Brave Rhode edged out in pulsating, controversial club showdown

RHODE certainly went down fighting as they bowed out of the Leinster Club Senior Football Championship after a fiercely fought tussle with Meath champions, Ratoath in Navan on Sunday afternoon.

Leinster Club Senior Football Championship quarter-final

Rataoath 0-11

Rhode 0-9

After a fairly mundane, mediocre first half, this game ignited in an absolutely pulsating, engrossing second half. Two hugely competitive, physical teams threw the kitchen sink at each other, holding nothing back in their pursuit of a Croke Park semi-final berth.

The wind was a dominant influence and Rhode had first use of it but struggled to make use of it. A 0-5 to 0-4 lead was not really enough with the wind but at the same time, Rhode were very much in the hunt. You just knew this game was going to go right down to the wire and there would be very little separating them.

And so it proved as Rhode got two clear early on in the second half but were three down by the time they got their next point in the 52nd minute. They got it back to a point but a 57th minute mark from Bryan McMahon gave Ratoath a two point cushion and they held on.

The finish was frantic and Ratoath manager David Brady was once again in the wars. The Mayo man was pushed by Anton Sullivan deep into injury time after a sideline ball was awarded and a furious Sullivan also confronted him after the final whistle, pushing him again. Sullivan's pushes were certainly not designed to hurt but it was a messy end to a very entertaining game – Brady had also been pushed to the ground during Ratoath's Meath final win over Summerhill..

Rhode bowed out with their heads held high. They gave it everything they had and their work rate in the second half when the odds were stacked against them was quite phenomenal. They worked so hard and were more composed on the balls for periods but there is no mystery about why they lost.

They scored just two points from play, one in each half, and you simply couldn't win a game with that type of scoring return. As expected Rhode played defensively but when they broke forward, they did so at pace and with bodies tearing up the field. However, they struggled to create chances and scoring was a big problem for them.

Niall McNamee had a flawless display of free taking for them, kicking two off his left as well as five with his stronger right but he found space at a premium – he had just one shot at the posts in open play and that was a late one that was deflected out for a “45” that he sent wide.

It was a brave performance by Rhode and there were similarities to their county final win over Tullamore, when they battened down the hatches and broke powerfully for a sensational win. They couldn't quite do the same on this occasion. Their work rate, attitude and aptitude was the exact same but the difference was that Rataoath attacked the game much better when they did move forward. They ran at opponents, broke the line much more frequently than Tullamore did and got five points on the trot in a relentless spell of second half pressure.

There was loads of incidents, heavy hitting and there were three black cards. Paraic Sullivan got a first half one for Rhode while Eamon Wallace got a second half one for Ratoath at a stage when they were in the driving seat – Shane Sullivan's one was too late to have any bearing.

Rhode had players who stood up to be counted all over the field. Two of their elder statemen Brian Darby and Alan McNamee led the way with tremendously brave displays, full of heart and guts. They inspired their team mates to greater efforts as they led by example while Conor McNamee, Aaron Kellaghan, Ruari McNamee and Niall McNamee also had very good moments. Overall, their attack wasn't good enough on the day and 9 points and just two from play was not enough.

The first half took a long time to spring to life as both sides were very cagey on the ball. Rhode had the first use of a strong wind but as expected, set up very defensively. There were periods when they had only one man forward and there were times when the only man in the Ratoath half of the field was their goalkeeper, Darragh McPartlin.

It did little to excite the senses but in fairness, there were spells of good football; fine movement and real championship intensity.

Rhode led by 0-5 to 0-4 at half time. They only got one point from play in the first half.That was a 17th minute kick from Conor McNamee and it gave them a 0-3 to 0-2 lead. Ratoath had been the better side before that but struggled to break down a packed Rhode defence – kicking into the wind was also a problem for them.

The home side had two points on the board and Paraic Sullivan got a 10th minute black card for pulling down Ciaran O'Ferraigh. Rhode knuckled down after that, trying to slow down the play while a valuable couple of minutes was wasted when Jake Kavanagh went down with an injury. Points from Bobby O'Brien an Eamonn Wallace got Ratoath in front but Rhode finished very well as Niall McNamee converted two frees for that very valuable half time lead.

