Tullamore 0-19 Ferbane 1-12
Tullamore staged a terrific late rally to capture their first three-in-a-row Offaly Senior Football Championship since 1926 and inflict a third-consecutive final defeat on a terrifically brave Ferbane in O'Connor Park on Sunday.
Tullamore stared a traumatic defeat in the face when a clinical Darragh Flynn goal gave Ferbane a 1-12 to 0-12 lead with just four minutes of normal time left.
The underdogs were almost there with one hand on the Dowling Cup, and it looked like the memory of all their painful losses since they bridged a 25-year gap in 2019 were going to be banished.
By the time the final whistle blew just over eight minutes later, Ferbane's dreams were once again gone down the pan and Tullamore had joined Rhode on the top of the Offaly football roll of honour with a 30th title.
In a sensational closing salvo, Harry Plunkett was Tullamore's hero. He kept them going with a 57th minute free, equalised with an ice cool 58th minute two-point free and put them two in front with a super two pointer in the 60th minute.
With four minutes of injury time to be played, Tullamore closed out the game with great efficiency, defending superbly and leaving Ferbane trying to manufacture a lucky goal.
County hurler Oisín Kelly had a goal shot blocked and Tullamore lifted the siege with Plunkett arrowing over another two-point free in the penultimate action of the game for a four-point win that did not reflect how close this was, and how near Ferbane were to a great win.
Ferbane had first use of a strong wind and were in bother when they trailed by 0-04 to 0-03 after 21 minutes.
They played their best football from here to the interval with Paddy Clancy getting a two pointer, Cian Johnson curling over a two-point free for a 0-08 to 0-05 interval lead that gave them a real chance.
Tullamore had a wind that seemed to increase in strength in the second half and it was no surprise to see them taking over. Midfielder Aaron Leavy got two points and man of the match, the superbly hard working Niall Furlong also scored as they led by 0-10 to 0-08 after 41 minutes.
A Johnson free settled Ferbane but Mike Fox got the next two for a 0-12 to 0-09 lead after 44 minutes and Ferbane were sucking air.
Tullamore had ample chances to go four or five clear and that would end it, but they didn't, and Ferbane came back.
They got on level terms with points from Brian Carroll, Cian Johnson (free) and David Nally levelled it up with 52 minutes gone.
Darragh Flynn's goal four minutes later was greeted with jubilation by the large Ferbane support, but Tullamore showed terrific character in the face of doom and once again found a way to win a game that could have slipped from them.
Tullamore: Corey White; Ben Heffernan, Declan Hogan, Daire McDaid; Cormac Egan (0-01), John Furlong, Oisin Keenan-Martin; Cillian Bourke, Aaron Leavy (0-02); Liam Dillane, Michael Brazil, Niall Furlong (0-02); Mike Fox (0-02), Luke Plunkett (0-03), Harry Plunkett (0-08, 2 tpf, 1tp, 2f).
Subs: Diarmuid Egan (0-01) for Dillane (35'), Nigel Bracken for Luke Plunkett (53'), Luke Bourke for Brazil (64'),
Ferbane: Adam Nugent; Aaron McCabe, Ciaran Cahill, Conor Dunican; Patrick Taaffe, David Nally (0-01), Kevin Nugent; Conor Grennan, Cathal Flynn; Brian Carroll (0-01), Adam Egan, Paddy Clancy (0-02, 1tp); Cian Johnson (0-07, 1tpf, 3f), Jack Clancy, Darragh Flynn (1-01).
Subs: Oisin Kelly for Grennan (HT), Kyle Higgins for Egan (40'),
Referee: Marius Stones
