Rhode 0-13 Ferbane 0-8

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Lone Shark
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Rhode 0-13 Ferbane 0-8

Post by Lone Shark »

No shortage of past achievement or pride in the club in either of these two sides, but as for which club is currently in the ascendancy, there can certainly be no doubt.

Though it pains me to say it, my take on yesterday’s game was that this was a Rhode team operating at about 70% capacity, with their main scoring threat under an injury cloud, and with triangular feet when it came to hitting the target, and they took on a Ferbane side which played with fire, intensity, defended like tigers and largely took what few chances came their way. I would love to be wrong on this, but it looked like there was only one team out there in Mucklagh yesterday that have significant improvement in them, and it ain’t Ferbane.

All that being side, these things take time, and only a couple of years ago Ferbane were taking the field with teams of no less talent than yesterdays line up, but were playing like a team that thought their reputation alone would get them through games. In 2004 and yesterday, they competed ferociously, and allowed no easy scores. The absence of real inter county quality was painfully evident, but almost to a man they can hold their heads high, because while it was a defeat, to refer to a foreign code that may or may not be playing their games in Croke Park in the years and months ahead, it was a Munster rugby style defeat rather than a Leinster one.

Regarding the game, it panned out not unlike I expected. Rhode were visibly more polished, but some tenacious scrapping for breaks around the middle of the park and the tapping over of a few frees kept Ferbane in touch. Paschal was being quite unsettled by Kevin Flynn’s unique personal style of marking, and although he generally was scoring his frees, he was largely being kept in check from free play. Niall was clearly debilitated by injury, but by God he is a class act. Ultimately he scored five points from play off some hard but fair marking by Eddie Lowry, and it’s quite apt that that was the margin in the end. Rhode could have polished us off earlier, but two great blocks on goal attempts from Roy and Niall kept the margin below a goal, and kept everyone on their toes. All along you knew Ferbane needed a goal of their own, but the only real chance came in the first half when David Lowry took a great pass from Paul Flynn (I think!) and kept his shot low and on target, only for Masterson to make a great save. Rocky Daly was completely shut out by Kilmurray all day, though he could have done a lot more to get out in front rather than look to unbalance his opponent all the time in my eyes. Being honest there was no real goal threat in Ferbane outside of him, although Gerry Grehan nearly created a couple of chances by sheer force of will and persistence near the end.

From a county perspective – Barry Malone was good, and in control, but wasn’t up against much to be honest. Shane Sullivan was utterly dominant throughout, and was the platform for most of Rhode’s good play. Hopefully he’ll get his confidence back after a few ropey displays in the county shirt in recent weeks. Alan McNamee was in good form, but wasn’t as influential as he should have been with Jimmy loitering in no man’s land up front. Up front Niall was inhibited by his injury but still utterly mercurial, Roy was Roy, busy, physical, but not really a scoring threat, and Paschal was his petulant hotheaded self. For Ferbane Jimmy looked short on fitness still, although he was a fish completely out of water at full forward. You could see what the thinking was with the two corner lads not being the best to win ball out in front, but it still didn’t work and should have been aborted a lot earlier than it was. There were several other solid displays, including Eddie Lowry, David Lowry and Colm Gavin, but in truth we don’t have a lot else to make Kilmurray and co. sit up and take notice - although minor management will surely be impressed with how Gerry Grehan made an impact on arrival.

Going forward, you would assume Rhode will have a lot of room for improvement, though unless Niall’s surgery gets put back beyond Rhode’s summer as well as Offaly’s, you fancy that they would struggle against other genuine contenders. The new system now has them basically guaranteed to get out of the group as things stand, so I’d say we mightn’t see any massive improvement until the knockouts.

