Rhode in Leinster - 2014

[number4]

Best of luck to Rhode sunday.its going to be a tough game to win but if there in the mix with ten mins to go i fancy there sheer hunger to win this title to carry them over the line.no team has retained this title since Eire og back in the 90s i think so its not easy done .St Vincents have been going strong with no breaks for two seasons now hopefully a fresher Rhode can take advantage of this .Bring her home lads Rhode abu.

[ah lethimoutwithit]

Good luck to Rhode on Sunday!

[True Red]

Best of Luck to Rhode on Sunday.

[timber]

The very best of luck to Rhode on Sunday. Tear into them and dont drop the heads at any stage. It will be tough, very tough at times, but ye can do it.

[summerindublin]

YES WE CAN

[mickey]

Hoping for a close game with high scoring.both sides have players who have the potential to score 5/6 points.while most will say Rhodes best line is in attack, which I agree with but also they very strong in the back line.rigney is one of the players of the year Brian Darby will be solid,ye there is a few weak links on the team but every team has them.I'd expect both teams to start strong. This is perhaps Rhodes most important spell. Vincents haven't being behind in the competition this year this is where Rhodes need to ask the question

[Kevin]

Best wishes to Rhode tomorrow.

Its great to be pulling for an Offaly team deep into a championship run. Here's hoping it continues!!!!

[The Magpie]

There is no doubt that Rhode have grown into this Leinster campaign. It's hard to know whether or not we should be surprised. Having won a memorable three-in-a-row between 2004-2006, Rhode have returned to collect the Dowling Cup every second year since. While that makes them the envy of other clubs, for a team that has open ambitions of winning a Leinster Club Football title, the interrupted nature of their championship wins has probably damaged their chances of fulfilling their ambitions - both mentally and in terms of experience. Being mindful of this, you can't but admire the fact that Rhode will contest their 4th Leinster Final in 9 years tomorrow.

So, should we be that surprised?

Rhode were completely underwhelming in the County Final against Edenderry, but to be fair, never really looked close to losing it. This was only a couple of weeks after cutting through Clara in the County Semi-Final in as good a running-game display as I've seen from them in a long time. After that game, I was trying to measure how good this generation really is. I think Darren Garry may have kicked the only wide of the first-half that day, so they were ultra-clinical, but some of the point-taking was almost too good. After watching the County Final, it was probably comforting and convenient to convince myself that Rhode had played above themselves against Clara that day.

But lightning, it appears, does strike twice. After battling through two tough games in Leinster and taking a little rub of the green at important moments in those games, Rhode danced all over Moorefield as well. Although Moorefield had been talked up a lot (probably a little too much, based on recent Kildare-Club form), Rhode definitely made a big statement that day. Above all teams in Offaly, Rhode have had the ability over the last decade to inflict their very own form of blitzkrieg. And don't doubt that they are capable of inflicting that on almost any club team in the Country.

To do so, Rhode will need (in particular):

- Padraic Sullivan to continue driving them on as he has for the last two years, becoming possibly their most important player. With no disrespect to him (as there are certainly better footballers on the Rhode team), it is not footballing talent that makes him this important. His work-rate, drive and will to win are rare. To his credit, he has bolstered the Rhode midfield and provided the platform that every time needs to be in with a chance of winning a game.

- Anton Sullivan to continue on the path to fulfilling his potential. I've written before on this site about how highly I rate him. I don't think it was a coincidence in both the Clara and Edenderry games that Rhode started to lose their way for spells when Anton was drifting out the field, losing concentration and drifting out of the game. It's also not a coincidence that Rhode have moved up a couple of gears in the last two games, with Anton at the forefront of matters.

- Niall McNamee to stay deep inside and to occupy two backs-men for large parts of the game

- Brian Darby to have the game of his life, but possibly be a little more conservative than usual

Of course, there are other obvious things. They must contain the potency of the Vincents forward line, they must break-even in the middle, where Alan McNamee is playing as well as he has ever done and is complimented by his younger cousin. They must, they must, they must. And they must because they face experienced and talented opposition.

