Offaly Senior Football Club Championship 2011

[Real Rob]

I'd love to see Clara step up and give Rhode a good game, but they've played six championship games so far this year and with the exception of a five minute spell against Pullough and for twenty odd minutes against Ballycumber, they haven't played well at all. It's a huge ask for them to suddenly produce a good hour of football now all of a sudden. A lot will depend on whether or not Scott Brady is fit to return - he's been a huge loss as the natural leader of that team, but even so I'd be surprised if Rhode didn't win with four or five to spare.

Lone Shark although Clara has played poorly so far this year this game falls under new terms this is a strong rivalry between two very even clubs as the last few meetings has proved and with Clara now back to full strength and Rhode missing Anton and Declan Murphy the result is far from ''Black and White''

[Lone Shark]

Obviously it's a game fraught with danger for Rhode, I just think it'll be tough for Clara to just suddenly turn it on when they haven't been on form all year. Anton and Murphy will be a loss, but I just think myself that Brady for Clara and McNamee for Rhode are the two key men that can't be adequately replaced. Both clubs would have the depth to replace everyone else. Indeed I can think of high profile players on both teams that would be a close call even to start at the moment, such has been their form.

Ultimately, it comes down to the day, and which fifteen plays better - I'd be amazed if Rhode aren't in decent form, while I just don't know what to expect from Clara. I'm not doubting their potential in the slightest, but they need a lot to go right, just to bring about another one of those excellent games from the last few years.

[kingscounty]

predictions for the semi finals :edenderry V gracefield ; this should be a tight encounter,edenderry are a young up and coming team who could sneak this one but i feel gracefield might be a bit ahead of them. score edenderry 1-09 gracefield 2-08. / rhode V clara ; should be close enough to but rhode have looked like they were taking it easy in the group stages and need to up their game if they want to over come clara.clara will be well up for this game and it should be a cracker of a semi. score rhode 1-13 clara 2-10.

[offalyman08]

predictions for the semi finals.

Bookies have it as follows...

Edenderry 4/6, Gracefield 6/4... Draw 7/1

Rhode 2/5, Clara 5/2.... Draw 7/1

[brian fantana]

clara 5-2 to beat rhode, dont know where the bookies get theses mental odds. can they not look back at the last 3 or 4 meetings of the two sides, all very close affairs. id say rhode 8-11 and clara 11-8 would be more like it

[Abercrombie Fitch]

Agree. Think Clara are a huge price. Will have trained all year with Rhode in mind. Rhode deservedly favourites but you just couldn't write off Clara.

[Abercrombie Fitch]

Can't get odds on championship overall? Anyone got them?

[uibhfhailiabu]

Can't get odds on championship overall? Anyone got them?

Rhode 8/13
Clara 7/2
Edenderry 9/2
Gracefield 15/2

Odds from Ladbrokes.

[offalyman08]

PP has changed its odds now on the first semi...

Edenderry 4/7, Gracefield 7/4

Can't understand their dismissal of Gracefield when they topped their group and beat Clara along the way

[Lone Shark]

Speaking as the resident bookie, the market price change is very simple - they've obviously got money for Edenderry, and that wouldn't surprise me, since Edenderry look like the more likely winners to me. On a line through either Ferbane or St Rynaghs, it's Edenderry who come out on top, while Gracefield topping the group can be broken down into:

Beat Rynaghs - awful, awful game where I felt Rynaghs were very unlucky not to nick a point
Beat Clara - Good result, but Clara underperformed spectacularly
Draw with Ballycumber - Everyone else bar Shamrocks beat them and most people I talked to say Ballycumber had the better of this game.
Beat Shamrocks - So did everyone. Shamrocks were truly diabolical during the group stages.
Beat Walsh Island - Both teams were qualified, Brian Connor was out, it was a nothing game
Beat Ferbane - Very close match where a slightly fortunate Padraig Duffy goal was the difference - Ferbane had a couple of easy point chances at the end that they could have taken if they weren't chasing a goal. Gracefield probably marginally deserved the win, but neither team dominated.

Now compare that to Edenderry

Lost to Erin Rovers - Bad start, certainly.
Beat Tubber - Good tactical performance, shut down an in-form Bernard Allen and ground out a win when they were more used to losing close games.
Beat Ferbane - Outstanding performance, moved the ball really well and a ten point margin would have been fair.
Beat Tullamore - Not a brilliant game but this was hard fought with Tullamore scrapping for their lives by now.
Lost to Rhode - Stayed close to Rhode throughout the game and only got edged out in the closing stages.
Beat Rynaghs - Granted Rynaghs were shocking, but Edenderry did what they had to do and looked very efficient.

I'm very much a believer that Edenderry will win this and at 8/13 with Ladbrokes, they still represent value.


As for Rhode vs Clara, even games they may have been in previous years, but these games don't occur in a vacuum. Rhode have been ordinary by their high standards so far, but they've still won pretty much every game comfortably. Clara have much more in them, but there is no evidence whatsoever to say that it's going to come out. Clara have a chance, but I could think of better 5/2 shots myself.

[Real Rob]

As for Rhode vs Clara, even games they may have been in previous years, but these games don't occur in a vacuum. Rhode have been ordinary by their high standards so far, but they've still won pretty much every game comfortably. Clara have much more in them, but there is no evidence whatsoever to say that it's going to come out. Clara have a chance, but I could think of better 5/2 shots myself.

Lone Shark for a Man who Tipped Clara for Glory in 2010 its very surprising you believe they are not great Value at 5/2 to beat the same opposition,but I do have to respect your Neutral opinion as its always pretty fair, however I don't agree with it for reasons already posted and hope that Rhode as so many Favourites do just don't live up to the Tag

[kingscounty]

gracefield were 12/1 yesterday to win championship in boyles great odds if they get over edenderry sunday.rhode were 15/8, edenderry 7/2 and clara were 4/1. its looking like the rhode/edenderry group is considered stronger than the other group.

[Goodsupporter11]

Think if Clara win on sunday, the dowling could be won by either team in the final. On the day, Gracefield/Edenderry would fancy themselves to beat Clara if things went their way. However if Rhode win, theres only going to be one outcome in the final. Is it a double header in O 'Conor Park sunday? Also has any of the semi-finalists got any major injuries ahead of the games??

[townman]

PP has changed its odds now on the first semi...

Edenderry 4/7, Gracefield 7/4

Can't understand their dismissal of Gracefield when they topped their group and beat Clara along the way

agree with you there Gracefield did beat Clara and where top of their group i think they will nick it 1 or 2 point win over Edenderry
and hope Clara beat Rhode as i can't see Rhode been beaten in a final, on the other hand if Edenderry were to win they wouldn't fear Rhode
as history shows they have a good record again their neighbours over the year's, pity the games weren't in st. Brendans park

[timber]

Would it be fair to say the current championship is as poor as we have seen since the 90's. Rhode are no where near the team they were. Clara even minus players still comfortably made the semi final stage. And then you have Edenderry and gracefield who have been relegation battlers in recent years and I am not convinced either have improved that much and maybe its more to do with how bad the championship is that they are in the shake up.

Equally I think the hurling championship has been very poor. The standard in both codes has dropped alot.