Ca bhfuil an Loan Shark?

[Coolestown1562]

Was the Tullamore Tribune feature a turning point?

[Lone Shark]

Lone Shark was forced back into the world of paid employment - slight lack of free time at the moment, but rest assured he's still watching closely....

[naasmanxrhode]

What happened Ferbane on sathurday in the League final, Are they that bad or were Rhode outstanding.

[azoffaly]

Ferbane haven't trained in 5 weeks, apart from a kickaround on Wednesday evening that 12 turned up for.

Rhode are flying, and Ferbane couldn't raise a gallop. It was quite depressing. A final is a final no matter what.

[naasmanxrhode]

I agree, a final is a final and yes Rhode are flying, Roy Malone and Joe Kilmurray did not play, hopefully will be ready for Sunday next against Eire Og.

[Silken Thomas]

Again it's the winners mentality. Rhode were dumped out at the Championship semi-final stage in 2007. That was the end of the three in a row. Three or four long years on the trot. Pity time? Party time? Negative.
Five or six weeks later Rhode turn up for the league final and give Shannonbridge a seven or eight point beating
Talk about greedy

Are Shannonbridge and Ferbane dire? (don't answer that!) No
Are they lazy? Yes

Nobody really wants to play winter football but Rhode just wanted to win much more.

[Lone Shark]

Again it's the winners mentality. Rhode were dumped out at the Championship semi-final stage in 2007. That was the end of the three in a row. Three or four long years on the trot. Pity time? Party time? Negative.
Five or six weeks later Rhode turn up for the league final and give Shannonbridge a seven or eight point beating
Talk about greedy

Are Shannonbridge and Ferbane dire? (don't answer that!) No
Are they lazy? Yes

Nobody really wants to play winter football but Rhode just wanted to win much more.

Do you honestly think that's comparing like with like? I must have missed where Shannonbridge were in the throes of preparing for the Leinster championship back then....

Don't get me wrong - it's disappointing that Ferbane didn't raise a gallop at the weekend, but if you put any senior championship team at 100% fitness against another who aren't training, there will be only one winner - ever. The margin was probably accentuated by the fact that Rhode are capable of running up a big score against any other club in Offaly even if they are trying, as we saw in the county final, but I wouldn't view our lads as any worse a team because of this scoreline.

[Muck Savage]

The league is a great way to try out players and for lads to play a a higher level than they may normally get a chance to. There are 10 or 12 games here vs maybe 3-4 c'ship games so there should be more focus here by clubs. I also think that there should be two team dropped from Div 1 and two promoted from Div 2, same all the way down. If you look at Div 1 it's difficult to get relegated but to get promoted it's very difficult from Div 2. The two Intermediate teams in the County final this year played Div 1 football so for a Intermediate team getting to Div 1is pretty important so as it stands it's difficult. It would allow more teams to play at a higher level more often if this was the case. We talk about players at clubs that are not senior not getting to play a Senior c'ship game but this is a great opportunity for them to play at a higher level, having one team up and one down makes it difficult for them to progress.

[Silken Thomas]

Do you honestly think that's comparing like with like? I must have missed where Shannonbridge were in the throes of preparing for the Leinster championship back then....

Don't get me wrong - it's disappointing that Ferbane didn't raise a gallop at the weekend, but if you put any senior championship team at 100% fitness against another who aren't training, there will be only one winner - ever. The margin was probably accentuated by the fact that Rhode are capable of running up a big score against any other club in Offaly even if they are trying, as we saw in the county final, but I wouldn't view our lads as any worse a team because of this scoreline.

My point was the only thing the Rhode seniors had to play for after being beaten by Shamrocks was a league final, which was 5 or 6 weeks after their championship exit. The fact that they beat a Shannonbridge side who had two encounters( league semi's about two weeks before the league final) against Tullamore under their belts, and beat them well shows to me how hungry Rhode are and how they obviously trained and trained hard for the occasion. This despite being on the go a long time and with a lot of medals already in the pockets.

