Tipp prove too strong for Wateford Under 21 Footballers.

Waterford’s long run without a win in the Munster under 21 Football Championship continues after they lost heavily (0-19 to 2-3) against Tipperary at Fraher Field on Wednesday evening.

For Waterford to win was always going to be a difficult task. The Tipperary side that travelled to Fraher Field was by in large that the won which won the All-Ireland Minor Football final three years ago, and with many of that panel having since broken through to the Tipperary Senior Set up, a team that is doing remarkably well this year, for Waterford to win was never going to be easy.

At times it is easy to knock football in Waterford, but sooner rather than later, serious questions will have to be asked.

With no win in the championship since 2006 one of the questions asked is next year should Waterford bother entering a team into this championship, especially as results achieved at minor level over the past number of years are not as we would have liked either, but maybe there may be some glimmer of home on that front as last year in the minor grade a win was recorded over Limerick and Kerry were run very close on their own soil at Killarney.

Appointing a manager at the end of January for a championship which commences in the first half of March is hardly ideal for anyone. Why does this happen? It seems to become a regular event in recent years. Is it a money saving exercise? If it is, why bother send out any team and save another few hundred euro. Do we really want to promote football in the county?

If we are serious, changes have to be made.

A manager and selectors will have to be appointed much sooner. This year the Waterford management team had a little over a month to put together a panel. Tipperary on the other hand had their panel together with a number of months and were playing together on a regular basis.

Surely in Waterford we have to have an under 20 development panel. We have to have them playing together over the winter months. Maybe this is not possible and no doubt if I will be told if it is not possible. Can we host or accept invitations into tournaments, the way Tipperary were involved over the winter months.

Whose responsibly for the promotion of football in the county. Is it the Coaching and Games Development Committee? Is it Coiste Peil? Is it the County Board? Is it Bord na nÓg? Is it a case that we have too many chiefs and not enough Indians?

Tipperary were always in control in this game and will now play Clare in the semi finals this Wednesday evening.

Sean Flynn, Greg Henry and Michael Quinlivan had them three points up with five minutes played.

Further points from John McGrath, Michael Quinlivan and Sean Flynn had the visitors six points up at the end of the first quarter of the game.

John McGrath and a brace from Greg Henry followed for Tipperary which extended their lead to nine.

Nine minutes from the break, Waterford with their first meaningful attach in the game hit their first score of the game. Wing forward David Hallinan finished a sweeping movement which involved Brian Looby and Diarmuid Murphy to the net, to leave six between the sides at the break, and giving Waterford some hope heading into the second half.

Waterford needed a good start to the second half, and they got it even if the visitors were first to score through Liam McGrath.

Senior Inter county hurler Ryan Donnelly entered the game at the break in place of Diarmuid Murphy and he immediately made an impact hitting Waterford second score, a second goal which left four between the sides.

However, the score failed to ignite Waterford. Tipperary went down the field and scored through Sean Flynn who scored twice and they added further scores from Stephen O’Brien, Josh Keane, Liam Casey and Ian Fahy before Kevin Sheehan pointed for Waterford.

Bill Maher, Liam Casey and Liam McGrath stretched Tipperary’s lead (0-19 to 2-1), but Waterford were to finish marginally the stronger of the two sides kicking points from Kevin Sheehan who was one of Waterford’s best performers on the night and Gavin Nugent who put over a free.

WATERFORD: S Barron; B Looby, R Ó Ceallaigh, B Power; P Connors, B Phelan, D Foley; K Sheehan, S Keating; D Hallinan, D Murphy, M Curry; L O Corraoin, G Nugent, M Troy. Subs: C Walsh for B Looby, R Donnelly for D Murphy, C Sheridan for P Connors and P O’Connor for M Troy.

Scorers: D Hallinan, R Donnelly 1-0, K Sheehan 0-2, G Nugent 0-1 (F).

TIPPERARY: G Slattery; N O’Sullivan, C O’Sullivan; R Mulcahy, J Feehan, C O’Sullivan; R Mulcahy, S Kennedy, B Maher; S O’Brien, C O’Riordan; J McGrath, I Fahey, G Henry; J Keane, M Quinlivan, S Flynn. Subs: K Fahey for R Mulcahy, L McGrath for M Quinlivan, L Casey for S O’Brien, J Lonergan for J Keane, A Maguire for N O’Sullivan and P Shanahan for S Flynn.

Scorers: S Flynn 0-4 (2f), G Henry 0-3, M Quinlivan, J McGrath, L McGrath, L Casey 0-2, S O’Brien, J Keane, I Fahey, B Maher 0-1 each.

Referee: Sean Joy (Cork).