Waterford & Tipperary do battle at Fraher Field.

Just three weeks on from the last meeting of the two, Waterford’s and Tipperary’s senior football  teams go into battle this Saturday evening in Fraher Field at 7pm.

 

Three weeks ago, played at Tipperary Town, it was the home side that came out on top after extra time in the McGrath Cup semi final, but this time out with due respect to the McGrath Cup Competition, the stakes are much higher.

In round one of the Allianz National Football League last weekend, the two sides had contrasting results.

Tipperary took on Anthony Rainbow’s Carlow side at Semple Stadium but had to give second best to the Barrowmen despite holding an advantage at the break.

Waterford on the other hand made the long journey to Hennessy Park in Miltown Malbay to take on a fancied Clare side under the guidance of Mick O’Dwyer. The first half proved to be a very even affair at the end of which the home side held a two point advantage but a Darren Guiry goal thirteen minutes into the second half proved crucial and helped Waterford to a 1-9 to 0-11 victory.

When the two sides met in the McGrath Cup recently, it was Niall Carew men that got off the best start with Tony Grey and Paul Whyte hitting early points.

One player that Waterford will have to pay particular attention to this weekend is Aherlow’s Barry Grogan. Three weeks ago he was the difference between the sides and despite the start made by his team, he was able to bring them back into the game and at the break they held a 0-4 to 0-3 lead with Grogan hitting all of his side’s scores.

Waterford began the second half the better of the two sides as Gary Hurney who misses this weekend’s game through suspension hit two points to give Waterford the lead once more.

However, with Grogan to the fore Tipperary came storming back and went into a 0-7 to 0-5 lead.

A goal from Paul Whyte gave the lead back to Waterford, but it was not good enough to give Waterford a win to advance to the final and a meeting with Kerry as after seventy minutes of football the sides were tied at 1-7 to 0-10. 8 to 0-12 lead at the break in extra time.

Only one score was hit in the final ten minutes of the game. A high ball sent into around the Waterford goals which saw Barry Grogan go highest to get a touch on the ball and put it past Stephen Enright in the Waterford goals.

The two sides will be all out for a win. Tipperary will know that if they were to loose again this weekend after last weeks loss to Carlow, that their chances of gaining promotion would be all but over, while Waterford will know that if they are advance they will need as many wins as possible as there is still some tough games to be played.

Tipperary makes two changes to the team that lost to Carlow last weekend. Alan Campbell comes in for Andrew Morrissey while Hugh Coghlan who plays his club football with Portlaoise in Laois comes in for Darren Lowry. As a result of these changes, the Tipperary management team make a number of positional changes to the side that lost against Carlow.

Waterford Manager Niall Carew last night names the same fifteen that beat Clare last weekend. However they have decided to make a number of positional changes with Paul Whyte who is best known as a forward but named at wing back last weekend moving to corner forward and Maurice O’Gorman who is best known as a defender but named last week at wing forward moving to fill the void left by Paul Whyte’s placement in a more familiar position.

Waterford named team:

Stephen Enright          (Ballinacourty)

Conor Phelan              (Brickeys)       

Stephen Prendergast  (Kilrossanty)   

John Hurney                (Ballinacourty)

Maurice O’Gorman    (The Nire)       

Shane Briggs               (Ballinacourty)           

Tony Grey                    (Stradbally)

Shane Ahearne            (Stradbally)    

Tommy Prendergast   (Kilrossanty)

Patrick Hurney             (Ballinacourty)           

Conor McGrath            (Brickeys)       

Liam Ó Lionáin            (An Rinn)

Darren Guiry               (The Nire)       

Robert Ahearne          (Stradbally)    

Paul Whyte                  (Kilrossanty)

Tipperary named team:

Paul Fitzgerald           (Fethard)

John Coghlan              (Moyne Templetouhy)           

Paddy Codd                 (Killenaule)     

Ciaran McDonald        (Aherlow)

Alan Campbell             (Moyle Rovers)          

Robbie Kiely                (Arravale Rovers)

Brian Fox                     (Eire Og Annacarty)

George Hannigan        (Shannon Rovers)

Philip Quirke               (Moyle Rovers)

Peter Acheson             (Moyle Rovers)          

Hugh Coghlan             (Portlaoise - Laois)

Donagh Leahy             (Arravale Rovers)

Alan Maloney              (Rockwell Rovers)

Barry Grogan              (Aherlow)       

Michael Quinlivan      (Clonmel Commercials)

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).