County senior football championship

[Offaly2010]

Shamrocks and Croghan was a poor game, very scrappy, Croghan had two men sent off.

[Long John]

Tullmore- Gracefield
Tullamore quiet impressive against a Gracefield team giving it everything. Gary Heffernan again had excellent game. Very consistent performer. Tullamore could still mount a challenge to Clara and Rhode in this championship.
People have commented on Smiths fielding. Ive always said it, the best fielder of the ball in the county, pity the chap thinks that makes indispensable to the county management. Really would have been a good combo with Mac.

Walsh Island- Erin Rovers
WI really did leave it behind them. The better team by far for the whole game, played some good quality football. i think they had little respect for Rovers and knew they could beat them. That confidence showed in their play right through but fair play to Rovers they kept hanging in there and never let the gap get too wide. Credit to them.

Rhode-Tubber
Rhode won this in 2nd gear. It was actually a pretty lazy 2nd half by Rhode. Tubber were terrible.

Shamrocks-Brigids
Shamrocks very much in control against a terrible Brigids side who had a nasty streak in them. Very poor game. An improvement by Shamrocks but still without a huge number of players, Coughlans, Molloy, Cunningham.

[Georgio1]

Why is it all the more reason to Amalgamate because Daingean lost to Clonmore? Think about it, the size of Daingean compared to Clonmore! If Daingean cant win the Junior, what hope have these players of competing in the Senior championship.Ballycommon have been hammered in all their games. Kilclonfert blew a great opportunity against Clonbullogue yesterday. Cappincur are tipping away but are likely to just about make Semi final.
Lot of these younger players have not the bottle to drive their clubs on in what really is a mediocre Junior championship, and from what I know of Kilclonfert they have little more to offer than Daingean or Cappincur.
If amalgamated you would have to disband the clubs as this team would need to really need to eat sleep and drink football together to even compete with the likes of Tubber or Pullough. They would not need the headache of trying to train with their clubs also, and trying to fit in matches? Bet the Daingean exile would not be in favour of this scenrio?

Put in amalgamated Intermediate, Junior A,B,& C teams as well to cater for the non senior players and Inter and Junior A train together, B & C train together, develope a system to bring through the younger players into a cohesive environment, ready to feed into the Senior, Intermediate.
But the guys who wish to put in a Senior team in general would not like to see Kilclonfert or Daingean dissolved. But given the disaster that is our fixtures committee I could not see another alternative.

[azoffaly]

Clara were impressive when they hit their straps on Saturday night in Pullagh. Ferbane were very good in the first 20-25 minutes, and worked extremely hard to turnover ball, but they could never really put enough scores on the board. Ferbane went in leading by 2 points at half time, but Clara basically blitzed them in the first 10-15 minutes of the second half and ran out convincing winners.

Clara looked good, as they can do, when they got on top and deinitely looked the part. The impressive thing for me about them was they got their bellyful of it for 20 minutes, and managed to not only lift themselves, but lift themselves well clear.

From a Ferbane perspective it was disappointing not to be able to 'go' with Clara when they lifted it, but there's a big difference in team maturity there in fairness, and Ferbane have several players that are very comfortable at Senior level. The problem is the strength in depth, and not being able to really make changes that make a difference in game, especially when it starts going away from you.

I think Ferbane will lift it again next weekend, you need short memories after a defeat like that, and it's good in a way to be facing a fresh challenge. Brigids will be very tough after their own disappointment at the weekend, so it's a big game for both teams. I don't know if Ferbane will win or not, but I do expect them to rise to the challenge again, they are an honest bunch.

[ballinamereman1]

its shapen up to be a good end to the football.. the quaters could be along the lines of
shamrocks rhode now that would be a hum dinger if this did happen shamrocks would win.. theyll come good this year but disland or clara will deny them,.
ferbane disland.. this would be a classic tough going game.. wouldnt be surprised if ferbane pulled threw.. the have been none to pull a result or 2 out of the fire every year,,.
tullamore edenderry,. edennderry seem to be gettin there act together this year.. however the town look like real contenders..
clara ballycumber.. clara would prevail well..
that would leave clara, shamrocks, ferbane and the town..
id see clara, shamrocks, disland and the town as more possible however..
unless shamrocks were to meet the town the would be bet/.
clara and disland would be some match.. if i put my neck on the line id go disland.. that prediction could cost me my head though..
if shamrocks were to meet the disland in the final the could win.. however they wouldnt have the heads to close it out..

these set of gamesi hVE picked are all guessed none of which none might happen..

but im sure 1 thing either the town, disland or clara will win the dowling cup.. leaving rhode stunned like last year..

[Long John]

Ballinamereman are you stone wall mad? WI have nohope of winning the championship. It would be a super achievement for them to get to a semi. They have had a nice group which has helped them and to be fair they have played well, to their max I would say also. But they are not, well should not be anywhere near winning a senior county title and thats with no disrespect to them as they are hugely committed and enjoy their football.