Now the only thing Ferbane had to play for after beating Edenderry was the league final as well. As it is the premier league final in the county they knew they would be playing this match this year and in all likelihood 4-6 weeks after their championship exit, and despite no senior final appearance in ages, Ferbane didn't bother their arse to train for the final

Similarily how hard were Shannonbridge preparing for their big day? Half pelt/ Three quarters?

Now L.S. you haven't been an elected politician yet but Ferbane not raising a gallop is code for too lazy is it not? The question being why didn't they train for these five weeks.
My point is how come Rhode are willing to bother for the lesser competition when Shannonbridge and Ferbane are not
It's bizarre. You would think these clubs would be going all out for well needed silverware.

And lest I forgot my own patch... Edenderry will more than likely be plying their trade in Division 2 league next year after giving a walkover in their first, and probably more important, relegation play-off.

The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.

I'll make no bones about it I'm envious of Rhode. I'd like to see them beaten . It just seems at the moment Rhode parish are incredibly strong and will be staying that way for a while. Who is bothered to close the gap

[Silken Thomas]

The league is a great way to try out players and for lads to play a a higher level than they may normally get a chance to. There are 10 or 12 games here vs maybe 3-4 c'ship games so there should be more focus here by clubs. I also think that there should be two team dropped from Div 1 and two promoted from Div 2, same all the way down. If you look at Div 1 it's difficult to get relegated but to get promoted it's very difficult from Div 2. The two Intermediate teams in the County final this year played Div 1 football so for a Intermediate team getting to Div 1is pretty important so as it stands it's difficult. It would allow more teams to play at a higher level more often if this was the case. We talk about players at clubs that are not senior not getting to play a Senior c'ship game but this is a great opportunity for them to play at a higher level, having one team up and one down makes it difficult for them to progress.

Exactly well said . At the moment it's easier to linger in the Senior Championship then to win the Intermediate Championship. If the league becomes weighted so to speak the competiveness of the matches will double and progressive teams will be rewarded and stagnant ones will be punished.

[Lone Shark]

I'd be inclined to disagree that Rhode were in any way at full pelt for the league against Shannonbridge - it was probably Rhode at 50% vs Shannonbridge at 50%, leading to the result that came about. This year's final was Rhode at 90% vs Ferbane at 30% - hence the result we saw.

I've no doubt that it helps Rhode to win these things and that success breeds success, but unless Ferbane were going out training two or three times a week for the entire six weeks, they would have lost by double figures against a full pelt Rhode.


I'd agree wholeheartedly with two up and two down in the league, however I can't agree for one minute that it's easier to stay up in senior than it is to get promoted out of intermediate. The fact that the last two clubs to go down came back up without a scratch on them, so to speak, proves that it's anything but. Let's put it another way - there is no question that St Rynaghs was one of the clubs that Richie was swiping at in his comments about clubs coasting - well next year it's highly likely that St Rynaghs and Walsh Island will meet in a knockout championship game, and if Richie is right his team will win by four or five points at least. I myself think that Rynaghs will beat them, and prove what I think right now - that the best teams in the county are senior clubs, and deservedly so.

[Silken Thomas]

I'd be inclined to disagree that Rhode were in any way at full pelt for the league against Shannonbridge - it was probably Rhode at 50% vs Shannonbridge at 50%, leading to the result that came about. This year's final was Rhode at 90% vs Ferbane at 30% - hence the result we saw.

I've no doubt that it helps Rhode to win these things and that success breeds success, but unless Ferbane were going out training two or three times a week for the entire six weeks, they would have lost by double figures against a full pelt Rhode.


I'd agree wholeheartedly with two up and two down in the league, however I can't agree for one minute that it's easier to stay up in senior than it is to get promoted out of intermediate. The fact that the last two clubs to go down came back up without a scratch on them, so to speak, proves that it's anything but. Let's put it another way - there is no question that St Rynaghs was one of the clubs that Richie was swiping at in his comments about clubs coasting - well next year it's highly likely that St Rynaghs and Walsh Island will meet in a knockout championship game, and if Richie is right his team will win by four or five points at least. I myself think that Rynaghs will beat them, and prove what I think right now - that the best teams in the county are senior clubs, and deservedly so.

