Club Football Championship 2022

[biffinbanner]

i think its a wrong choice of words saying ferbane could have won it.they should have won it 3 times. sadly it looks like this group of players will get scant reward for their talents. one title in 19 and near misses since. you can only go to the well so many times. it looked like a golden few years ahead for the club. the second team were flying as well so the back up looked good also. but whether the management teams were wrong or what i dont know? but its all gone wrong in relation to what could have happened. by the way best of luck to rhode. they took the gift horse they were presented with and i hope they win it out now.

[Buttons]

As a neutral watching ferbane were much the better team but couldn’t put rhode away, the fact they failed to score in about 20 minutes didn’t help either but experience wins games and rhode have enough of that.

The decision to hold onto the ball and try to slow down the clock was madness, ok can see why but rhode had set up defensive at that stage but ferbane moved the ball from about half forward to half back line before losing it to the 2-3 rhode attackers in the ferbane half. We don’t see the replays and know how bad the tackle was, initially I thought black card but ref was closer but apart from missing final that would have suited ferbane as they could bring on a sub at full time rather than play with 14 for 10 minutes. I think the foul happened about 61 minutes and there was the obvious delay for stretcher etc, before Niall took the free on 66 mins they announced 4 minutes but was blown up for full time once the free was put over. Surely another 2-3 minutes to be played.

Why Maher didn’t go for point from sideline in extra time I don’t know, was he afraid of crossing the line or not getting the distance, ref was always going to blow if the ball came out but put it in, if it didn’t have the distance someone could have got a fist to it but as it was they never even got an attempt to win.

A penalty shoot out is a lottery but it made it interesting, always going to be a hero and fair play to rhode keeper saving 3 and scoring his penalty.

Am always keeping an eye on the u20 lads from last year and thought cathal Flynn did well when he got the ball, didn’t get the ball enough but troubled rhode with the direct running and Aaron kellaghan kicked 4 from play, didn’t start for some reason too.

[SearingDrive]

As a neutral watching ferbane were much the better team but couldn’t put rhode away, the fact they failed to score in about 20 minutes didn’t help either but experience wins games and rhode have enough of that.

The decision to hold onto the ball and try to slow down the clock was madness, ok can see why but rhode had set up defensive at that stage but ferbane moved the ball from about half forward to half back line before losing it to the 2-3 rhode attackers in the ferbane half. We don’t see the replays and know how bad the tackle was, initially I thought black card but ref was closer but apart from missing final that would have suited ferbane as they could bring on a sub at full time rather than play with 14 for 10 minutes. I think the foul happened about 61 minutes and there was the obvious delay for stretcher etc, before Niall took the free on 66 mins they announced 4 minutes but was blown up for full time once the free was put over. Surely another 2-3 minutes to be played.

Why Maher didn’t go for point from sideline in extra time I don’t know, was he afraid of crossing the line or not getting the distance, ref was always going to blow if the ball came out but put it in, if it didn’t have the distance someone could have got a fist to it but as it was they never even got an attempt to win.

A penalty shoot out is a lottery but it made it interesting, always going to be a hero and fair play to rhode keeper saving 3 and scoring his penalty.

Am always keeping an eye on the u20 lads from last year and thought cathal Flynn did well when he got the ball, didn’t get the ball enough but troubled rhode with the direct running and Aaron kellaghan kicked 4 from play, didn’t start for some reason too.

Have to agree with Buttons in his summary of yesterday’s game. Ferbane at times looked the better team, but didn’t close out the game. I thought that another few minutes added time could have been played, as the Anton Sullivan injury took around 3 minutes of the allotted 4. I think 1 added minute was played.
Fair play to Rhode for staying in a game that seemed beyond them.

[frankthetank]

As a neutral watching ferbane were much the better team but couldn’t put rhode away, the fact they failed to score in about 20 minutes didn’t help either but experience wins games and rhode have enough of that.

