Although Rhode failed to reach the knockout stage of the Offaly county championship, they earned the right to represent the county in the Leinster club competition by defeating Edenderry in a play-off.

And yesterday, in Tullamore, they proved completely worthy of the honour by scoring a decisive and deserved seven-point victory over Louth champions Newtown Blues.

The game was played in horrendous conditions of wind and rain and Rhode laid the foundations of victory when, backed by the gale-force wind in the first half, they scored eight points without reply.

Such was the strength of the wind blowing directly down the pitch, that the visitors were by no means out of it at that stage.

But Newtown Blues were dealt a real body-blow 10 minutes into the second half when Eddie Byrne rounded off a good Rhode passing movement by crashing the ball past Colm Nally and between the Newtown Blues posts.

That goal virtually assured the Offaly side of their place in the semi-final against Na Fianna of Dublin.

Although the visitors hit back with a goal by Paddy Stone two minutes later, they never seriously looked like making up their arrears and their only other scores came in the closing five minutes when Colin Kelly, who managed only one point, and Tom Carr pointed.

Rhode: A Daly; B Malone, C Masterson, J Jones; J Kilmurray, T Coffey, K Kavanagh; A McNamee, F Dunne (0-1); R Malone, P Kenny, E Byrne (1-1); K Kellaghan (0-1), D Gorman, P Kellaghan (0-1). Subs: R Hartnett for Gorman, A Hyland for Dunne, A Murphy for Kenny.

Newtown Blues: C Nally; P Judge, B Phillips, B Murphy; S Gerrard, D Martin, R Hughes; P Kelly, O McNulty; R Phillips, E Judge, T Carr (0-1); K Lynch, C Kelly (0-1), P Stone (1-0). Sub: A Donaghy for R Phillips.

Referee: M Monaghan (Kildare).