Marius Stones well as he referees his first Offaly Bord na Móna O’Connor Park for this year’s Senior Football Final. County Football Finals. I wish to pay a sincere thanks to the local media for When I was elected Chairperson back in the outstanding coverage that you give our games. December, we had many plans and aspirations All players say they don’t read the papers or listen for Offaly GAA in 2020. Little did any of us know to the radio, but they do! With the limited number at that stage what lay ahead. On the 16th March of match tickets, we expanded our streaming one of my biggest supporters, my Dad Peadar, service and my appreciation goes to all those who passed away suddenly. It was the first week of have contributed to producing this service for our the restrictions associated with Covid 19 and it Offaly supporters. has been a challenging time for everyone in many The most important people in O’Connor Park ways since. this weekend are the players from the seven clubs. County Final day is special and the winning or Back in March we weren’t sure if we would have losing will stay with you forever. The availability of any games this year. Through the hard work and County players to their clubs for such an extended commitment of our clubs, players and many period has led to a marked increase in standard in volunteers we have finally got to County Final day. my opinion. Good luck to you all and thank you I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely for giving us so much enjoyment over the last few thank every club in Offaly for their co-operation, months. understanding and outstanding compliance during Finally, I would like to sympathise with any of you the past six months. that lost loved ones during the year. We lost many I would also like to thank all the officers of the great Gaels and we could not give them the send County Board for their unstinting commitment. off they deserved. In particular, on behalf of Offaly The Competition Controls Committee deserve GAA, I would like to remember Paddy Fenning, particular credit for getting fixtures planned and Paddy Molloy and Fr Tom Scully, three men played in very difficult and constantly changing who made a huge contribution to their County. I circumstances. would also like to remember, on a personal level, Bord na Móna O’Connor Park is widely regarded my friends Pat Smullen and Conor Connelly, two as one of the GAA’s finest grounds with the pitch outstanding young men taken in their prime. May being the jewel in the crown. Jim Kelly and his they all Rest in Peace. team deserve huge credit for the way our facilities Enjoy the games - Uibh Fhailí Abú. are always presented. Our stewards and volunteers Michael Duignan, Cathaoirleach 3 FOUR EXCITING FINALS IN STORE By Brendan Minnock A joke was once told about a now deceased Unionist within the club, but this season Malachy McNulty from politician who awoke after 25 years to receive what Laois is in charge and he has overseen a 100% record from he thought was good news that Rangers had trounced their four championship outings. They weren’t seriously Celtic…only to discover it was on a scoreline of 3-11 to troubled by Clara, Tullamore or Cappincur and concluded 2-06! their group games with a scoring average of +30. Similarly, some GAA die-hards may have broken into In contrast, a scoring difference of just +1 was crucial for a cold sweat last Sunday week when news came through Tullamore as they finished level on points with Cappincur that Tullamore had defeated Ferbane 9-8 in a penalty and Clara after just one victory from three outings. Maybe shoot-out at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park! they are peaking at the right time as their semi-final The unique conclusion to the Offaly SFC semi-final may success was undoubtedly their best performance of the never be repeated at the famous venue. Only introduced season. into regulations by the Competitions Control Committee Tullamore’s blend of youth and experience not only to avoid replays during this condensed season, it was a blossomed during the opening 60 minutes of the semi- thrilling way to win but a cruel way to bow out. final, and carried into extra-time, but shone through in the Considering the fixtures plan recently required further shoot-out when Shane Dooley, Johnny Moloney and Paul tweaking after a ‘localised lockdown’ in three counties McConway were joined by young guns Ciaran Burns and including Offaly, it’s somewhat relieving that finals in four Ciaran Egan. adult grades will be completed this weekend. All Offaly GAA supporters will be pleased that Niall Seven clubs (Tullamore will compete in two finals) are McNamee is back to his best form after a nasty injury bidding for glory at Senior, Senior B, Intermediate and prevented him from starting last year’s final. He stands Junior levels, with some accustomed to county final glory out as the championship top-scorer once again and like and others seeking a rare day in the limelight. so many of his team-mates, including older brother Alan, Anton Sullivan, Brian and Niall Darby not to mention SENIOR many more, is hoping to add to an already large collection It was deeply unfortunate that so few people were of county medals. allowed entry to the Senior Football semi-finals, as two penultimate round games have seldom provided such SENIOR ‘B’ excitement in the same year. Thankfully, the streaming The wise money at the start of the year was on a Senior service available on www.247.tv/gaa was a welcome B final between Durrow and Gracefield and that is what alternative and armchair viewers certainly got value for has transpired. money. Both clubs recently featured in the top flight and are Rhode and Tullamore most recently met in the Offaly anxious to return there as soon as possible. Throughout SFC final in 2013, with ‘The Blues’ triumphing by 2-7 to this championship, they have played with pace and flair 0-9. That was their 27th title and ensured, at the time, that with many scores out of the top drawer. they remained on top of the roll of honour. But this is their Respective managers Shane Curran and Pat ‘Dingle’ first time back in the decider, whereas Rhode have been Daly brought a wealth of know-how to their roles also involved in county final day every year since, winning on and will no doubt have studied their opponents in detail. four occasions to bring their tally of titles up to 29. Durrow made all other teams in this grade sit up and Their greater experience, together with a decisive take notice with a first round blitz of Ballycumber. Equally victory when the teams met in Round 2 this season, may impressive in the second round against Walsh Island, they be sufficient to install Rhode as favourites. But Tullamore found Ferbane a tougher nut to crack in Round 3 and have the benefit of beating the county champions and the were pushed all the way by Tubber in the semi-final, even outcome of the group game will have little or no bearing if they were forced to play with 14 men for over half an on the action today. hour. Tullamore’s manager Niall Stack already has the honour With two goals in three of their four outings, including of winning titles as a player and selector with the club and memorable strikes by Billy Fogarty and John Murphy in earlier in the summer, also guided Coláiste Choilm to the the semi-final, Durrow feature quite a few players who Leinster Schools Senior Football ‘B’ title.