Rhode for me are still the best team in the county. They have a huge pick of players which is amazing for the size of the place. Everybody plays football from a very young age. For me Rhode were the best team in the championship last year and were unlucky to have a bad day on their biggest day. Clara are close to them but not better. The one thing I would say about Rhode is that Leinster final collapse against Kilmacud has possibly knocked a bit out of them. They had it to win and blew it and its a long road back to that sort of opportunity.

Now Shamrocks wont be in the shake up, a club in total disaray. Tullamore are showing glimpses of the Tullamore teams that grind out results and the longer the championship goes the more dangerous they will be.

Ferbane are too inconsistent. They have a decent side but blow hot and cold. They could take a big scalp but can also come up short against weaker sides.
Its between Rhode, Clara and Tullamore.

[The Magpie]

It would be a super achievement for them to get to a semi.

That would most likely require Walsh Island to win one more game this year. I'd be surprised, right now, if they'd consider that a Super achievement.

[black and red exile]

Lads I think Ballinamereman 1 is just winding us up either that or he is a slice short of the full pan.

[leinsterman]

tell you one thing about Walsh island if they got to a semil final or final they would be hard bet
lads forget the history of the island they don't leave it behind them to often if they get there
i remember the 70s and 80s great Rhode and ferbane teams could never beat them.

[Black Spot]

shamrocks rhode now that would be a hum dinger if this did happen shamrocks would win

clara and disland would be some match.. if i put my neck on the line id go disland.. ..

edennderry seem to be gettin there act together this year.. however the town look like real contenders..

why you so confident Shamrocks would beat Rhode,and then expect Shamrocks to be beaten?,id have to disagree any body who beats Rhode from here on in will win it for me..

Clara made a leinser final last year and going by this years results, Clara 1-9 Shamrocks 0-8;Clara 0-14 Gracefield 0-4;Clara 2-11 Ferbane 1-3 no disrespect to walsh Island they have made a very enjoyable championship this year by bringing somting new,but wouldnt a semi final be a bonous for last years intermediate winners?wouldnt clara be a step to far..

Ferbane 0-8 V Tullamore1-7 ,Tullamore 2-11 V Gracefield 1-9,Tullamore0-7 V St Bridgid's0-6 Tullamore havnt really being overly brilliant so far however are getting the jobs done but i cant see them winning it and to be honest cant see them beaten clara and will be up against it against shamrocks in their final group games.

For me its still between Rhode and Clara hopfully they dont meet before the final .

[Offaly2010]

Clara made a leinser final last year

Bet by Portlaoise in Semi-Final actually

[TheManFromFerbane]

For me its still between Rhode and Clara hopfully they dont meet before the final .

Does anyone know if it's a 1st V 4th for the QF or is it an open draw?

[offalyman08]

1st vs 4th
2nd vs 3rd

not sure about semi's, they could be open draw

[ballinamereman1]

shamrocks rhode now that would be a hum dinger if this did happen shamrocks would win

clara and disland would be some match.. if i put my neck on the line id go disland.. ..

edennderry seem to be gettin there act together this year.. however the town look like real contenders..

why you so confident Shamrocks would beat Rhode,and then expect Shamrocks to be beaten?,id have to disagree any body who beats Rhode from here on in will win it for me..

Clara made a leinser final last year and going by this years results, Clara 1-9 Shamrocks 0-8;Clara 0-14 Gracefield 0-4;Clara 2-11 Ferbane 1-3 no disrespect to walsh Island they have made a very enjoyable championship this year by bringing somting new,but wouldnt a semi final be a bonous for last years intermediate winners?wouldnt clara be a step to far..

Ferbane 0-8 V Tullamore1-7 ,Tullamore 2-11 V Gracefield 1-9,Tullamore0-7 V St Bridgid's0-6 Tullamore havnt really being overly brilliant so far however are getting the jobs done but i cant see them winning it and to be honest cant see them beaten clara and will be up against it against shamrocks in their final group games.

For me its still between Rhode and Clara hopfully they dont meet before the final .

i would bw confident of sha,rocks beating rhode in the quaters.. because the rahan parish would be hugely up for the game and would be approaching it in the knowledge that rhode are easier bet now than in a semi or final..

long john i would have to disagree with you sayin it would be a super achievement for the island to reach a semi.. the can and the will.. at this moment in time there playing ferbane in the quaters and they will beat them hands down

[Long John]

If WI meet Ferbane in a quarter final they have a chance. Ferbane on their day should be too good for them but they should also have been too good for Pullagh last year. If WI make the semi and with the draw looking as it might be they have a great chance, that would be a great achievement for the players they have. They are not good enough to make the final though, nowhere near that standard unless the football in the county is that bad at present.

I can recall WI been blown away by a certain St Brigids team in a final not so long ago. Alot of same players involved.

Rhode, Clara and Tullamore should not be troubled by them.