Offaly MFC Final:
Reigning County Champions Ród Óg picked up their second title in the trot and their 12th in all following a very much one sided but equally impressive win over St Rynagh’s on Sunday afternoon last in O’Connor Park, Tullamore.
Ród Óg were by far the better of the two sides on Sunday and the final as expected really was as one sided as the final score line suggests, with St Rynagh’s who to be fair coming from a predominately hurling area were always clutching at straws.
Throughout the field Ród Óg backboned by players from Rhode, Clonmore Harps and St Brigid’s were all over St Rynagh’s from the off and really it was only inevitable that the Cup made it’s way back to Rhode for the second time in the space of twelve months.
Ród Óg were so impressive that St Rynagh’s only managed to score from dead ball situations and that in itself summed up this contest, with Ród Óg playing some top class football to see off any would be challenge that St Rynagh’s might have had.
Rod Og built up an early lead but a Niall Wynne penalty reduced their deficit to 0-6 to 1-1. But further points were added by the winners who led 0-8 to 1-1 at the interval.
Ród Óg continued the second half much like they finished the first and with only twenty seconds on the clock a long ball in from Philip Foy found Paul McPadden on hand to drive a cracking gaol to the top corner of the net.
The result was beyond doubt from then on and with ten minutes left on the clock team Captain Cian Donohue found himself fourteen yards out from goal and with a superb shot off his left he fired home their second goal of the game.
The Scorers
Ród Óg: Paul McPadden 1-3, Stephen O’Connell 0-5 (0-5 Frees), Cian Donohue 1-1 Donal Hickey 0-2, Philip Foy 0-2.
St Rynagh’s: Niall Wynne 1-4 (1-0 penalty, 0-4 Frees).
Ród Óg: Paul Coates; James McPadden, Eoin Rigney, Conor McNamee; Thomas Mooney, Stephen Hannon, Darragh Barr; Philip Foy, Johnny Brickland; Paul McPadden, Cian Donohue (Capt), Cathal Nolan; Thomas Dowling, Donal Hickey, Stephen O’Connell.
Subs: Christy McGuire for Donal Hickey (41 mins), Willie Molloy for Darragh Barr (52 mins), Dean Morris for Cian Donohue (62 mins).
St Rynagh’s: Conor Clancy; Conor Daly, Alan Camon, David Flynn (Capt); Ethan Mannion, Joseph O’Connor, Simon Óg Lyons; Pat Camon, Alan Kelly; Derek Loonam, Sean Kenny, Adam Smith; Stephen Quirke, Niall Wynne, David Fogarty.
Subs: Rory Wynne for Ethan Mannion (28 mins), Paul Daly for David Fogarty (58 mins), David Horan For Conor Daly (58 mins), Richard Grogan for Sean Kenny (58 mins).
Referee: Fergal Smyth (Kilclonfert).
