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Rhode 8/11 . Clara 7/2 . Tullamore 7/2 . Edenderry 6/1 . Gracefield 25/1 . K/K coming in at 33/1 and are ahead of the rest in the betting which is interesting considering they just came up last year , I would fancy K/K to hold their own and maybe cause a few upsets along the way .

The reason it's called Senior B is very simple - it was a much easier sell to the clubs that were likely to be affected, and so on down along the line. If the change was called what it actually was, then you'd have been asking a plethora of intermediate clubs to vote themselves down to junior status in one fell swoop - for pride reasons alone, that wouldn't work.

Personally I think it's a cod of a racket. Round robin games in Offaly are rarely as intense as they should be, because for a start, there is feck all to play for up along the line. Once you know you will/won't make the top four, your season is dead - not like a group where the top team goes straight into the SF's, 2nd/3rd plays quarters, 4th is out but safe and 5th/6th plays relegation semis. That way you're far more likely to have something to play for late on.

Also, I was wondering about this recently, is there something in the Offaly psyche where we don't take defeat as badly. We see it with county teams - they can go out one week and get hockeyed and just brush it off, and equally we saw what happened with Tullamore in the SFC last year. Rhode had wiped the floor with them earlier in the year, and they still went onto the field in the final believing they can win. Tubber lost three games in a row and then produced their best performance of the year to beat Tullamore, Clareen bounced back brilliantly after Birr hammered them. If that happened to a northern side, there would be inquests and mourning.


Also, regarding KK, I'd say a big part of it for the bookies is the unknown. It's not that they think that they'll beat Rhode/Clara/Tullamore/Edenderry, but they can't be sure that they won't. Ferbane/Tubber/Ballycumber/Walsh Island etc. have proven over the last five or six years that they just can't beat the leading teams in big games. KK probably can't, but we can't say for sure - hence 33/1 as opposed to 66/1 or bigger.

Lone Shark wrote: Also, I was wondering about this recently, is there something in the Offaly psyche where we don't take defeat as badly. We see it with county teams - they can go out one week and get hockeyed and just brush it off, and equally we saw what happened with Tullamore in the SFC last year. Rhode had wiped the floor with them earlier in the year, and they still went onto the field in the final believing they can win. Tubber lost three games in a row and then produced their best performance of the year to beat Tullamore, Clareen bounced back brilliantly after Birr hammered them. If that happened to a northern side, there would be inquests and mourning.

Surely this is not the first time this has entered your head?. '98 would probably be the prime example?

Results Group 1
St Brigids 0-12 Walsh Island 0-9
Gracefield 1-8 Tubber 0-9
Edenderry and Tullamore tomorrow

Group 2
St Rynaghs 1-10 Ballycumber 1-7
Rhode and Clara tomorrow
Kil/Kil and Ferbane on sunday

Rhode looked very good today.look very fit and very hungry.dont sound good for rest of teams.tullamore and Eden derry was a very exciting game, the standard was awful in that game though.great win for St bridgets to.hopefully we do the business tomorrow

Good win for Ferbane. Important to get off to a good start.

Rhode 4-20 Clara 0-10 - Surprised at winning margin as Clara were only missing Mitchell
Edenderry 2-09 Tullamore 1-12 - Edenderry should have won
St Brigids 0-12 Walsh Island 0-09 - good win by Croghan
Ferbane 4-11 KK 1-08 - big win by Ferbane, were some of the hurlers missing??
St Rynaghs 1-09 Ballycumber 1-06 - was this a surprise??
Gracefield 1-08 Tubber 0-09 - good start for Gracefield

Any reports on the Rhode - Clara game. I would have presumed these 2 would be strong favourites with Edenderry and Tullamore. Suprised to see the result.

Any reports on Ferbane - KK game - did they show up or were Ferbane just too good on the day?

