Impressive Edenderry put ageing Rhode to the sword

A TITLE is never won or lost in the first round and both sides will be very conscious of the possibility that Rhode could be around later in the year but Edenderry's very comprehensive win over their arch rivals in the first round of the Senior Football Championship in Edenderry on Saturday evening still smelled of something very significant.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 1 Round 1

Edenderry 3-20

Rhode 1-17

Firstly it was a very important and impressive win for an Edenderry side who are moving with great early season intent. They captured the Division 1 Football League a few weeks ago and raised their performance levels to a much higher standard here.

With a large crowd creating a fantastic atmosphere in Edenderry, they played some champagne football and were even more comprehensive winners than the final scoreline suggests as Rhode got in for 1-5 late on when the game was well and truly beyond their reach.

It was certainly a quality display by Edenderry, who some breathtaking attacking football, real pace and intensity in an intoxicating mix, and were unstoppable once they scented blood early in the second half. A point up, 1-8 to 0-10, four minutes into the second half, Edenderry struck for a scintillating 1-6 without reply between the 34^th and 41^st minutes and a shell shocked Rhode knew it was all over for them.

The gap was nine points at that stage and it was much worse, a whopping sixteen points, 3-19 to 0-12 with ten minutes left. You had to admire the way Rhode responded when they were staring such a humiliating defeat in the face as they worked tirelessly to stem the tide and managed to achieve a degree of scoring respectability, even if a nine point defeat is a very heavy one.

Edenderry look good and are emerging as real title contenders, though we still have to reserve some judgement on them. The real talking point here was the scale of Rhode's defeat. The dominant force in Offaly football for so long, this was an evening where their elder statesmen tipped into the red and they just couldn't live with the pace and running of a young Edenderry side.

Absolutely no one should put the boot into Rhode. They have been such a powerful force of nature and deserve complete respect but they had too many players in the Winter of their career. Their team included Offaly club football's most decorated star Alan McNamee, now in his 40s, Niall McNamee and Brian Darby, who are heading towards the 40 mark, Niall Darby who is in the veteran cateory and players with a lot of mileage up such as Anton Sullivan, Ruari McNamee and Conor McNamee.

It will be interesting to see what Rhode's response will be to this and they are still favourites to get into a quarter-final. They could well transform themselves but this defeat was a thought provoking one and will prompt some soul searching. It was certainly their heaviest defeat in a long number of years and you would have to go back into the 1990s to find a game where they were beaten at such an early stage.

In fairness to Rhode, they did everything they could to halt the flow of time. They knew they had scoring potential up front and could hurt teams but were vulnerable at the back. As a result, they handed Anton Sullivan a new defensive role on their half back line and while he started off very well, Edenderry were soon coming through in wave after wave of attack.

Ruari McNamee almost single handedly tried to galvanise his team mates in the first half. He was brilliant as he picked off four points, set up scores and almost got in for two goals but Rhode were in an uphill battle almost the whole way. They contributed tremendously to a truly exciting, helter-skelter first half that provided terrific entertainment. Both sides attacked at breakneck pace, opening each other up and there wasn't much between them.

With Ruari McNamee leading the charge, Rhode started off very well and were 0-4 to 0-1 up after seven minutes. It was a blast from the past as Anton Sullivan came flying up the wing for their first point and Alan McNamee got another but it was all very illusional. Once Edenderry settled, it was clear that it could be a long evening for Rhode. The home side got 1-4 without reply, Aaron Murphy punching the goal in the 11^th minute.

Rhode were sucking air and their defence were in bother as Edenderry looked like getting in for goals almost every time they attacked. Aaron Murphy pointed with one chance while Ruari McNamee blasted over with a great opening at the other end as he stopped Edenderry's run of scores – he also drew a fine save from Cormac Hurley when through one on one in the 18^th minute and Rhode will wonder what would have happened if they got these goals.

Cian Farrell got a two point free for Edenderry while Aaron Kellaghan and Anton Sullivan were wide with two point shots for Rhode, though their kicks were close to the kick and hope category. Rhode got back into it with three in a row before Sean Doyle's free gave Edenderry a 1-8 to 0-8 half time lead. The only surprise was that there was only one goal scored. There could very easily have been six, four for Edenderry and two or three for Rhode, and while it was neatly balanced at the break, the odds favoured Edenderry.

Rhode made a great start to the second half and Niall McNamee and Paul McPadden brought it down to a one point game. A sensational two pointer from Jordan Hayes, however, negated that good work and a ruthless Edenderry went for the jugular.

A sensational goal from wing back Harry Goulding in the 37^th minute opened the floodgates and Rhode manager Paschal Kellaghan won't have been happy with it as his defenders backed off and Goulding kept going. Sean Doyle got a two point free as Edenderry went into a 2-14 to 0-10 lead before Niall McNamee got a two point free for Rhode.

