The race for the dowling cup

[sunshine supporter]

Entering the closing stages of the football season and i think we would all have to be in agreement that it hasnt been this open for a number of years. more an indication of a decline than any sign of a thriving and hyper competitive club scene. nevertheless we do have some good matchups to look forward to.
Let us start with the champions Tullamore and their oncoming battle with ballycumber
Tullamore are in a semi final and playing against a team which in my time at least they have had the hoodoo over at underage level so if you had of offered them that at the start of the year im sure they would have taken it, likewise ballycumber have played this year with a bit of form and are facing a team which has lost twice already this year and seem to be riding their luck.
firstly tullamore possess 4 backs in keane daly mcConway and young egan who can make this a low scoring affair for ballycumber and on the flip side they dont have the scoring potential with just dooley and o grady keeping them afloat. So in a low scoring affair i just think tullamore might shade it but wouldnt be surprised by a draw

Rhode v's Gracefield
Rhode aren't themselves people say weaker now than in the last 4 or five years but still they have the personnel to win the dowling.it all hinges on one man and that man is alan macnamee..niall gets the scores alan gets him the ball most of the time..Rhode of course need nialls scoring boots on but more important they need alan dominating the middle third..Opinions are divided on alan's form past and present for offaly but no1 can doubt that without him rhodes ball winning distribution and supply lines are starved to a quite formidable club forward line.. I am away from the scene and would like to know has alan being operating at midfield or centre forward over the last number of games??
I would love to see him and smith go head to head on a fine day in o'connor park.
tHIS GAME WILL COME down TO FIRE POWER AND i THINK on that basis i will give Rhode the nod just slightly.
Where do ye see the key contests developing and between whom.
Also does anyone have the dates for the semi and the final i know draws could complicate things.

[Lone Shark]

Football semi finals will be next weekend, with the final likely to be three weeks from now.

So in a low scoring affair i just think tullamore might shade it but wouldnt be surprised by a draw

Whatever else happens in this game, I wouldn't expect a low scoring affair. O'Grady and Dooley might be carrying the rest of the Tullamore attack to a certain degree, but they're still doing enough between them to keep the scoring level reasonable, while Ballycumber are scoring very freely and using the ball very well. Ballycumber will score at least thirteen times and will win this game IMO.

it all hinges on one man and that man is alan macnamee

Rhode supporters will be praying that isn't the case, because he's playing absolute muck right now. He's being moved all over the field in an attempt to get him into games and it just isn't happening. Niall alone got Rhode past Ferbane and I cannot see how Alan can live with Niall Smith on current form. I expect that match to give a stark indication of where the likely candidates for midfield slots in the Offaly team of 2009 stand in relation to each other.

Welcome aboard btw - all supporters, sunshine or otherwise, are very welcome!!

[Kemo Sabe]

tullamore and rhode final simple as that lads .