Grangemockler lift Tipperaryman's Cup following hard-earned win
South Tipperary team beat Moyne/Templetuohy by two points in final
Grangemockler/Ballyneale 1-11 Moyne/Templetuohy 2-6
Grangemockler/Ballyneale withstood a late revival from Moyne/Templetuohy to claim the FBD Insurance County Football League Division 2 title at O’Sullivan Park, Ballingarry on Wednesday night.
After overcoming a one-point deficit at the break, when they trailed 2-3 to 1-5, the South Tipperary side upped their performance in the second half to lead by five, 1-11 to 2-3, with ten minutes to go. But three points in a row from Moyne/Templetuohy made it a nervy closing final stages, and the tension ramped up further when the Mid Tipp side were awarded a free just outside the arc three minutes into added time.
Goalkeeper Tom Burke made his way forward to take the potential two-pointer kick that would have forced extra time if it had gone over, but to the dismay of the Moyne supporters, it tailed just wide. It was not a great evening for goalkeeper kicks – Burke had already missed a 45, with Grangemockler custodian David Power also off-target on two occasions.
However, Power more than compensated for those misses with a series of great saves in the final quarter, as Moyne attacked in waves. Some of the Mid side’s football was outstanding but they couldn’t get past Power and their shooting for points also lacked composure. Failure to score for the first 21 minutes of the second half proved very costly.
Grangemockler/Ballyneale posed a greater threat in attack. Mark O’Meara was a superb playmaker in orchestrating the moves, switching play from wing to wing to create the openings, as well hitting three points from play and converting two frees.
Ben Comerford had a huge game at midfield, as well knocking over a monster two-pointer one minute into the second half to overturn Moyne’s one-point advantage.
On a beautiful evening for football, the sides were evenly matched in the first quarter, after which they were tied at 1-2 each. Mark O’Meara opened the scoring for Grangemockler in the second minute, but they were rocked a minute later when a loose kickout was won by Moyne and Finn Jones put Conor Campion through to shoot to the net.
Another Grangemockler kickout was lost to allow Conor Bowe win possession and compose himself to kick a superb two-pointer. Mark O’Meara had Grangemockler’s second point, this time from a free. A heavy tackle by Brian Walsh on Moyne wing back Cormac Deegan resulted in a yellow card for Walsh, while Deegan had to be replaced ten minutes later after failing to run off the leg injury sustained.
Grangemockler were now the more dominant side, with Comerford and Walsh winning a lot of possession around midfield, and they levelled the scores when a great move was finished to the net by team captain Sean Daly.
The south side then hit three points without reply for a 1-5 to 1-2 lead by the 20th minute. Mark O’Meara had the first after another slick attack, Comerford added the second and then O’Meara again with the third, as it looked like Grangemockler were getting a firm foothold.
Paudie O’Shea failed from a free to extend the lead, and they were punished when Moyne/Templetuohy struck for their second goal, Finn Jones showing a goal-poacher’s instinct to shoot home from close range.
Jones again, from an Eanna Guilfoyle pass, pushed the mid side into a one-point half time lead, but not before they had failed to press home their advantage following sparkling forward play. Cathal Guilfoyle was off-target following good play from Jones and Paul Mullen, and Conor Bowe was also wayward with his shot following great work from Jones again, Danny Moore and team captain Tom Meade.
And they were made to pay for that profligacy as early as the first minute of the second half when their one-point lead became a one-point deficit following a superb two-pointer from Ben Comerford, with James O’Meara twice involved in the move that led to the score.
Grangemockler/Ballyneale were now playing with purpose and self-belief, despite the significant absence of Manus McFadden, who is still involved with the Tipperary senior footballers. Conor Hahessy and Michael Meagher were outstanding at full back and centre back respectively, snuffing out any threatening Moyne attacks, while Thomas Regan was superb in linking play from defence to attack.
Meagher was instrumental in the next Grangemockler score, setting up Conor Maguire for a point to make it 1-8 to 2-3.
Moyne/Templetuohy’s attempts to get on the scoreboard in the second half first failed with Tom Burke sending a 45 wide, and then one of their best moves of the game involving Eanna Guilfoyle, Finn Jones and Paul Mullen saw David Power saving brilliantly from a Conor Campion shot.
At the other end, Grangemockler continued to take their chances. Thomas Rogan found himself in space to kick a fine point, Mark O’Meara followed up with another from a free and the next from James O’Meara, after a clever flick pass from Rogan, kept a flowing move alive to put the south men five ahead, 1-11 to 2-3, by the 47th minute.
However, they were not to score again, as Moyne/Templetuohy showed wonderful spirit to revive their hopes of claiming the Tipperaryman’s Cup. A Finn Jones free resulted in their first score of the half in the 51st minute, and when he fisted over another four minutes later the side’s belief was even stronger.
Jones was everywhere at this stage and it took a wonderful save from David Power to deny him a second goal, and a third for Moyne. that would have tied the scores. However, Danny Moore pointed in the follow-up to make it a two-points lead for Grangemockler.
The Moyne onslaught continued and they were rewarded with the late free that could have forced the game to extra time. It wasn’t an easy kick for Tom Burke, and unfortunately for him, it had the distance but not the accuracy.
Scorers: Grangemockler/Ballyneale: Mark O’Meara 0-5 (2 frees), Ben Comerford 0-3, 1x2pt, Sean Daly 1-0; Thomas Regan, James O’Meara, Conor Maguire 0-1 each.
Moyne/Templetuohy: Finn Jones 1-3 (1 free), Conor Campion 1-0, Conor Bowe 0-2, 1x2pt, Danny Moore 0-1.
Grangemocker/Ballyneale: David Power; John Lyons, Conor Hahessy, James Daly; Sean O’Meara, Michael Meagher, Thomas Regan; Ben Comerford, Brian Walsh; Darragh Shelley, Mark O’Meara, James O’Meara; Paudie O’Shea, Sean Daly, Conor Maguire. Sub: Ian Brett for Lyons (56).
Moyne/Templetuohy: Tom Burke; Mark Ryan, Shane Lowe, Danny Moore; Pierce Meade, Tom Meade, Cormac Deegan; Paudie Gleeson, Eanna Guilfoyle; Ben Moore, Conor Bowe, Cathal Guilfoyle; Finn Jones, Paul Mullen, Conor Campion. Subs: D. Leahy for Deegan (22), Gearoid O’Connor for Pierce Meade (45), Tomás Hassett for Mullen (48), Jack Reddan for Cathal Guilfoyle (56).
Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Ardfinnan).