The end of the opening match? (5)
I believe the answer is:
event
'match?' is the definition.
(match is a kind of event)
'the end of the opening' is the wordplay.
'end of' indicates one should take the final letters.
'the opening' becomes 'vent' (vent is a kind of opening).
The last letter of 'the' is 'e'.
'e'+'vent'='EVENT'
(Other definitions for event that I've seen before include "game, perhaps" , "important" , "Episode" , "tournament" , "Race contest; occasion" .)