I agree that Rhode would have been at 90% or more in the 2008 league final. The word on the street is Coffey flogged them after the county final.
However if Rhode were at 50%(I myself would say higher)
Why are Ferbane at 30% and Shannonbridge at 50% for their big day?
Similarly why are Edenderry not organised or interested enough to fully try preserve their Division 1 league status?

That is my point really. There are too many teams going through the motions in Senior football in the County.
One thing really impressed me about Walsh Island this year. Their hunger. They really want to compete at Senior level. Other teams just want to float there.

A new brush sweeps clean so I will call St. Rynaghs and Walsh Island at a more appropriate time but If Walsh Island and St. Rynaghs had met in any summer month this year there would have only been one winner.

Edenderry and St. Brigids is a long story. To shorten it I will just add that there is no comparison between the Reds 0f 2006 and 2007. Ditto Croghan.

[Lone Shark]

Why are Ferbane at 30% and Shannonbridge at 50% for their big day?
Similarly why are Edenderry not organised or interested enough to fully try preserve their Division 1 league status?

That is my point really. There are too many teams going through the motions in Senior football in the County.

Because it's not their big day, basically. Ferbane had five championship games this year which were each way more important than the league final, as was, I would argue, the league games against Ballycumber and Rhode. I would presume Shannonbridge were the same.

One thing really impressed me about Walsh Island this year. Their hunger. They really want to compete at Senior level. Other teams just want to float there.

A new brush sweeps clean so I will call St. Rynaghs and Walsh Island at a more appropriate time but If Walsh Island and St. Rynaghs had met in any summer month this year there would have only been one winner.

I agree with the diagnosis of their hunger, and watching Brian Connor after the Intermediate final in which he had played so well, my heart went out to him - those lads definitely wanted it. However, and this is being kind to them as a group, they are very, very limited. They beat a series of bad teams in the group, a modicum of fairness from the referee would have left the match between themselves and Birr too close to call, and they were miles off in the final, in the one game which was close to senior standard that they played all year. St. Rynaghs were abysmal, no question, but they did what they do - stepped up when it mattered. Now I don't like that they do that, particularly as this year their attitude was particularly unfair to Erin Rovers, but while their hunger might not match that of WI, their football is still out in front.

Incidentally, if Rhode take the league so seriously, please explain why when they played Ferbane earlier in the year, did they show up with fourteen players and had to use Paschal (who was on the intercounty squad so barred from playing) in goal?

[Muck Savage]

This is an interesting topic. If you take the three teams that faced the drop this year, Ferbane, Rynaghs and Edenderry can you say for sure that they would beat all of the Intermediate semi-final teams, Croghan, Walsh Island, Birr and Doon. I actually think if they all played each other this summer you'd find the Intermediate teams would come out better. Croghan should not have been relegated last year, if they played Senior this year they would have made the Q/F for sure. Doon were the only team that could have put it up to Croghan this year, in the semi final they were down James Coughlan and had Donnie Ryan with sholder injury. Birr could have taken WI if it wasn't for a few strange refeering calls. Ferbane have been floundering just above relegation for the past few years, same with Rynaghs and Edenderry have been down and up. Add in a couple of other Senior teams like Pullagh, Shannonbridge and Tubber and you really have a middle tier of 8-10 teams that will have the Intermediate winner and Senior relegation team for the next 5 years.

I disagree that the league final for Ferbane was a peg lower than some of the other league games they played, even some of the championship games. This was a chance for those players to win a medal for their club. Tell me how many of them will win a County medal? Now the Div 1 league is the next most important competition that these lads will play in. Here's a chance to win a medal for your club and probably the highest level medal they will ever get close to and they put in a poor effort.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Very quiet recently, gone fishing is he?