Waterford Ladies Football - A look back at 2014 - Part 1

It’s only the second full week of 2015, but the year is well underway for the Waterford Ladies Football County Board. The Jim Kennedy Cup, the Munster Council’s early season competition, to give sides a chance to get in some worthwhile match practice ahead of the National Leagues which begin in early February, a competition that Waterford have done well in over the last few years, winning the Tournament and the plate final in the last two years is underway, and no doubt Waterford’s Intermediate team who this year are under the care of Pat Sullivan will be hoping that Waterford’s good run in the competition continues and that it in turn will be the catalyst to what will be an excellent year for Waterford.

The preview begins with a look how Waterford reached a National Football League final. Part 2 deals with the underage inter county scene. Part three looks at the club scene in Waterford while the final part sees a return to the inter county scene and to look at how the Intermediate’s won a sixth successive Munster title.

Looking back on 2014, it was again a good year for Waterford on the club and the Inter County Scene.

As we will see later, the Counties Intermediate Team captured a six successive Munster Championship they also reached a league final, while the counties underage teams also performed well.

On the club scene, Ballymacarbry retained the county senior championship; Comeragh Rangers did well in the Munster Senior Shield Competition while on the provincial scene there were also favourable results for Clashmore along the way.

At the end of the 2013 Waterford were somewhat unfortunate to loose their place in the second division of the National League.

Pat O’Brien’s charges were always going to be there or there about when it came to who would move up a division for the 2015 league. But it would not be easy. Armagh, the side that beat Waterford in the 2012 All-Ireland Intermediate Final and who are playing senior since 2013 were in the division. So too were Tipperary who were beaten in the 2013 All-Ireland Intermediate Final at the hands of Monaghan, while Leitrim and Wexford amongst others would also be fancying their chances. Offaly in 2013 appeared in the Division four league final, the Leinster Junior Championship final and the All-Ireland Junior Final and many were interested as to how they would fare playing against stronger opposition.

Waterford began the league with a comprehensive win over Offaly at the Gold Coast complex outside Dungarvan.

This was a game that Waterford were always on top in. the side were 2-4 to 0-1 up after just 13 minutes, the goals coming from Margaret Revins and Aileen Wall.

Offaly faired much better for the remainder of the first half, turning around at the break trailing 2-6 to 1-5.

Waterford continued to control proceedings in the second half and when Margaret Revins hit her second goal of the game on 44 minutes it ended the game as a contest.

With Waterford in control, some of the brightest prospects within the county which include the likes of Liz Devine, Amy Whelan, Shauna Dunphy and Olivia Hennebry were all sent on to gain some extra experience, while another young prospect Megan O’Connor started the game. 

Game two saw Waterford head to Grantstown Park in Wexford and returned home with another excellent win.

Goals from Hannah Landers, another of the brilliant young prospects coming through in Waterford, albeit the Ballyduff Upper Club player is around a few years now hit the first of Waterford’s five goals on seven minutes. Old Parish’s Margaret Revins hit a brace of goals on thirteen and fifteen minutes which helped Waterford to a 3-8 to 1-5 lead at the break.

four minutes into the second half a free from Michelle Ryan went all the way to the Wexford net from 40 metres, and the route was complete shortly afterwards when Linda Wall struck Waterford’s fifth goal.

Again Pat O’Brien was able to give youth its chance in this game as Liz Devine had her first league start for Waterford while Aisling Hahessey and Lauren McGregor were introduced as subs as was Grainne Costello for a spell between the posts.

Game three was a much tougher game as expected for Waterford when they faced Tipperary at Fraher Field.

This was a game that ebbed and flowed. It was Tipperary that settled quickest with a Lorraine O’Shea goal inside ninety seconds, but after Waterford settled, they were rewarded for their efforts when Hannah Landers finished to the Tipperary net after fourteen minutes to put Waterford in front for the first time, but Tipperary bounced back and at the break they lead 1-5 to 1-4.

The Second half proved to be just as tight. Lorraine O’Shea and Linda Wall swapped scores before Michelle Ryan levelled matters on the score board. A brace of Mairead Morrissey points followed for Tipperary only for one to be cancelled out with a Linda Wall effort.