The decision to hold onto the ball and try to slow down the clock was madness, ok can see why but rhode had set up defensive at that stage but ferbane moved the ball from about half forward to half back line before losing it to the 2-3 rhode attackers in the ferbane half. We don’t see the replays and know how bad the tackle was, initially I thought black card but ref was closer but apart from missing final that would have suited ferbane as they could bring on a sub at full time rather than play with 14 for 10 minutes. I think the foul happened about 61 minutes and there was the obvious delay for stretcher etc, before Niall took the free on 66 mins they announced 4 minutes but was blown up for full time once the free was put over. Surely another 2-3 minutes to be played.

Why Maher didn’t go for point from sideline in extra time I don’t know, was he afraid of crossing the line or not getting the distance, ref was always going to blow if the ball came out but put it in, if it didn’t have the distance someone could have got a fist to it but as it was they never even got an attempt to win.

A penalty shoot out is a lottery but it made it interesting, always going to be a hero and fair play to rhode keeper saving 3 and scoring his penalty.

Am always keeping an eye on the u20 lads from last year and thought cathal Flynn did well when he got the ball, didn’t get the ball enough but troubled rhode with the direct running and Aaron kellaghan kicked 4 from play, didn’t start for some reason too.

Aaron Kellaghan had a hamstring strain.

[frankthetank]

Very difficult to see past a Tullamore win in the county final.

[Tmacmahon]

Tullamore will be favourites for the final but I think Rhode have more than a pinchers chance. Sullivan fitness will maybe tip the chances from being really good to maybe if things went really well.

Both teams were pedestrian in their play and this appears to be a pattern over the last few weeks. Ferbane and Rhode was very similar yesterday evening as was edenderry and shamrocks in quarters.

The modern game is , being patient holding the ball on the outskirts of a 12 man defensive unit. Going wide stretching the defending team from one side then over to another, waiting for the chance to penetrate or for a looped run from a ‘shooter’ to take a shot at goal. This is fine and all the teams that are at this are correct to do it as it’s effective to a point.

I would argue there is room for players and coaches to be a little more innovative when trying to break this down. That is a different story for a different day.

From a spectator point of view it has definitely become a slow game that is hard to watch at times. No crowd engrossed in the game and supporters silence throughout the games this weekend was very noticeable.

I am not one of these who want to kick a ball in 50/50 and I really enjoy the modern game. When it’s done well it is really good, fast counter attacks coupled with crafty forwards makes for some entertaining games. Ferbane and Clara was a good game albeit naive. The problem then is teams will be pragmatic and play a risk free game,and from their viewpoint rightly so But it can be hard to stomach from the general ordinary punters eyes.


Tullamore were the better side today and were comfortable throughout. Hogan , Brazil , Maloney the plunketts and the few Egan’s are really good players and they are well set up, keeping width and play one touch. Today Tullamore turned over a mountain of possession but will learn from that. They were sloppy because the game slowed it.

Liam kearns has now seen a lot of players over the last month and I’m hoping he can extract as much as he can out of our best players. The below team is not who I think should be near county panel just a bit of fun based on club championship. Team of the senior club championship so far ( final can change all of this I know )

GK Ken Garry
2 Kevin nugent
3 Declan hogan
4 Lee Pearson
5 Leon fox
6 John Maloney
7 David nally
8. Jordan hayes
9 Michael Brazil
10 joe Maher / anton Sullivan
11 ruari Mcnamee
12 Diarmuid Egan
13 Harry plunkett
14 Nigel Dunne
15 Niall Mcnamee

[Behindthegoal]

Was only in OCP on Saturday so can’t comment on today’s game but seems at though it was a fairly straight forward win for Tullamore. Good to see Cian Farrell back on the pitch.

As for the other semi-final both could have won or lost. Penalties is a terrible way for any team to go out of the championship after training all year. Why are we still using penalties to decide crucial knockout games? I thought this was a Covid thing to make sure there’s a winner on the day. Whoever wins the county final in two weeks time will have five weeks off before they play in the Leinster club championship so what’s the rush? Surely this has to be addressed for next season.

