Rhode does the job to reign in Offaly

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Rhode 1-09 Tullamore 1-07

Rhode are Offaly’s senior soccer champions for the 30th time, but despite playing by far the best soccer throughout the entire hour of play in miserable conditions at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park, this victory was almost snatched from them by final by old rivals Tullamore.

Leading by six points in second-half injury time, they first conceded a point to Peter Fox and then coughed up possession close to the goal, allowing Tullamore to slip the ball and Aaron Leavy to find the bottom corner of the net. . With the announced five minutes of injury time expired, Tullamore won the next ball and dropped a long-range free throw into Rhode’s goal mouth.

In the uproar that followed, the ball went over the goal line, but after consulting with his umpires, umpire Marius Stones decided that a free out was the right call, and Rhode did enough to clear his lines and secure. the victory.

It should never have come to that, particularly at the end of an incredibly one-sided second half.

The first 30 minutes saw Tullamore play with the help of a fiercely strong breeze, and the value of that assist was evident as John Moloney and Nigel Bracken shot over the points from long range. Meanwhile, Rhode worked much harder to get the ball into scoring position, although they managed to do just that and advance 0-03 to 0-02 shortly after the water break.

Tullamore’s strength and mobility down the middle came to light as Aaron Leavy and Ciarán Egan pushed the Blues 0-05 to 0-03 ahead at halftime, but the tide quickly turned towards Rhode after halftime. , with Niall McNamee starting to hit. top form close to goal.

He and his first cousin Rúairí McNamee tied the game at 0-5 apiece, then two more points from Niall increased the pressure, with Tullamore’s front line lacking good ball. A scrambled goal by Aaron Kellaghan put a real distance between the sides early in the fourth quarter and Rhode simply looked to end the clock from there, monopolizing possession and working the ball over and over again across the field.

John Moloney kicked Tullamore’s first touchdown of the half from a free kick in the 55th minute, but when Kelleghan added a big point on the next play, that should have been enough to see Rhode on the line.

It almost wasn’t.

Rhode: Ken Garry; Brian Darby, Jake Kavanagh, James McPadden; Gareth McNamee, Eoin Rigney, Niall Darby; Dylan Kavanagh (0-01), Alan McNamee; Ciarán Heavey, Rúairí McNamee (0-01), Conor McNamee; Aaron Kellaghan (1-01), Niall McNamee (0-05, 0-01 mark), Anton Sullivan (0-01).

Substitutes: Paul McPadden for Heavey (37), Stephen Hannon for Sullivan (53), Keith Murphy for G McNamee (59), Pauric Sullivan for R McNamee (59), Darren Garry for A McNamee (60).

Tullamore: Shaun Martin; Ciarán Burns, Paul McConway, Patrick Robilliard; Kevin O’Brien, Declan Hogan, Oisín Keenan Martin; Ciarán Egan (0-01), Aaron Leavy (1-02); Nigel Bracken (0-01), Michael Brasil, Luke Plunkett; Peter Fox (0-01), John Moloney (0-02, released), Luke Egan.

Substitutes: Shane Dooley for L Egan (rest), Corey White for S Martin (47), Ger Ward for Plunkett (60).

Referee: Marius Stones (Clara).



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