Rhode booked a (Connacht Football Championship final - delete this) date with (insert next opponent) as the Green and Gold easily defeated Clara at O’Connor Park.
First-half goals from Niall McNamee probably, gave (insert managers name) team a commanding (2-09 to 0-07 - delete this) interval advantage.
Further three-pointers from two Rhode men, probably McNamee, sealed a crushing win, (with Fabien McMorrow sent off for two yellow cards - delete this lad) to compound a 4-20 to 0-10 loss for (Clara manager’s) men.
From half-time all that needed to be determined was Rhode's winning margin as the holders were never seriously troubled.
Rhode were 12 clear when McNamee more than likely grabbed his second major as Clara were completely outplayed by (Rhode manager’s) team.
Gutsy early on, Clara, (with Emlyn Mulligan highly impressive - delete yer man), were competitive and (only trailed by 0-05 to 0-04 - delete this) led at the end of the opening quarter.
Rhode, though, were that bit slicker in attack as their wing forwards (Kevin McLoughlin and Alan Dillon - delete this) were motoring well.
Rhode and Clara traded points, but then Rhode seized control when netting a (22nd-minute - ?) goal.
(Andy Moran and Lee Keegan - delete these boys) Rhode players were heavily involved in the build up as McNamee, I’d imagine rifled a blistering shot into the roof of the Clara net.
Rhode added a point and though Clara replied with two, Rhode struck for a second goal in the (1st to 30th) minute.
(Donal Vaughan made a burst from defence and fed captain Moran, who provided an opportunistic finish - definitely delete this).
Niall McNamee, presumably, nailed a free, and then (Barry Moran - delete) landed a splendid effort from play as Rhode went in at the break armed with an eight- point - dont risk it advantage.
In the third quarter Rhode hit (four - delete, need to keep it vague) frees (on the spin - delete this) after Rhode and Clara had swapped points.
Then (on 53 minutes substitute Michael Conroy's hand pass released Moran and - delete this nonsense) the Rhode player drilled Rhode's third goal.
Late on several of Rhode's replacements were keen to make an impact as they blasted out a warning that they are fully intent on making an impact again this summer.
(With two minutes left Clara's McMorrow was sent off for a second yellow card following a foul on Enda Varley and McLoughlin decorated the triumph with a fourth goal in stoppage time - this has to be deleted, I remember none of this happening).

Scorers:
Rhode: N. McNamee (a lot), other Rhode players (some).
Clara: Clara players (0-10).

Just wondering does anyone know if a player gets sent off in a football match does it mean he cant play hurling , does the suspension carry over to both codes? I was chatting to a player who got a black card and then he said something to the ref and the ref gave him a red card and then the player tapped the ref on the back and said well done ref , he then received a 48 week ban which he told me stops him from playing football and hurling . Seems like a very harsh ban , he didn't hit or hurt anyone .

I am nearly sure if you get a straight red for violent conduct you get a one month ban that affects both codes.

heard kilcormac had most hurlers playing !

12 weeks for the Category V offence of 'minor physical interference; 48 weeks for the Category VI offence of 'striking or attempting to strike' a referee, linesman or sideline official.

From the Official Guide -

Category V Infractions
5.31 To interfere with a Referee, Umpire, Linesman or Sideline Official – minor physical interference e.g. laying a hand on, pushing, pulling or jostling.
5.32 To use threatening language to a Referee, Umpire, Linesman or Sideline Official.
5.33 To use threatening or abusive conduct towards a Referee, Umpire, Linesman or Sideline Official.

PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE FOULS –
(i) Order offender off.
(ii) Free kick from where foul occurred except as provided under Exceptions of Rule 2.2.

SUSPENSION FOR CATEGORY V
(i) Minimum: 12 weeks Suspension in all Codes and at all Levels.
(ii) Minimum on Repeat Infraction: 24 weeks Suspension in all Codes and at all Levels.


Category VI Infractions
5.34 To strike or attempt to strike, or any type of assault on, a Referee, Umpire, Linesman or Sideline Official.

PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE FOULS –
(i) Order offender off.
(ii) Free kick from where foul occurred, except as provided under Exceptions of Rule 2.2.

SUSPENSION FOR CATEGORY VI
(i) Minimum: 48 weeks Suspension in all Codes

kingscounty wrote:Just wondering does anyone know if a player gets sent off in a football match does it mean he cant play hurling , does the suspension carry over to both codes? I was chatting to a player who got a black card and then he said something to the ref and the ref gave him a red card and then the player tapped the ref on the back and said well done ref , he then received a 48 week ban which he told me stops him from playing football and hurling . Seems like a very harsh ban , he didn't hit or hurt anyone .

That clears that up , thanks POTH.

That is one of the funniest reads i've had in a long time HSM, respect!