Man of the match immensely pleased with Rhode display
A MAN of the match display from Anton Sullivan helped his side to a one point victory over Tullamore at O'Connor Park on Sunday and it was victory which pleased the Rhode forward immensely.
“Absolutely delighted, great performance, thankfully we got over the line,” he said after the game. “Huge battle with Tullamore, worthy county champions, we knew it was going to be difficult coming in but we stayed in that little bubble the last two weeks. We knew what was expected of us, we knew what they were going to come with but thankfully we got over the line today.
“I think it is the sweetest one yet because we have been written off in the last couple of months,” he said. “No one in the county gave us much of a chance. I don't think we were respected at all. We have shown this county unbelieveable days out in Leinster campaigns and I felt we were disrespected a little bit coming in, but as I said we stayed in that little bubble, we knew what we were capable of doing and thankfully we got our just rewards today.”
He said conditions were very difficult for both team. “The wind was strong. In the first half Tullamore had a lot of opportunities but they kind of went wayward. Thankfully they didn't go over or they could have been further ahead at half time. We stuck to our guns, we stuck to our principles, we regrouped at half time. We knew there was a big performance in us, particularly with the wind at our backs in the second half. We have been in this position so many times before, we kept calm, we have the experience and thankfully we got over the line.
Anton got a point inside the first minute of the second half which seemed to give a big lift to Rhode.
“That set the tone for the start of the second half but the work rate all across the field was immense. Tackling, lads putting their bodies on the line and even when Tullamore came back at us near the end and drew level, we still kept them calm heads and we got that point to put us ahead and even in injury time they could have probably got an equaliser but we still kept calm. We knew if we could just kill the ball it would be over.”
It was a great ball in from Anton from which Niall McNamee won the mark which provided the winning score for Rhode.
“We have done that in the last 20 years of training. I kind of know where he is going to be at this stage and thankfully it just worked out, on another day it might not have worked out. We got the rub of the green today. It has been two unbelieveable battles with Tullamore the last two years. This was the third battle and thankfully we came out on top.”
The second half goal crucial in the winning of the game for Rhode.
“I have played with Johnny Moloney for Offaly and nine times out of ten he would come out with that ball that kind of slipped over his head but sometimes you get the rub of the green and thankfully it went for us today,” said a delighted Anton.