(Match Report courtesy of Offaly Express 21-9-2011)
AFTER going to the half-time break on level terms with St Broughan's, Ferbane/Belmont upped their game in the second half hour to secure their place in the Minor A Football Final for 2011.
On the day when the club's Under 14 side completed a treble with a win in the U-14 A Final, their minor counterparts upped their game in the second half to highlight again just how strong the West Offaly region is in terms of emerging football talent.
In heavy conditions in Ballinagar, Ferbane/Belmont could count themselves lucky to have been level at the break against a St Broughan's side who belied their underdog tag to put it up to Ferbane/Belmont.
A two goal salvo midway through the half put St Broughan's in the driving seat and it took the best Ferbane/Belmont had to drag the game back.
Ultimately in the second half, the experience of the Ferbane/Belmont
have a great chance of ending their 20 year title drought after a highly fancied St Vincent's fell to a well organised and clinical Edenderry side in the other semi-final.
They should be well able to guard against complacency in the final after being given a scare by a detemined St Broughan's. Ferbane/Belmont made a strong start and held an early five point lead but they were caught cold by St Broughan's fightback and needed to regather their focus in the second-half to seal the win.
St Broughan's were quicker out of the blocks with Lee Dempsey and Rory Galvin registering early points.
With both sides going at it from the start Ferbane/Belmont got back on level terms by the tenth minute. Aaron McDonagh opened his side's account with a very well taken point and that was followed by a point from a free from Eoghan Lowry.
St Broughan's almost responded to the brace of points from their
opponents when the impressive Lee Dempsey bore down on goal but he was denied by a fine save from Darren Digan between the posts fror Ferbane/Belmont. Ferbane/Belmont marched back up the field and edged in front for the first time with a point from a free from Eoghan Lowry. Better was to follow for the West Offaly side as they raced into a four point lead midway through the half.
Eoghan Lowry turned provider this team setting up Aaron McDonagh who latched onto the ball at pace before smashing the ball to the roof of Stephen Houlihan's net.
Another point followed for Ferbane / Belmont from Joe Maher and the favourites were sitting pretty with a five point lead.
There was an expectation at this point that Ferbane/Belmont would strengthen their grip on the game and pull away to a comfortable win but that conclusion was reached without due consideration to the battling qualities of a gallant St Broughan's side. Peter Cunningham started the fightback when he took advantage of an error in the Ferbane/Belmont defence to cut through and fire to the back of the net.
Before Ferbane/Belmont had time to recover after that bombshell, St Broughan's were back in front when Rory Galvin and Owen Feeney combined with Feeney calmly finishing to the back of the net. Ferbane/Belmont regathered their composure and a point from Brian Grehan got them on level terms. Eoghan Lowry and Peter Cunningham then exchanged frees leaving the sides
level with ten minutes remaining in the half.
After the scoring blitz from the tenth to the twentieth minute, the sides managed just a point apiece in the remainder of the half with Lowry and Cunningham again on the mark for their sides.
The start of the second-half was always going to be key and whatever words of wisdom were imparted during the break, it was Ferbane/ Belmont who were more clinical in the second-half as they inexorably pulled away from their spirited opponents. The sides exchanged frees early before wing-back James Nally fired over an inspirational point that set the tone for the half. Another excellent score, this time from Eoghan Lowry, put Ferbane/ Belmont two ahead but they still couldn't break St Broughan's resistance. The crucial goal however did come midway through the half when a flowing move involving Joe Maher, Brian Grehan and Eoghan Lowry resulted in Grehan passing to Darragh Keenaghan who palmed the ball to the back of the net. St Broughan's were still hanging on to Ferbane/Belmont's coat-tails but the killer blow came in the shape of a third goal with the hugely impressive Aaron McDonagh firing home his second goal of the game. From there the result was no longer in doubt but St Broughan's never dropped their heads and Lee Dempsey and Dan Barnes added further points for their side. Those scores were cancelled out however by Joe Maher and Eoghan Lowry as Ferbane/Belmont booked their place in the county final.
SCORERS
Ferbane/Belmont: Aaron McDonagh 2-1, Eoghan Lowry 0-6, (0-3f), Joe Maher 0-4 (0-1 f), Daragh Keenaghan 1-1, James Nally 0-1, Brian Grehan 0-1
St Broughan's: Peter Cunningham 1-2 (0-1 f), Lee Dempsey 0-5 (0-3FJ, Owen Feeney 1-0, Dan Barnes 0-1, Rory Galvin 0-1
Ferbane/Belmont: Darren Digan; Darren Kelly, Conor Lowry, Stephen O'Rourke; Stephen Wren, Daragh Corbett, James Nally; Ciaran Cahill, Leon Fox; Aaron McDonagh, Joe Maher, Daragh Keenaghan, Dylan McEvoy, Brian Grehan, Eoghan Lowry
St Broughan's: Stephen Houlihan; David Costello, Jim Hendy, Dan Carty; Owen Feeney, Eddie Mather, Dan Barnes; Peter Cunningham, Lee Dempsey; Jamie Sheridan, Rory Galvin, Dylan Quinn; Joe Costello, Tom Brereton, Padraig Kelly
Referee: Noel Cooney (Erin Rovers)