Weekend Club football round up

[Lone Shark]

Just to get a brief synopsis from people who were at the games.....

Tubber vs Edenderry I missed this one, though the general consensus from even the Red contingent among us suggests that Tubber were fair value for their win. I was surprised by this.

Ballycumber vs Erin Rovers Rovers will be kicking themselves that they left this one behind. A coupl of bad mistakes for the two goals and a complete unwillingness to take a chance on their players' ability to win any kind of long ball cost them. Their short game cost them scores due to turnover in the backs and it meant that when Alan Lynam got the ball, he was crowded out - and he still got five points from play. Lynam the best player of the weekend for my money.

Clara vs Rynaghs On paper Rynaghs shouldn't be that bad, but they really are that bad. I couldn't even say Clara were that good, they just did what they had to do against an abject Cloghan challenge. Ger Raff was playing with one shoulder strapped up and he looked like he wasn't able for it at all due to injury, while around the diamond Clara lorded proceedings. Shaper player well, Tom Deehan didn't. Matt Mitchell looked very ring rusty but you could see flashes of ability all the same. If he sticks at it he'll be a serious weapon at club level in 2009 and possibly an intercounty player too.

Rhode vs Shannonbridge Rhode are still not themselves at all and Shannonbridge could have won this game, but they shot themselves in the foot. Jason Kelly's reputation took a hammering here as he was a big part of the problem. David Corbett had the beating of Eoghan Byrne and/or Shane Sullivan inside, but kelly held up the ball, messed around with it fifty yards out and dropped five balls into the keepers hands, including two that led directly to Rhode scores on the break. Criminal stuff. Niall Darby is playing well, but Niall McNamee appears to be completely off his game, while several other big Rhode names were anonymous. Joe Kilmurray is the kind of solid dependable player that you build championship winning teams around, but when a solid but unspectacular lad like him is close to being man of the match for you, things aren't going well.

Shamrocks vs Gracefield Gracefield are now one of the shortlist of teams that everyone has to consider as real title contenders. This was a very good display all around the field from a team that was missing two of their main attackers in the two Fitzpatricks. Niall Smith lorded midfield, they snuffed out most of Shamrocks attacking weapons and the 2007 county finallists looked bereft of imagination and zest all day. They're probably out now on account of it - though a big win over Edenderry could save their season.

Tullamore vs Ferbane I may be biased, but feck it - I thought this was the best game of the weekend by a long chalk. Tullamore showed a lot of class, Ferbane showed a lot of fire and heart and I am delighted to say that our boys held on for a crucial one point win. I'll leave others to discuss how good or bad each team was, but if our county team played with this level of aggression every time we'd be in a lot better shape. Hard luck to Tullamore who did take some excellent scores but we needed this badly and I am very delighted for a lot of people, players and otherwise, who put in a hell of a lot of work in the last few months and years.


Feel free to comment on the above or to throw up intermediate summaries or whatever.

[GOOFY]

Difficult to appraise Ballycumbers chances after the weekend, Erin Rovers ran through them at will in the first half and all their 12 points came from play - this was a team that scored one from play against Clara.

Despite this Ballycumber still eeked out a win and never gave up, even though they were playing second fiddle for longer periods of the game.

Never a truer adage that goals win games - as LS's Ferbane can testify.

[swiftpost]

I was dissapointed with the performance of Tullamore's county players, Keane, McConway etc. They were fairly annonymus as where Daly and Egan. Shane Dooley and G O'Grady looked dangerous when they got good ball but this didnt happen too often. No 7 for Tullamore was one of their better performers.
For Ferbane, I think the return of Kenneghan was a huge boost. Lowry no 12 was involved alot and contributed well. Gerry Grehan was very good at wing back and all subs made a positive impact.

[redser]

Ferbanes win was probaly the only real shock and even that wasnt a massive suprise. it was always going to be tight. I heard they made a great comeback but were lucky to hold on in the end. Who did most of the scoring for Ferbane?? Leaves a very interesting final group game. shannonbridge would be favourites to sneak through with Rhode and that should be some game between themselves and Tullamore. Tullamore let cockiness catch them out at the weekend and now they need a big win against the bridge to get threw. Score difference isnt the best policy i have to admit. Not always the best team gets through. But this is offaly gaa and now their rushing the championship.

Gracefield had a good win over a totally disinterested shamrocks. For a talented bunch i cant see how they perform so below par at times. Maybe last years county final knocked the heart out of them. There like lads that want to be anywhere bar kicking football.
Dont be suprised if Tubber beat Gracefield in next round and Edenderry beat Shamrocks. Still think Gracefield are as average as they always are but are very dogged. Tubber are the team walking on air, full of confidence and belief in themselves. They will beat Gracefield.

Ballycumber and Clara are two teams that i wouldnt be suprised at all to see meeting in the final. And who knows Ballycumber with the whole hatred they have for Clara would be well equipped to beat them. I think this year has Clara's name on the cup. Usually when all the other big names are underperforming Clara sly in for an easy title in a poor championship. This could very well be the case this year.

[The Magpie]

Usually when all the other big names are underperforming Clara sly in for an easy title in a poor championship. This could very well be the case this year.

