Senior Football Championship 2009 - Opening matches

[Hocker]

Tullamore 1-09 Tubber 2-11
Wasn't at this one so if anyone can fill in the blanks it'd be great.... Savage win for Tubber by all accounts though.

Shamrocks 0-12 Shannonbridge 0-10
Where do i start???
How Shannonbridge left this behind them is beyond me, Shamrocks will be glad to have this one over them.
The bridge hit 17 wides to their opponent's 7... Also missed 3 open goals and probably should have won by 4 or 5 points.
'Bridge had no answer to P.J Ward(0-5) at full forward.
Jason Kelly once again stood head and shoulders above every other player on the park.. His impressive final tally of 7 points included 2 45's and a majestic sideline kick 50yards out in the final 10 minutes.
Another hard luck story I'm afraid.. Have to pick ourselves up for either Rhode or Ballycumber in 2 weeks time.

[Lone Shark]

Tullamore 1-09 Tubber 2-12
Wasn't at this one so if anyone can fill in the blanks it'd be great.... Savage win for Tubber by all accounts though.

Tubber were very impressive indeed, particularly in the half back line and in midfield. If anything the margin flattered Tullamore, Tubber could have had a lot more scores while I've no idea what Brian Gavin gave the penalty for that was Tullamore's goal.

The absence of Gearóid O'Grady from the Tullamore forward line (I heard that he's not playing at all this year - is that true?) combined with Shane Dooley also being absent meant that the Tullamore attack was very toothless. Ronan Monaghan was tidy enough but otherwise they got little or nothing out of their forwards, while McManus and David Kavanagh won midfield hands down.

Bernard Allen was very lively up front and scored either 1-2 or 1-3, but the star man for me was Eddie Kavanagh at centre back. He held his position perfectly and saw off a range of opponents. Nothing went through him and he used the ball extremely well when he had it.

Final score was 2-11 to 1-9 by the way as well - but as I said, Tubber would have been worthy winners by double that margin.

[noodles]

yeah agree with lone shark, Tubber were impressive all along, although they did miss alot of chances which might cost them in a tighter game. Led by five points at half-time and always manage to get a score straight away after Tullamore scored(nearly all of which came from Tubber mistakes as opposed to them creating anything) until that dodgy penalty. Was talking to Brendan Heavin who gave away penalty- he still doesn't know what it is was for. He said his opponent agreed it wasn't a penalty, so what Gavin saw I just don't know. Luckily it didn't cost them the game. Bernard Allen took the second goal at the end very well, when most lads would probably have fisted it over

[bazza]

Fair dues to Tubber well worth the victory. Won midfield hands down, Kavanagh and B. McManus were very solid in the backs, Brian Kelly chipped in with his usual 3 points and Allen was sensational in the corner. Tullamore have serious questions to ask themselves. No Furlong, Egan, Duffy, Dooley or O'Grady starting? Someone told me at the match that from the 15 players who won the u-21 title in December, 10 lads have given up football. And that doesnt include the 2 Geraghtys. So only 3 lads left from a team that won a championship in December? . And not one starter from the victorious minor team in December. That would cripple any other club.

PS. Is it time senior championship matches were no longer staged in Clara? The pitch is tiny. How can players such as Allen, McManus and Kelly really express themselves in such a tight pitch. I know McManus has a notoriously huge kick but he took one shot in the first half from exactly midfield and it went well wide. Just a thought.

[TheManFromFerbane]

Any suggestion that the mid-week fixture could have affected any of the four teams?

[bluegoalie]

Without a doubt the worst ive seen tullamore play ever!!!! cleaned out at midfield, usually tight marking backline torn to pieces by minor players (would Ken have let his backline get so loose???)and only monaghan contributing in the forwards!!! Tullamore need to find a Decent midfielder from somewhere r there in big trouble! They looked very unfit , but maybe this was down to the fact that tubber were super fit!!!

Why did Tullamore continue to lauch there own kickouts down the middle, it played right into tubbers hands!
The ref signalled a shirt pull as the reason for the peno ( i didnt see it!!)

I taught Higgins was outstanding at wing back, apart from his shooting!! :L

Priceless moment near the end when mcmanus won a free waved the ball to the crowd and then screwed it out over the line

[The Magpie]

Clara 0-15 Erin Rovers 1-7

Brief Summary
Rovers led by 2 points to no score and then by 3 to 1. After that, Clara had a fierce amount of ball and went in at half time 7 points to 3 ahead, having missed a one-on-one with the keeper and rattled the crossbar, both within the space of about three minutes and both by John O'Hara.

The second half started with much the same theme, with Clara stretching out their lead to 10 points to 3 and managing to miss two goal chances - one from about 2 yards out, which managed to hit the goalkeeper (though, hats off, he got his body in the way very quickly) and another saved on the line by a corner back, with the keeper beaten.

Rovers started to come back into the game and were awarded a penalty with about 10 minutes left, which Alan Lynam finished well. A small surge came and some scores followed, but they were generally reciprocated at the other end.

The backs were fairly solid for Clara, while the middle of the field was fairly well won and it was hard to fault any of the Clara forwards. I didn't track the scorers, but I know Eoin Brady was kicking frees and kicked a couple from play, Shaper kicked a couple and Thomas Deehan must have helped himself to 5-6 points.