So how good are St. Vincents? We know how gifted Diarmuid Connolly is. We know about Brennan, Quinn & Fennell. We know about the footballers that have All-Ireland and Leinster medals. I haven't seen a lof of St. Vincents, but I did watch in awe last St. Patricks Day.

If Vincents are really that good, the worst thing that could have happened to Rhode in the Vincents-Garrycastle semi-final probably did. Vincents took a healthy lead, should've added a clutch of scores on top of it, but then disappeared out of the game and got a big fright in the process. To reproduce that opening 20 minutes again could give Rhode a mountain to climb.

That's the part that's a concern. Rhode are absolutely ruthless when they nose in front - with an admiral lack of empathy. They'll hand-out shocking beatings at times. But it's when Rhode are behind by a few that they can be a very different animal. With no disrespect to Tullamore, who were twice the team Rhode were in last year’s County Final, I couldn't help but wonder how very different that final could've been if Rhode had put a little gap between them at any stage. Because that's when Rhode turn into a runaway train - as they did against Moorefield.

I cannot see Rhode winning a tight game tomorrow. I also believe if Vincents open a lead (say 4 points), they won't be pegged-back again. Rhode will need to execute Blitzkrieg - they'll need that runaway train at some point to give them the breathing space they'll need to get over the line after an hours December football. If they do, that train may be heading non-stop to Croke Park next March.

[Killeighman]

The best of luck to the Rhode men today. Stand up and fight until you hear the bell as they say.

[DAF]

Staggering difference in the skill levels on display so far.

Vincents foot passing and team work has been excellent and only for Rhodes goalie they'd have another few goals.In contrast Rhode have had no support running at all and their foot passing has been abysmal so far.Considering Diarmuid Connolly doesn't look to be over extending himself so far Rhode could be in for an awful beating if things don't massively improve in the second half.

[townman]

god that was a shocking first half display from Rhode, they are like elfs towards the Vincents players
they should have scored at least 3 more goals than the one they have, Brian Darby on Connolly is a miss match his to small and Connolly is just walking over him, Mossy is rolling back the years in the corner.

Dingle has some work to do at half time they need a early goal to get back into it, but its like watching a senior team again a junior team out there.

[townman]

only the one team in it and they were miles ahead of Rhode, if the O'Suvillans had to put as much into the game as they did in trying to get connolly sent off they would have been better off, it was sad to see the carry on of them, as Connolly was only laughing at them as Vincents were kicking the sh.t out of them they don't have the belly for the big day it seems

[kingscounty]

only the one team in it and they were miles ahead of Rhode, if the O'Suvillans had to put as much into the game as they did in trying to get connolly sent off they would have been better off, it was sad to see the carry on of them, as Connolly was only laughing at them as Vincents were kicking the sh.t out of them they don't have the belly for the big day it seems

100% agree they were to busy running after Connolly , I wouldn't mind only for when they did get near him they did feck all , if your going to get sent off at least shake someone up with a good rattle , this craic of getting the line for Mickey mouse pulling and dragging , it was like men against boys . Rhode and Offaly need a new approach the long ball into Niall isn't working and hasn't worked for sometime , once again an Offaly team were beaten by a team that was fitter and stronger .

[townman]

didn't mind them been beaten as Vincents are a top side and were alot stronger than Rhode, but the carry on of the players, Anto suillvan made a run at Connolly at one stage and stop dead when he got to him then pushed him in the back as he walked away you wouldn't side girls in playschool at it.

also Niall Mac asking the ref whats in it with 5 minutes left and 10 points down he had a look of a player that didn't want to be out there and was as much as asking the ref to blow it up. this was as poor of display from Rhode in leinster they can't blame nerves as they have been there a good few times now.

[timber]

Townman dont be too hard on them. The vincents player in question got away with at least 5 elbows at players and a girly slap at young conor mcnamees head in the first half. I would be of the opinion he was very lucky to stay on the field. Probably one of the most unsporting players in the game.

Hard luck to rhode. Lost the midfield battle and as a result had no platform to get ball fast into the double marked niall mcnamee. Alot of the foot and hand passing was terrible and they will be disappointed with that. They battled bravely with 14 when they could have dropped the heads.