Huge fightback sees Grangemockler/Ballyneale crowned football champions in Tipperary

FBD INSURANCE COUNTY INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL REPLAY

GRANGEMOCKLER/BALLYNEALE 0-12 AHERLOW 1-8

Grangemockler/Ballyneale are finally back at the top table of Tipperary football following semi-final and final heartbreak in the last three seasons. A thrilling win over Aherlow in the FBD Insurance County IFC final replay at Ardfinnan on Saturday finally secures them a place back in senior ranks where they have been crowned champions eight times in their history.

And it has been a struggle for both team and supporters – final defeats in 2020 and 2021 were followed by a semi-final loss last year, and they were just a kick of the ball away from further heartache in the drawn game.

And last Saturday they looked in trouble again when they trailed Aherlow by seven points, 1-5 to 0-1, after 14 minutes. The west Tipp side opened in whirlwind fashion, with both Barry Grogan and Mark Russell hitting superb points out of the David Clifford playbook, and Grangemockler looked like they might struggle to get back in contention, with only a Mikey Lyons pointed free to show for their first quarter efforts.

But a proud club, with the legacy of its most famous son, Michael Hogan, in its DNA, fought back in style, to trail by just a point, 1-5 to 0-7, at the break. And in a pulsating second half, they edged out Aherlow by five points to three, with a late free from Mikey Lyons putting them in front for the first time, and proving the decisive score.

When the gauntlet was thrown down by the west side, Grangemockler responded in style. Centre half back Leon Kennedy put in a man-of-the-match performance, brilliant in defence as well as kicking two great points. Manus McFadden was another roving half back, whose darting run won the free for Lyons’ late winner.

Sean O’Meara, Paudie O’Shea and Ben Comerford chipped in with vital scores, while Mikey Lyons repeated his brilliant free-taking from the drawn game with four frees and one from play.

Grangemockler/Ballyneale celebrate with the cup following their county final replay win over Aherlow in Ardfinnan on Saturday last. Pic: Michael Boland

At the cup presentation, both Football Board chairman Conor O’Dwyer, and winning captain Mark O’Meara, paid tribute to Grangemockler / Ballyneale club chairman JJ Crowley, whose blood runs Grangemockler green. His behind- the-scenes contribution to the club’s success is widely recognised, as is his overall input to Tipperary football, and this win, the club’s third at intermediate level, will mean a huge amount to him.

There was little indication of such an outcome in the first quarter of the game. Aherlow were denied victory in the drawn game when Barry Grogan was off target with a late free, but one of the finest Tipp players of the modern era wasn’t fazed by that disappointment as he started the replay in blistering fashion.

Just 21 seconds in, he kicked a superb point from the standside touchline to give his side an early lead. Aherlow were dominant in attack as Grangemockler struggled to settle. Michael Elligott was just wide with a goal chance from a Barry Grogan ball in, before Mark Russell emulated Grogan’s kick from the left touchline with an equally brilliant score from the right.

Grangemockler’s Ben Comerford was wide from play in his side’s first attack, and Mikey Lyons off target from a free, before a superb pass from Laurence Coskeran put Grogan through for his second point in the sixth minute, to make 0-3 to no score.
Mikey Lyons from a free got the south side off the mark in the ninth minute but instead of settling them, they conceded 1-2 without reply in the next five minutes.

Aherlow midfielder Ben Carey did brilliantly well to keep the ball in play close to the touchline, and the patient build-up that followed suddenly exploded into life when wing forward Jack O’Halloran spotted a gap in the defence, raced through it and shot to the net past the despairing effort of David Power.

The Aherlow fans were in full voice now in a packed Ardfinnan, and their cheers grew even louder when Michael Elligott hit a point and then Mark Russell finished the move of the game to date with a superb point to give the west men a seven points lead, 1-5 to 0-1, at the end of the first quarter.

Momentum shifted many times in the drawn game and there was an expectation that it would do so again in the replay, as Grangemockler had yet to play any brand of the football that they are capable of. They finally settled into the game as the pace of Aherlow’s whirlwind start dropped off. They failed to score again in the first half as Grangemockler hit six points without reply. Yet if Grangemockler had failed to win this game, the number of wides they kicked over the hour – into double figures – as well as the ball hitting the post and shots dropped short - would have been a huge disappointment.

