Waterford seek double over Antrim

Waterford’s Senior Hurling and Football teams both play Antrim on Sunday afternoon next in the National League and for both for different reason’s it is very such so a case of a much win afternoon.

The hurlers are first up against a side managed by Mount Sion man Kevin Ryan.

Waterford currently sits on top of Division 1B of the league on score difference after drawing with Limerick and beating both Laois and Offaly.

To date it looks as if the one available promotion place is going to be a shoot out between Waterford and Limerick and after the sides drew the opening game of the league at the Gaelic Grounds, every point registered against Laois, Offaly, Antrim and Wexford for both sides was going to be crucial as score difference after five series of games was going to be used to see who wins the group, after the head to head between the two finished in stalemate.

Waterford has kept changes to the minimum for the game with Antrim. Shane O’Sullivan comes in for Austin Gleeson who picked up what appeared to be a serious injury against Offaly last week but the Mount Sion man surprisingly was picked for WIT in their Fitzgibbon Cup Final replay defeat to UL at Pairc Ui Rinn but only lasted a handful of minutes before he had to be withdrawn.

The Ballygunner Club man is selected to start at Centre back but the betting would be that he would start further out the field, possibly in the centre of the field with either Kevin Moran or Michael Walsh going to centre back with Tom Devine moving into the forwards to fill the space left by either Moran or Walsh.

A result of any kind for Waterford will secure a place in the quarter finals, but it wont be easily achieved as Antrim sides in the past have caused Waterford sides plenty of trouble in the past.

Playing at a home venue for Waterford however on this occasion should be a plus for Waterford.

The Footballers of the two counties meet at the same venue on the same afternoon at 2-30pm.

The league for Waterford this year promised to be one where much was expected.

Confidence going into the league would be very high after winning the McGrath Cup and then beating Wicklow in the first game.

However, since then Waterford have suffered three defeats in a row, away to Offaly by six points followed by two point defeats at home to Carlow and last time out away to Longford.

When the two sides met last year Antrim ran out comfortable 1-17 to 0-6 winners and Waterford will not want a repeat result this year.

Waterford have two tricky final games in this years league away to both London and Leitrim.

Last year Waterford lost 2-10 to 0-9 against the exiles and a year earlier the final outcome was the same as Waterford lost out 0-14 to 1-10. Were Waterford to loose a fourth game in a row this year and the exiles were to make it three in a row over Waterford it would more than likely mean that Waterford would finish with the wooden spoon and would be putty in the hands of those that like to knock Waterford football at every opportunity.

Waterford manager for this game makes six changes to the side that was named against Longford last week and also makes many positional changes.

Concussion in sport is a big thing in recent times and after Michael O’Halloran suffered from it last week he misses his first competitive game of the year this week. Another player to miss out is Shane Walsh who was ordered off for the second time this year on two yellow cards last weekend so serves a suspension.

The other players picked to start last week to miss out this week are Tony Grey, the An Rinn pair Tadhg O hUallachain and Liam O Lonáin as well as Conor Phelan.

Dean Crowley is restored to the corner back position, Niall Walsh comes in at Full back, Ray O Ceallaigh at wing back, Shane Briggs in the middle of the field, Michael Curry is at centre forward and Joey Veale is named at full forward, but positional changes could be expected before the game.

Waterford’s chances of winning a place in the league final have gone at this stage.

However there is still a lot to play for.

Waterford play Tipperary in the first round of the Munster Championship in Thurles at the end of May, a game Waterford are capable of winning.

The panel will be breaking up soon to go back to the clubs for the first two rounds of the football championship. It is important that before this happens, that Waterford record two or three good results in the league to build up extra confidence going into that game.

A win against Antrim this weekend for the footballers will not be easy. The Glensmen are more noted for having some quality hurlers but they also have some quality footballers and they will not be making it easy for Waterford this Sunday afternoon despite the long journey to the South East.

While Antrim will provide stiff opposition for both Waterford sides this Sunday, it’s a home double for me this weekend, but a hard fought one.