It was the briefest of respites as Aaron Murphy ended it as a contest with Edenderry's third goal in the 45^th minute. Adam Mahon made a great surge up the field with former Kildare footballer, Sean Hurley not able to catch him, just moments after being introduced. Again Mahon kept going, laying off for Murphy who tapped home. Cian Farrell added two two pointers, one from a free as Edenderry took that 3-19 to 0-12 lead.

Rhode deserve huge credit for the battling qualities they showed from here. They really fought for their pride, scoring 1-5 of the last 1-6. Hurley got their consolation goal, fisting in Niall McNamee's high dropping ball, and Aaron Kellaghan and McNamee (free) got two pointers as Edenderry found themselves in the very unusual territory of being able to run in subs and not having to clock watch late on.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Rory Egan (Edenderry): Edenderry had several contenders. Aaron Murphy scored a very opportunistic 2-2 up front and had an excellent game. David Maloney did a lot of very solid work at midfield while Jordan Hayes came good in the second half. The Edenderry defence was super with Lee Pearson close to his best and Adam Mahon continuing his recent great run of form – Mahon has been a revelation in recent games, defending tenaciously and attacking very well.

Rory Egan is the selection. The Offaly defender had a fantastic game, holding the centre well, cutting out attacks and so composed on the ball. He got up the field regularly, showed leadership and almost always did the right thing. Ruari McNamee did do a bit too much damage on him early on but he began to get on top before the interval and became increasingly dominant as it wore on.

Mark Abbott also deserves special mention for some of the quality football he played in the first half when Rhode were so competitive.

THE SCORERS

Edenderry: Aaron Murphy 2-2, Cian Farrell 0-7 (2 x 2pf, 1f, 1 x 2p), Sean Doyle 0-4 (1 x 2pf, 2f), Jordan Hayes 0-3 (1 x 2p), Mark Abbott 0-2, Rory Egan and Cian Murphy 0-1 each.

Rhode: Niall McNamee 0-6 (2 x 2pf, 1f), Ruari McNamee 0-4, Sean Hurley 1-0, Paul McPadden and Aaron Kellaghan (1 x 2p) 0-2 each, Conor McNamee, Alan McNamee, Anton Sullivan 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

EDENDERRY: Cormac Hurley; Lee Pearson, Eoin Dunne, Adam Mahon; Mason Farrell, Rory Egan, Harry Goulding;Jordan Hayes, David Maloney; Cian Murphy, Aaron Murphy, Mark Abbott; Kaelum Bryan, Cian Farrell, Sean Doyle. Subs – Cillian Foran for Cian Murphy (45m), Colm Byrne for Mason Farrell (50m), Cillian Lowry for Bryan (53m), Dylan Byrne for Goulding (58m

RHODE: Ken Garry; Keith Murphy, Jake Kavanagh, James McPadden; Conor McNamee, Anton Sullivan, Niall Darby; Aaron Kellaghan, Dylan Kavanagh; Brian Dasrby, Ruari McNamee, Eoin Smith; Paul McPasdden, Alan McNamee, Niall McNamee. Subs – Ryan Kellaghan for Smith (28m), Sean Hurley for Alan McNamee (45m), Glen O'Connell for Paul McPadden (43m), Ross Kellaghan for Niall Darby (50m), Mark Rigney for Ruari McNamee (59m).

Referee – Kevin Williamson, Tullamore.

REFEREE WATCH

Kevin Williamson controlled it well, aware of the rivalry between Edenderry and Rhode, and there were no big issues. Kaelum Bryan could have got a black instead of a yellow for a second half block on Anton Sullivan but the referee was quick to show cards and players knew where the line was.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Harry Goulding's 37^th minute goal was a brilliant score. It gave Edenderry a 2-10 to 0-10 lead and more or less ended it as a contest.

There was a memorable moment of Rhode defiance near the end. They were a well beaten team at this stage and some of their veterans were on the sideline – Alan McNamee and Niall Darby were gone while Ruari McNamee's also went near the end as he went into empty. Edenderry broke from defence at pace with sub Colm Byrne carrying the ball out. There was oceans of space up the wing past Brian Darby, Rhode were wide open at the back and Byrne attempted to fist the ball over the vastly experienced Darby's head and run on for the return. It was not that Byrne, a steady experienced player, was show boating, just that he saw the opportunity in front of him and went for it, though it was something that may not have been attempted in a tight game. Darby was also in the red but there was no way, he was going to allow that to happen him or Rhode at this stage of his life, getting his body in Byrne's way, who then picked up a yellow for rattling into Darby as he went for the ball. Both players smiled but you had to admire the way Darby stopped it all happening.

VENUE WATCH

Edenderry hosted this game in their newest field, managing the crowd well and having their facilities looking very well.

WHAT'S NEXT

Rhode host Ferbane in round 2 while Edenderry travel to Durrow.

STATISTICS

Wides: Edenderry – 4 (2 in first half); Rhode -10 (5 in first half).

Yellow cards: Edenderry – 3 (Sean Doyle, Kaelum Bryan, Colm Byrne); Rhode – 3 (Conor McNamee, Ruari McNamee, Ryan Kellaghan).

Black cards: 0.

Red cards: 0