Eleven minutes from time the same player did well to notice a loose Hannah Landers free from a free kick and the Ballyduff Upper player rifled an unstoppable shot to the net to give Waterford a two point lead.

Claire Carroll hit back for Tipperary but Michelle McGrath put two between the sides once more before Mairead Morrissey hit her fourth of the game for Tipperary with four minutes to play.

Waterford in the time that remained playing with a numerical disadvantage after a sin-binning were able to hold out for a narrow win.

It was business as usual in round four as Waterford recorded another comfortable win, this time against Longford.

Halfway through the first half Waterford playing against the wind were 1-4 to 0-0 in front as Michelle Ryan raised two white flags, and Hannah Landers and Linda Wall one each before Michelle Ryan hit the first of Waterford’s six goals.

Hannah Landers who was outstanding for Waterford throughout the league hit Waterford’s second goal of the game three minutes before the break which gave Waterford a 2-8 to 0-3 at half time.

Hannah Landers hit her second goal of the game on thirteen minutes. Two minutes later Waterford had their fourth goal of the game when Aileen Wall finished to the net, after she was set up by Hannah Landers.

Aileen Wall hit her second and Waterford’s fifth goal of the game when she brilliantly chipped the ball over the head of the Longford goalkeeper and eight minutes from time Waterford were awarded a penalty after Hannah Landers was fouled and from the resulting one on one kick Michelle Ryan made no mistake.

Waterford’s first defeat in the league came when they made the long trip to Sligo IT to play Sligo.

The home side from the off proved to be the sharper of the sides opening the scoring after forty-five seconds.

Some sloppy play allowed Sligo to hit the games first goal on nine minutes, but Waterford responded with three points in a row from Aileen Wall, Elaine Power and another Aileen Wall effort to bring Waterford to within one of the home side at the end of the first quarter.

Sligo however would respond with five points in a row before Michelle Ryan landed a brace of points to leave Waterford trailing 1-8 to 0-7 at the break.

Sligo continued to dominate the second half. An Aimee Jordan goal from a penalty gave Waterford hope, but the home side hit six points in a row after it which helped them to a 1-15 to 1-9 victory.

Waterford got back to winning ways in the following game, beating Leitrim at Fraher Field.

At the break Waterford lead 3-1 to 1-6 Margaret Revins scored a brace and Liz Devine hit the third.

In the second half both sides continued to serve up an entertaining encounter. Margaret Revins completed her hat-trick and Michelle Ryan and Shauna Dunphy had green flags waved to help Waterford to 6-8 to 3-8 win.

Waterford suffered a second defeat in the league when  they went under to Armagh at Ardmore.

Waterford started brightly, opening the scoring with a well taken goal from Linda Wall after only 36 seconds. However, Armagh wasted no time in getting on top as Caroline O’Hanlon, Lauren McConville and Finnuala McKenna shared four points to send Armagh into the lead. Michelle Ryan levelled matters with a free which was followed with three points in a row for the visitors and then a Siobhan Mackle scored the first of her three goals which helped Armagh into a 1-7 to 1-2 lead at the break.

Even though Waterford had the wind at their backs in the second half, Armagh were always on top. Siobhan Mackle hit her second goal two minutes after the restart and Aoife McCoy hit one ten minutes later. Further goals from Marian McGuinness, Caroline O’Hanlon and Siobhan Mackle again helped Armagh to a 6-11 to 1-5 win.

In the League semi final, Waterford took on Leitrim at Birr.

When the sides clashed at Fraher Field earlier in the league the home side ran out winners with three clear goals to spare, but Waterford knew heading into this game the gulf between the sides was not that wide.

Played at Birr, it was Leitrim that set their stall out from an early stage, hitting three points in the first six minutes. It could well be much worse for Waterford at this stage, but a timely intervention from Karen McGrath and a super save from Aimee Jordan kept Waterford in the game.

Michelle Ryan hit Waterford’s first score. Both Aileen Wall and Michelle Ryan hit the crossbar before Michelle Ryan got her and Waterford’s second Score of the afternoon.

Elaine Power hit Waterford’s third score of the afternoon but it was followed with a Michelle Heslin point for Leitrim.

Róisín Fowley got her name on the score sheet when she scored a goal after 22 minutes. Linda Wall hit three points in a row for Waterford before Áine Tighe and Michelle Ryan swapped points before Áine Tighe scored again which gave her side a 1-6 to 0-7 lead at the break.

