Scoring statistics leave a lot to be desired in Offaly Senior Football Championship games

THE scoring statistics in the final round of group games in the Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship last Sunday will certainly have given Offaly joint managers, Declan Kelly and Mickey Harte plenty to ponder on.

Harte attended his first club game in Offaly since being unveiled as joint manager with Declan Kelly and the Tyrone man witnessed a very low scoring, dour encounter in Daingean with champions Tullamore beating Rhode by just 0-8 to 0-5.

With Niall McNamee on crutching with a hamstring injury, Rhode found scoring difficult the whole day and could only manage five points with just two from play. Tullamore also got only two from play but looked like winning the whole way.

Things were no better in Tullamore where Edenderry did well to come back and draw with Ferbane, 2-5 to 1-8. Edenderry, however, only managed one point from play with the two goals coming from a penalty and a mark and four of their points from frees. Ferbane looked like scoring more in open play all day with their goal coming from a penalty and just one of their eight points was from a free.

Bracknagh had a deserved 1-12 to 0-7 win over Ballycommon, scoring 1-7 from play. It was another bleak afternoon for the Ballycommon attack. Senior “B” champions last year, they have found scoring very challenging in the top grade. They have lost their three games, scoring 2-5 against Tullamore, 0-7 against Rhode and now 0-7 against Bracknagh- they scored 2-3 from play v Tullamore, 0-3 v Rhode and 0-3 v Bracknagh.

Despite that, Ballycommon will have a decent outside chance in their quarter-final against the surprise group 2 table toppers, Shamrocks but unless they learn how to unlock the better defensive systems in the top flight, they will be gone very quickly.

Shamrocks, who surprised Ferbane and Edenderry in the opening two rounds, had their worse game of the year, only managing 1-7 in a comprehensive defeat to Durrow in the other fixture. Shamrocks got 1-4 from play while Durrrow got 2-8 of their 2-12 from play.

These were fairly sobering statistics as six of the eight teams failed to reach double digits with points, including the four main contenders, Tullamore, Rhode, Edenderry and Ferbane, along with Shamrocks, who topped their group.

Conditions were windy in most venues and may have been a factor but this can't excuse that scoring return. Some of the football was very defensive while the system for the championship may finally have come home to roost this weekend.

The decision to have all teams qualifying for the knockout stages came in for much criticism but the opening two rounds still provided better than expected entrtainment. Unfortunately most of the games last weekend lacked real intensity and bite. Ferbane and Edenderry went through the motions to a large extent while Shamrocks were assured of top spot and Durrow couldn't get off the bottom of the table which meant that their clash was a dead rubber.

A lot of supporters also stayed away last weekend with small crowds at most venues as they made their disdain for the format known.

The real action now begins with the quarter-finals on the weekend of September 14-15. The pairings are: Tullamore v Durrow; Shamrocks v Ballycommon; Edenderry v Bracknagh; Rhode v Ferbane.