I can't remember Clara winning too many easy Championships - after all, we've only won 5

Three of those were in my life-time, and they weren't soft championships. In 1991 Clara defeated Gracefield and went on to play in a Leinster Club Final - loosing narrowly to Thomas Davis.

In 1993 Clara defeated a Ferbane team that had won championships in the following years: 86-90, 92. They went on to win another in 94. In other words, Clara were the only team to break that fantastic cycle, although I'll acknowledge it was Gracefield that beat Ferbane in the 91 County Semi-Final.

In 2003 Clara defeated Rhode in the County Final, who themselves succeeded in winning the next three Dowling Cups! On the way to winning that Championship, Clara beat Tullamore (County Champions) and Edenderry (heavily) and played Shamrocks in a replayed Semi-Final.

I'm not seeing the 'easy title' theme here. You're going to have back-up a statement like that Redser

[redser]

Magpie my friend, keep your feathers on. Im not cutting at Clara. What i was trying to say is that they are a team that usually strike when the so called favourites are well below par. In 2003 a Rhode team that had struggled all year for real form were pushed aside in the final. Clara while not having the best of footballers claimed the title through good tactics and a settled team and good use of the bench. They were in my opinion at best the 3rd best team around that year but non the less deserved the title when Shamrocks in the replayed semi underperformed and Rhode were still on a learning curve before they found their rythem in the following years.

I dont know much of ye'r success in the 90's as i was too young to remember. Clara very nearly snuck another title in 2006 when Rhode were going through the motions badly and should have been taken. They had struggled against Brigids badly in the semi which really showed they were there for the taking, although they did find form in leinster afterwards.

To me I see Clara's name very much on the cup this year. Without beeing a class outfit they seem to have enough forwards to get a decent score and a few backs to mule the best attackers on the opposition team which will be Niall Mac of course. Its been a bitterly poor championship so far, and to me Clara have the most consistency that will win it.

[naasmanxrhode]

It's Rhode's championship to lose, they need to sort their County men out and Coffey will do that. Its a sign of a good team that you win even playing desperate. Shamrocks are in trouble as are Tullamore. These would have being regarded as number 2 and 3 in the County. The last round of matches will tell a big story.

[True Red]

I wouldnt write Clara out of the picture as easy as that. They have the most settled team out of all the pretenders to the county title and they are the only ones playing to anything near their potential.

Rhode on the other hand are under performing.If they get their act together they will have a huge say in how things pan out but for the moment they dont like anything like county champions.

[Silken Thomas]

Very disapointing for the Reds...

We struggle as our attack lacks a real focus. There seems to be little innovation or tactics going on too.
Likewise in the wasteland of Offaly club midfields we truly are a special case. Harsh but true.
We must be odds on for the relegation battle now which is depressing to say the least
Bring on these minors! Unfortunatly it's not as easy as that...

[Dynamite]

Matt Mitchell is a huge boost for Clara. Matt along with the arrival of Ross Brady and the return from injury of Stephen Deehan leaves them as definite challengers for the Dowling this year.

[The Magpie]

Magpie my friend, keep your feathers on. Im not cutting at Clara.

I didn't think you were Redser

But there's a couple of other things to debate here:

In 2003 a Rhode team that had struggled all year for real form were pushed aside in the final. Clara while not having the best of footballers claimed the title through good tactics and a settled team and good use of the bench. They were in my opinion at best the 3rd best team around that year but non the less deserved the title when Shamrocks in the replayed semi underperformed and Rhode were still on a learning curve before they found their rythem in the following years.

1) Rhode were not pushed aside in the final by any means. Despite Clara building a very impressive early lead, Rhode drew level in that match and had Clara on the rack. Matt Mitchell kicked two late points from the hill-side sideline to win the Dowling Cup (by those 2 points).

2) Although the Clara tactics worked out (Shaper, Tommo and Matt Mitchell in the full-forward line), I don't remember any real influence from the bench.

Clara very nearly snuck another title in 2006 when Rhode were going through the motions badly and should have been taken. They had struggled against Brigids badly in the semi which really showed they were there for the taking, although they did find form in leinster afterwards.

Fair point here. In 2006 I think Clara surprised Shamrocks in the Semi-Final. We never quite had the beating of Rhode in the final though.

Its been a bitterly poor championship so far, and to me Clara have the most consistency that will win it.

This last comment surprises me. Clara have just beaten a poor Rynaghs team (no disrespect intended) and drew their first game with Erin Rovers. Hardly consistent form? Both Ballycumber and Rhode must be considered more consistent?

[Plain of the Herbs]

There must have been nothing doing in either Laois or Westmeath last Sunday aft but Radio3 carried a commentary of the final quarter of Gracefield v Shamrocks!

Anyway, the commentator noted that one side was playing into the 'Town end' of OCP (OK, some people call the Arden Road end the town end even though both ends are equidistant from the town). Then he explained the other side was playing into the 'hospital end'. Now woah horsey but isn't that the hospital behind the terrace along the side of the pitch.

Or were they playing across the pitch like they do in mini-sevens