The second half began with the Wall sisters showing how good they are. They combined well starting with an interception from Mairéad the ball was worked with speed up field to her Aileen and Linda before the latter put a wonderful shot past Michelle Guckian in the Leitrim goal.

The second half proved to be an even enough affair. Leitrim did manage to go three points up at one stage, but they were never able to put any further day light between the teams and with the ability Waterford have to hit goals, if Leitrim were to win, they needed to go further in front.

With ten minutes to play Michelle Ryan put Waterford in front but it was soon cancelled out by an effort from Áine Tighe three minutes later.

With four minutes to play, a crucial score went in the way of Waterford. Indecision in the Leitrim defence was capitalised on by Shauna Dunphy when she hammered to the net to give Waterford the lead.

Aileen Wall would then try her luck at having a green flag waved but her shot was deflected over the crossbar. Sarah McLoughlin put over a point for Leitrim to leave three between the sides but in injury time Waterford secured their passage to the final when Michelle Ryan reacted quickest to an effort that came off the post and she showed her coolness and experience to shoot to the net on the rebound. Shauna Dunphy would kick an even later point which gave her side a 3-14 to 1-13 win.

In the final, there was heartbreak for Waterford as they lost a second major final to Armagh, going under 1-14 to 1-5 at Parnell Park.

The final result however did little justice to the effort put in by Waterford.

The game was won and lost in a twelve minute spell either side of the break when the winners hit 1-7 without reply, 1-3 of which came in the last eight minutes of the first half, the goal coming about following an interception as Waterford attempted to play the ball out of defence, the other four points in this tally coming in the first opening minutes of the second half.

Both sides finished the game with 13 players, but it must be pointed out that this game was far from a dirty game.

Kelly Mallon did receive a straight red on 53 minutes, while Sarah Marley as well as Shona Curran and Grainne Kennelly had their afternoon’s work come to an end early after they were sin binned inside the last ten minutes of the game.

The GAA in recent years have followed examples used in other sports to try and improve what it has (some might say otherwise) but they could take a close look at a sister organisation as to how to cut out cynical fouling in Gaelic Football, going down the Ladies Football route instead of the way it has by introducing black cards.

Maybe if a side had a man sitting with the subs for ten minutes as a result of a cynical foul and no player was to come on for that ten minutes, maybe it would clean up the game big time and get coaches to come up with some appealing tactics as to how to stop a player from getting in on goal.

Few gave Waterford a chance in this game. While nine points separated the sides at the end, it could have been much different, had Waterford not hit eight wides in the opening thirty minutes and mid way through the second half Michelle Ryan was unlucky not to see her penalty effort hit the Armagh net.

Michelle Ryan opened the scoring with a point on ten minutes, but Lauren McConville, Mags McAlinden and Fionnuala McKenna in a four minute spell shared three points to give Armagh the lead.

Liz Devine pulled a point back for Waterford but it was to prove to be the sides last in the first half.

Waterford however did create chances but lady luck was now with the side.

Grainne Kenneally and Aileen Wall helped create chances but they came to nothing on the score board. Hannah Landers also had a chance but her shot was saved by Caoimhe Morgan and from the rebound Shona Curran shot just wide.

Meanwhile at the other end Kelly Mallon and Fionnuala McKenna landed points to put some clear daylight between the sides.

A minute from the end of normal time in the first half lady luck again deserted Waterford as Lauren McConville dispossessed Mary Foley and then played a one-two with Mags McAlinden before beating Aimee Jordan. And just before the break Siobhan Mackle put the ball between the uprights to give her side a 1-6 to 0-2 lead as the sides headed to the dressing rooms.

Lauren McConville, Fionnuala McKenna with a brace and Aoife McCoy helped Armagh go 1-10 to 0-3 in front in the second half before the impressive Shauna Dunphy having come in for Liz Devine six minutes into the second half hit a goal for Waterford.

Waterford did continue to work hard for the remainder of the game, but they were not able to hit the scores that they deserved. Armagh held out for a 1-14 to 1-5 win, making up for the defeat of twelve months earlier in the final, something Waterford will be hoping to repeat this year.