By: Mary Dunne
Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 1 Round 4
Rhode: 2-18
Edenderry: 1-11
Rhode very much set about the task on hand as they recorded a win over Edenderry to take the top of the group position with one round of games to be played on Sunday evening last in Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore.
Rhode who had a shaky start to their campaign back a number of week ago against Shamrocks certainly have been improving and they played some lovely football on Sunday as they regained the upper hand on their neighbours.
Moving the ball very well along with their ability to pick out some key passes was a joy to watch. Spreading the ball extremely well, they exposed Edenderry on quite a few occasions and it didn’t take long for it to show on the board.
When they ran at Edenderry the vast majority of time it warranted a score and in the end it was a convincing win and they now will come up against Tullamore in what could well be a top of the table showdown.
With the top two teams in this group getting the bye to the semi final, it is all up for grabs heading into the final round of games in two weeks’ time. Depending on results all four teams are in with a shout for the coveted top two places and what a weekend of football that will be.
With very contrasting places that the two clubs were in heading into the game, Rhode went into the game knowing a win would secure them top spot in the group ahead of the final round games, in comparison to Edenderry’s fortunes who really were playing for pride more than anything else.
Flashing back to their meeting last year, Edenderry put in an exceptional performance in a game that they literally wiped Rhode off the field, but it is staggering what twelve months can do and on Sunday it was Rhode who certainly had the upper hand.
Over the years these clubs have formed one of the biggest rivalries in Offaly football and the talk would be always about the eagerly awaited clash that it would be, but for this year, this game was one of a total different feeling.
Edenderry came into the game on foot of a horrendous journey, but one thing is for sure they were never going to allow Rhode to dominate the game and while Rhode did so early on, by the half time whistle Edenderry were right back in the game and they certainly asked a lot of the opponents.
This game draws a close to Edenderry’s campaign. Under the new structures they won’t be in a relegation play off and they will line out in group two for the 2027 campaign.
Aaron Kellaghan made the return to the Rhode fold after a summer sabbatical in America and he very much looked like a player who was out to set his mark for a position. In the opening half he was on fire and by the half time whistle he had 1-4 on the board and was looking very sharp indeed.
Rhode started this game flying and within forty seconds Ryan Kellaghan had them off the mark. Kaelem Bryan responded for Edenderry with a well taken free but that is when Rhode started to move.
Their movement and the speed of their movement both on and off the ball was exceptionally good and it wasn’t long until they turned it into scores.
Ruairi McNamee with a free kicked the one clear and with a follow up score Ryan Kellaghan added the lead 0-3 to 0-1, but there was more to come and with Rhode pouncing on a bad kick out, Aaron Kellaghan made no mistake in driving the ball to the net. Rhode 1-3 to 0-1 clear.
Cian Murphy hit over for Edenderry, but with Aaron Kellaghan finding himself with a lot of space, he landed the games opening two pointer and suddenly the gap was six 1-5 to 0-2 with eight played.
Alex Kenny and Aaron Kellaghan traded scores and with an advanced mark Kaelem Bryan reduced the gap.
It was still Rhode, however who were dominating possession and with a fine two pointer from Ross Kellaghan and a follow up score from Ruairi McNamee they stretched their lead to eight, 1-9 to 0-4 with twenty on the clock.
Edenderry to be fair while it wasn’t showing the board, they were starting to push up on Rhode and the men from the Village weren’t having it all their own in the latter stages of the half.
Jordan Hayes struck over a lovely two pointer and with another score from Kaelem Bryan, the gap was back to five 1-9 to 0-7 with three minutes to the break.
Ruairi McNamee steadied matters for Rhode seconds later but a nice score from Mark Abbott cancelled it out.
There was still time for a little more action and with Aaron Kellaghan hitting over this third to bring this tally to 1-4 for the half, but it was Edenderry who had the final say of the half thanks to Cian Murphy to bring the half time scores to 1-10 to 0-9 and a game that was still there for Edenderry.
Edenderry needed a big restart, but it was Rhode who like they had done at the start of the game came out with intent.
Ross Kellaghan was first to score inside a minute of the restart and with follow up scores from Ruairi McNamee with two and with Niall McNamee getting in on the scoring, Rhode were now 1-15 to 0-9 clear with forty one on the clock.
More hardship was set to follow for the Reds when another misjudged kick out landed to Ruairi McNamee. He moved the ball extremely quickly to Niall McNamee who in turn fed Ross Kellaghan to drive home Rhode’s second goal. Rhode 2-15 to 0-9 ahead with forty two played.
Edenderry to be fair responded again and with a long ball in from Rory Egan he found Mason Farrell, his shot hung in the air and it was enough for Cian Murphy to get a touch to land it over the head of Jack Murphy in the Rhode goal, 2-15 to 1-9.
Adam Kellaghan hit over for Rhode in response but with a nice two point Kaelem Bryan brought the scores to 2-16 to 1-11 with fifty one on the clock.
That was to be Edenderry’s last score and it was Rhode who went onto seal the win with further scores from Ruairi McNamee and Eoin Smith to bring the final scores to 2-18 to 1-11.
The Scorers
Rhode: Ross Kellaghan 1-4 (0-2 TP), Aaron Kellaghan 1-4 (0-2 TP), Ruairi McNamee 0-6 (0-2 Frees), Niall McNamee 0-1, Ryan Kellaghan 0-1, Adam Kellaghan 0-1, Eoin Smith 0-1.
Edenderry: Kaelem Bryan 0-5 (0-2 TP, 0-1 Free, 0-1 Advanced Mark), Cian Murphy 1-2, Jordan Hayes 0-2 (TP), Alex Kenny 0-1, Mark Abbott 0-1.
The Teams
Rhode: Jack Murphy; Keith Murphy (Capt.), Jake Kavanagh, Jack Kilmurray; Ryan Kellaghan, Aaron McBride, Eoin Smith; Sean Hurley, Dylan Kavanagh; Adam Kellaghan, Anton Sullivan, Niall McNamee, Aaron Kellaghan, Ruairi McNamee, Ross Kellaghan.
Subs: Niall Darby for Ryan Kellaghan (40 mins), Ryan Murphy for Niall McNamee (47 mins), Paul McPadden for Ross Kellaghan (52 mins).
Edenderry: Stephen McGlynn; Darragh Farrell, Rory Egan, Lee Pearson; Harry Goulding, Mark Abbott, Dylan Byrne; Jake Mooney, Aaron Murphy; Joe Bergin, Cian Murphy, Mason Farrell; Alex Kenny, Kaelem Bryan, Jordan Hayes (Capt.).
Subs: Cillian Lowry for Alex Kenny (46 mins), Mark Forde for Mason Farrell (47 mins), David Brady for Rory Egan (52 mins), Mason Farrell for Dylan Byrne (inj. 52 mins).
Referee: Chris Dwyer (Clara).
By Offaly Secretary Sun 16th Aug