For Rovers, I couldn't help but wonder why Alan Lynam wasn't deployed on the half-forward line. When he lined out there last year, he caused Clara awful problems. This year, he seemed to be switched around a lot. Despite that, I'm sure he finished up with at least 1-3, possibly more.

[Hocker]

Rhode 3-14 Ballycumber 0-7

Anybody at this match?
Who's gonna stop Rhode this year at all.. Ballycumber relegation candidates on this display?

[bluegoalie]

Alan Lynam scored all bar one of Erin Rovers Scores from my reckoning, i think Richard Fox was the only other man to register a score!!! Lynam was pure class and Rovers were totally dependant on him. The rest of the rovers forwards asked no questions of clara!!!

I dont know what rovers were trying but then never left the same man in the same position for more than ten minutes!!!! Keith Lynam was every where from full forward to corner back as was Jeffery Cuskelly. Declan Kelly in fairness broke a huge amount of ball but clara were under him in numbers. Rovers desperately need to find a forward from somewhere to take the load of Lynam!

Anyone know who number 24 was for clara? he was marking Jeffery Cuskelly at the start of the match and why did the Erin Rovers keeper keep trying to pick jeffery out with the kick outs when he was obviously at a huge height disadvantage!!!

I taught Thomas Deehan had an outstanding game, best ive seen from him at this level in years!!!! If clara had Alan Lynam they would be unstoppable,they kicked far too many wides!!! I think there two corner backs will get found out by a more skillful team!!!

[Hocker]

Ferbane 1-07 Edenderry 1-06

A tale of 2 halves?? Ferbane lead 1-06 to 1-01 at half time? Ciaran Kenny with goal of the year contender??
Wasn't at it..

[Lone Shark]

A tale of strong wind advantage and Edenderry shooting themselves in the foot to be honest. They had the better of a lot of sectors all over the field but a combination of poor shooting and good pressurising from Ferbane meant they missed a series of chances. I won't speak for Edenderry but I know a lot of the Ferbane lads will be disappointed in their performances, but I suppose there's a lot to be said for getting a result and still having that motivation to improve yourself.

All that said, I was sitting very close to some prominent members of Tubber GAA and I'd say they were the happiest of the whole lot. On the form of this past week, they'd be long odds on to top the group.

[bazza]

On the evidence of yesterdays clash between Ferbane and Edenderry and the match between Tubber and Tullamore during the week, i'd agree with the Shark and say Tubber should walk to the top spot. Ferbane's blanket defence worked efficiently in the second half against the wind and they really pressurised Edenderry into poor shot selection. However the match itself was of shocking quality with no real stand out players. I expect a dogfight between Ferbane, Edenderry and Tullamore for second and Tubber to take 1st place.

[black and red exile]

ST BRIGID'S 2.7 GRACEFIELD 1.6

Brigid's without doubt deserved this 4 point victory tonight in Walsh Island with the hero of the hour being Ken Casey who notched up 2.4 [2.2 from play]David Egan with 2 points and Sean Casey with the other point. Gracefield scorers, Kieran McEvoy 1.2[1.1 from play] Peter Smart 2 points from frees, Stephen Slattery and sub Tommy Fitzpatrick 1 point each from play. Brigid's workrate and fitness was fantastic and their their never say die attitude when they were 4 points behind at half time [1.4 to 0.3] shone through when they took the game to Gracefield from the start of the second half and star man Casey showing terrific leadership by taking the game by the scruff of the neck with some excellent finishing. On this showing Gracefield have no chance of challenging Rhode and without making excuses, between injuries and guys emigrating the panel has just taken too many knocks to be serious contenders.

[Lone Shark]

....without making excuses, between injuries and guys emigrating the panel has just taken too many knocks to be serious contenders.

So who's gone for them then? Obviously you couldn't say a bad word about Kieran McEvoy who is still a great finisher after all these years, but a lad like that shouldn't be still making Gracefield's senior team probably 15 years after his peak. (From a junior perspective, I won't complain though... )

That leaves Gracefield needing to get a result in Clara to go through, and that looks highly unlikely to be honest, based on what I saw in Ferbane. Obviously no team is going to be absolutely perfect in the first round of the championship, but I was quite impressed with Clara. Tommo Deehan is clearly back on top form again, while Colm Kelly (the big midfielder wearing 24) might not be a Dara Ó'Sé in the making but he still fills what was a huge void in the Clara team quite well. Ross Brady continues to improve while Shaper did reasonably well from centre forward.

Obviously the real test will come against better attacking lines, and I for one remain unsure as to whether Clara will be able to take on better forwards, but after the weekend they are the front running contenders to knock Rhode off, and a good distance ahead of the next.

Also, from a county perspective, if Alan Lynam is ignored for another year it will be criminal. He was fantastic again, as he has been in pretty much every game I've seen him in for the past two years. Deehan was excellent for Clara and I would still pick Lynam before him - right now I'd argue that he's definitely in the top three forwards in Offaly. How he hasn't made a county panel with twelve or more forwards in it is ridiculous.

[azoffaly]

Jaysus Shark, that's harsh on Mac. He's the same age, or a year younger than me, so he's hardly 15 years past his peak. 15 years ago he was 20 or 19