Cuala Aim To Continue Leinster Odyssey against Tullamore

By Conor Martin 

Image courtesy Conor Ryan 

Newly crowned Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football champions Cuala look to keep their incredible year going, when they take on Tullamore in the AIB Leinster Club Senior Football semi-final this Saturday night at Parnell Park (7.15pm). 

The south Dublin club used the momentum from their fine county championship campaign- in which they dethroned Kilmacud Crokes to claim the Dublin title for the first time- in the quarter-final against Naas two weeks ago. 

In the previous round, Cuala hit the ground running and took the game to the Kildare champions with Luke Keating scoring in the fourth minute. The O’Callaghan brothers, Con and Niall, were also impressive, with the younger of the two, Niall, top-scoring with 1-5. 

After the second-half began with the Dalkey club a point to the good, they took control with Con playing in Niall for the second Cuala goal. Then just as Naas found themselves creeping back into contention after finding the net themselves, Cuala called upon substitute Conor Groarke, who got the memo and added three scores to Austin O'Malley’s red and white men’s tally to set up this weekend’s clash with Tullamore. 

The Dublin champions have a wide range of talent in the panel, including Dublin stars Michael Fitzsimons, Con O’Callaghan and Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, but also have the exciting options of Keating, Niall O’Callaghan and Groarke to turn to as they bid to book a place in the Leinster final for the first time. 

Tullamore retained the Offaly Senior Football Championship last month and became county champions for the 30th time. They are just one more title away from equalling Rhode’s record of 31 senior football titles in the Faithful County. 

They made their way to the quarter-finals with wins over Ballycommon, Bracknagh and Rhode as they laid down an impressive marker in the early stages of the championship. 

On the way to the county title, they eased into the semi-finals with an 11-point win over Durrow and swept Edenderry aside 2-8 to 0-5 to make sure they would defend their county throne in the final.

In what was a tense final, Tullamore retained the Offaly Senior Football Championship title for the first-time since 1926, beating Ferbane 0-15 to 0-14, handing Ferbane their second successive defeat in the championship final.

John Furlong and Harry Plunkett were in fine form in front of the posts, with defender Furlong scoring 0-4 for himself while the lively Plunkett notched up a fantastic five for himself and Tullamore.

Plunkett would level things as Tullamore fought back and rode the wave of momentum, which allowed Daire McDaid and Diarmuid Egan to put their side two points up in injury-time and despite a Cian Johnson free deep into the time added on, the defending champions held on to break Ferbane hearts for the second year in a row.

Until their AIB Leinster Club Senior Football quarter-final against Tinahely, the Offaly club had been waiting for a first win in the provincial championship since 1977. 

Furlong proved himself to be a handful once more and captain Declan Hogan were key to Tullamore advancing. Dan Fox would score early on when he netted in the sixth minute and the Offaly champs would narrowly lead by two at the break.

Plunkett would score five points again, with three points coming from frees, before Mike Fox would come off the bench and finish off a well-worked move when he was played in by Furlong to join his brother in raising a green flag to seal the win.

After ending the long wait for a win in the provincial championship, Tullamore will look to continue their ambitions of winning the Seán McCabe Cup for the first time. The threats of Plunkett, Furlong and the Fox brothers will make sure Cuala are pushed all the way if they want a place in the AIB Leinster Club Senior Football Championship final.

You can buy tickets for this Saturday night’s game here. 

You can also catch the game live on RTÉ 2, throw-in is at 7:15pm