Not having been in Clara on Saturday evening I can’t comment there, but sources have indicated to me that the standard wasn’t great – and certainly the scoreline would not set the pulses racing. Ferbane will never score too much, but if the Shamrocks and Tullamore forward lines can be contained, as it appears they can, Ferbane could certainly have a say in things yet. They don’t have the potential to go all the way, because it’s hard to see them scoring more than 10 points plus a goal or two in any match, but to reach the knockouts and hold their place in the top 8 would be a positive step in the meantime until hopefully another forward or two become available for selection in the summers to come.

Teams:
Rhode: Colm Masterson; Joe Kilmurray, Barry Malone, Niall Derby; Padraig Sullivan, Shane Sullivan, Eoin Byrne; Chino Cole, Alan McNamee; Paul Glennon, Roy Malone 0-1, Garrett Hickey 0-1; David Hope, Paschal Kelleghan 0-5 (0-4 frees), Niall McNamee 0-5.
Subs: David Bannon for Eoin Byrne, Unknown Sub?? 0-1

Ferbane: Declan Nugent; Kevin Flynn, Eddie Lowry, Paddy Moore; Colm Gavin, Eamon Walsh, Noel Buckley; Paul Rosney, Diarmuid Carroll; David Lowry 0-2 (0-1 free), Brendan Wynne, Liam Taylor; Paul Flynn 0-2 (frees), Jimmy Grennan 0-1, Rocky Daly 0-2 (0-2 frees).
Subs: Saran Butler for Wynne, John Mollen 0-1 for Rosney, Gerry Grehan for Paul Flynn.

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Bord na Mona man
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Post by Bord na Mona man »

Where is Clocker?

HairyHole
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Rhode Vs Ferbane

Post by HairyHole »

That a fair summary of the match yesterday Lone Shark.

Derek "Ludi" Kellaghan was the unnamed sub in your report that scored the point.I thought Cooney was out to make it a draw when there was only 2 points in it with about 10 minutes to go . Rhode weren't firing on all cyclinders yesterday but was down to Ferbane performance more than anything . Thought Chino did well throughout at midfield as did Bannon when he came on , felt a bit sorry for young Byrne being taken off after only 20 minutes .Although his man had just scored a point his substitution wasn't justified.
Shane Sullivan was probably man of the match al'right . I still think he'd do a better job on the wing for Offaly rather than Corner back...

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Lone Shark
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Rhode vs Ferbane

Post by Lone Shark »

Clocker has officially retired, and it's for good this time I think.


Regarding Shane, while I rate him as a footballer, he's not going to get picked over either Slattery or Mooney at wing back. Certainly Slatts is a simple call, and Mooney has been made captain, so you'd assume his shirt is sewed onto his back.

Chino was ok, but I thought he got caught in possession a few times. I certainly didn't see anything that made me think he was likely to be the successor to the Grennans for the county we all thought he was going to be a few years ago.

Certainly Bannon looked good to me though. Whatever about Eoin Byrne, I have to say I'd have him in there ahead of Padraig Sullivan. That lad does not inspire me at all, especially at wing back.

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Post by mykneehurts »

The better team won but it wasn't as easy for them as they expected. I will agree with the abscence of a goal scoring threat for Ferbane but I think Davy may have showed the way forward for any team with hopes of upsetting the champions. Their backs looked a little uncomfortable when he ran at them.

As regards the Jimmy playing full forward plan I think it was just a strategy to try to unsettle Barry and while it didn't really work I think it was worth a shot.

On a personal note I promise I will never question Lone Shark's ability to predict a scoreline again. It was scarily accurate in this case anyway! :oops:

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Lone Shark
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Predicting scorelines

Post by Lone Shark »

And yet for all that there I am in the predictions competition sitting near the bottom. :oops:

I don't doubt the logic behind the Jimmy at FF ploy, I just think it didn't work, and as such had to be changed earlier. Barry was spoiling the high ball and destroying him in loose play. Someone like Grehan brought in earlier could have ran him all over the backline and maybe left the space for David Lowry or Liam Taylor to run into.

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