The quality and entertainment levels picked up in the second half as a fascinating, pulsating encoumter emerged. Rhode started brightly with two of the first three points to lead by 0-7 to 0-5 after 33 minutes – Niall McNamee got a left footed free while Aaron Kellaghan's point into the wind was one of the scores of the game.

Ratoath then turned the screw, playing with more penetration and scoring the next three to lead by 0-8 nto 0-7 after 41 minutes. Cian O'Brien pushed them two ahead but just when it looked like Ratoath had the initiative, Eamonn Wallace handed Rhode a life line, picking up a ridiculous black card for a completely unnecessary foul on Anton Sullivan – Wallace's push on Gareth McNamee for Niall McNamee's earlier left footed free was also a very silly foul for a man of that experience.

With the man down, Ratoath gave Rhode a dose of their own medicine, slowing things down while there was also a lengthy delay for an injury. A Cian Rogers mark put Ratoath three in front with ten left and Rhode needed something special.

Rhode fought with everything they had and showed tremendous character to get back into it. Two Niall McNamee frees reduced it to the minimum with seven minutes left and they were very much alive. Unfortunately for them, they didn't score again and the only point in a messy closing spell was a Bryan McMahon mark as Ratoath squuezed home.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Ciaran O'Ferraigh (Ratoath): Ciaran O'Ferraigh had a great game for Ratoath. He defended very well and attacked impressively, getting well up the field at times. He set up a couple of first half points and also got into dangerous positions in the second half.

THE SCORERS

Ratoath: Daithi McGowan 0-3 (2f) Eamonn Wallace 0-2, Craig Rogers (m), Jack Flynn (f), Keith McCabe, Bobby O'Brien, Cian O'Brien and Bryan McMahon (m) 0-1 each.

Rhode: Niall McNamee 0-7 (7f), Aaron Kellaghan and Conor McNamee 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

RHODE: Ken Garry; Gareth McNamee, Jake Kavanagh, James McPadden; Conor McNamee, Brian Darby, Keith Murphy; Dylan Kavanagh, Alan McNamee; Anton Sullivan, Ruari McNamee, Ciaran Heavey; Paraic Sullivan, Aaron Kellaghan, Niall McNamee. Subs – Stephen Hannon for Paraic Sullivan (HT), Darren Garry for Heavey (38m), Paul McPadden for Gareth McNamee (47m), Shane Sullivan for Alan McNamee (61m).

RATOATH: Darragh McPartlin; Ciaran O'Ferraigh, Conor McGill, Ben Wyer; Brian Daly, Eamonn Wallace, Gavin McGowan; Daithi McGowan, Ben McGowan; Cian Rogers, Jack Flynn, Keith McCabe; Bobby O'Brien, Cian O'Brien, Bryan McMahon. Subs – Padraig Byrne for McCabe (53m), Andrew Gerrard for Daly (56m), Conor Rooney for Bobby O'Brien (60m),

Referee – Seamus Mulhare (Laois).

REFEREE WATCH

It was a very tough game to referee with a lot going on. Seamus Mulhare did well. Both sides might complain and Rhode will feel he was hard on them at times but he controlled it well and was very consistent.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Bryan McMahon's 57th minute mark gave Ratoath a two point lead near the end and left Rhode needing a goal.

VENUE WATCH

A nice sized crowd created a good atmopshere and Meath hosted the game very efficiently.

WHAT'S NEXT

Ratoath play The Downs in the semi-final.

STATISTICS

Wides: Rhode – 5 (4 in first half); Ratoath – 6 (4 in first half);

Yellow cards: Rhode – 1 (Alan McNamee); Ratoath – 1 (Daithi McGowan).

Black cards: Rhode – 2 (Paraic Sullivan and Shane Sullivan); Ratoath – 1 (Eamonn Wallace).

Red cards: 0.