Rhode won the battle on the sideline hands down. Ferbane had younger fitter players and still over 80 minutes they couldn’t put Rhode away, Rhode played a full time sweeper in front of Cian Johnson which was huge respect to pay to him no.18 Gareth McNamee followed his runs everywhere for the whole game even when Rhode were 4 points down they never pushed up which is a great sign that they trusted their system they conceded every ferbane kickout as a result and let Ferbane’s less dangerous players have the ball out wide Alan mcnamee also filtered to the edge of the D as an extra man and waited for a turnover. This left Ferbane which an extra player on the other side which helped curb the influence of Niall Mcnamee, interestingly him and Johnson both scored 0-3 0-2m which shows how on the fringe of the game they were. Only 1 goal chance in the whole 80 minutes tells its own story really. Rhode also got other key matchups right with James Mcpadden on Flynn and Conor Mcmamee on Joe Maher.


On the red card you have to do something fairly extreme to get a straight red card in Gaa? It was a cynical foul yes but was it a red? I’m not sure I think the referee factored in that Anton would’ve been straight in on goal and the fact of how badly injured he was. Rhode never even got the benefit of the red card because he blew it up at least 2 minutes early. It’s easy to say Ferbane should’ve shot the sideline at the end but how many of them do you score out of 100? Very slim chance and they had time to work a score but just couldn’t find An opening hindsight is great. Ferbane we’re also awarded a very soft free when a player seemed to just slip at the end of extra time to draw it up again.

You have to admire Rhode’s ability to keep going to the well. They’ll be underdogs again the next day but they won’t care.

[llkj]

Winner on the day is tough for the losers when it happens after penalties but logistically it makes complete sense.
Consider the impact if it went to a replay. When to play it that doesn’t have a knock-on impact on Belmont’s hurling team, and pretty much every other game for the rest of the season. Perhaps Tuesday under lights in the faithful fields or something, but then you are asking a lot of dual players as well as a shorter turnaround to the football final.

I personally like that game schedules are more predictable and adhered to than in the past.

[private joker]

Winner on the day is the only way to have a proper fixture schedule. Imagine the workload on players, especially duals if there are replays. Ferbane absolutely should have shot from the sideline at the end. Yes it was slim chance, but it was a free shot. Time was up and rhode had every one back defending. There was going to be no opportunity to work a shot in this instance.
I would question though one of the saves by Rhode in the shoot out. Keeper was well off his line and for the remaining penalties, the officials were very keen that he stay on his line.

[summerindublin]

great credit to Rhode, at the final whistle after extra time, they were without Eoin Wrigney, Brian Darby Anton Sullivan and Conor McNamee and still came through, some team, some men, 11th final in a row, Tullamore will be strong favs and are a good team, I would say that they have a Leinster in them, but you cant rule out the men from Rhode even with all those injuries

[llkj]

All set up for a big final now. 3rd year in a row that these teams meet, with the current score at 1 each with a draw thrown in the middle. Rhode will really fancy their chances - especially given that they have reclaimed the title every year over the past 20 years when they have made a slip-up the proceeding year - 2008, 10, 12, 16, 18, 20. They have 2 significant injuries, but they are long term, so they are planning on being without both players all year. Thankfully, it looks like the injuries picked up recently will not impede the other players from playing in the county final.

Tullamore also have their 2 long term injuries, but will be happy with what they have available come Sunday week.

I expect this to be close, hard hitting and cagey with the result coming down to the wire.

[summerindublin]

Rhode v Tullamore live on TG4 on Sunday @4.15

[Offalyblueboy]

Surprising news that Adrian Farrell has finished with durrow after only two years. Taught he had done a great job and would want to push on.

[Dunga]

They were in relegation final this year ? Went backwards from the year before so presume they want something fresh this year

[Offalyblueboy]

Agreed Dunga they were in relegation this year but a disaster v Clara where they were short a host of players and then lost to rhode and edenderry and coming out and beating cappincur to stay up is hardly bad for them. They had a fairly good league this year although Offaly leagues this year can’t be much said for them.