Mikey Lyons pointed a free in the 18th minute and when Paudie O’Shea scored six minutes later it was their first point from play. Mikey Lyons then cut in from the left to curl over a superb score and when Leon Kennedy pointed after a patient build-up, the margin was down to three points, 1-5 to 0-5.

And it was Grangemockler who maintained the pressure right up to the break. Team captain Mark O’Meara put Manus McFadden through for a point, and then when McFadden was fouled in the next move, Lyons pointed the free to make it a one point game at the break, 1-5 to 0-7.

Leon Kennedy accepts the Man of the Match award from Ferghal McDonnell, Vice Chairman County Tipperary Football Board. Pic: Michael Boland

Aherlow introduced Cathal Dillon at the start of the second half, with his experience a vital asset. But just over a minute into the half the sides were level for the first time with Ben Comerford hitting a great point. Aherlow hadn’t scored for nineteen minutes and there was a risk of the game getting away from them despite their brilliant start. However, Barry Grogan ensured that it didn’t happen and in another outstanding performance, he hit the next three points.

The first was from a free on the right side, perfectly curled over with his less favoured left foot. The second started from another free that he sent to Michael Elligott, took the return pass and hit another huge point from the left touchline. Aherlow were then nearly through for a second goal. Jack O’Halloran put Elligott in the clear and his path for a clear shot on goal was denied by a foul from corner back Dara Shelly that earned the Grangemockler player a yellow card that many Aherlow fans thought should have been a black. Grogan pointed the free for a 1-8 to 0-8 lead entering the final quarter.

Grangemockler’s mettle was being tested again and they responded in style again, hitting the next four points while keeping Aherlow scoreless. Sean O’Meara pointed after a great run and Leon Kennedy followed up with an equally impressive score. The traffic was all in one direction now and despite a couple of careless wides, Sean O’Meara levelled again with his second in six minutes.

Aherlow legs were tiring and it was Grangemockler who were stronger in the closing minutes. With just two minutes of normal time left, Grangemockler took the lead for the only time in the game, and held it to the end, when Mickey Lyons pointed the crucial free following a foul on McFadden.

Grangemockler players and mentors celebrated in style at Tom McGrath’s final whistle, as a dramatic four seasons effort to regain senior status was finally successful. Aherlow players fell to their knees in disappointment, having led for fifty minutes of the sixty plus played, and being behind for just the final two.

They gave all they could, with immense displays from team captain Sean Mullins, Diarmuid Looby, Laurence Coskeran, Jack O’Halloran, Mark Russell and the seemingly ageless Barry Grogan.

The Big Bang: Ben Comerford (Grangemockler/Ballyneale) and Tadgh Carew (Aherlow) feel the full force of this shoulder to shoulder challenge during the County IFC Final played in Ardfinnan on Saturday last. Pic: Michael Boland

They will give it another go for promotion but for next season it will be Grangemockler/Ballyneale back in senior ranks, where players of the calibre of Leon Kennedy, Manus McFadden, John Lyons, Mikey Lyons, Mark O’Meara, Sean O’Meara and Ben Comerford will relish the challenge.

Grangemockler/Ballyneale – David Power, Dara Lambe, Sean Daly, Dara Shelly, Conor Hahessy, Leon Kennedy 0-2; Manus McFadden 0-1; Joey Lyons, Michael Meaney, Paudie O’Shea 0-1; Mark O’Meara, Sean O’Meara 0-2; John Lyons, Mickie Lyons 0-5, 0-4 frees; Ben Comerford 0-1. Subs – Tom Dineen for Paudie O’Shea, Thomas Regan for Michael Meaney.

Aherlow – Jack Whelton, Sean Mullins, Raymond Hennessy, Diarmuid Looby, Tadgh Carew, Darragh O’Brien, Laurence Coskeran, Mark Russell 0-2; Ben Carey, Stephen Carey, Liam Carew, Jack O’Halloran 1-0; Garry Quirke, Michael Elligott 0-1; Barry Grogan 0-5, 0-2 frees. Subs – Cathal Dillon for Ben Carey, Thomas Hanley for Stephen Carey, Ed O’Meara for Michael Elligott, Graham Bourke for Garry Quirke, Michael Russell for Jack O’Halloran.

Referee – Tom McGrath (Loughmore/Castleiney).