Waterford And Kerry Do Battle For Munster Title

It’s said a few times in the last few weeks, by myself included that this year’s Munster Senior Ladies Football Final as somewhat a novel look to it as it does not involve Cork, the reigning All-Ireland Champions and the side that has dominated the game in the last decade and a bit, winning so many Munster and All-Ireland Finals as well as National League Finals.

But on closer examination, this year’s final between Kerry and Waterford is not all that much of a novelty final.

The two sides have met in twelve previous Munster Finals; the most recent at this stage of the championship came back in 2003 when Kerry ran out 2-12 to 2-10 winners.

For a Waterford win between the two at this stage of the championship you have to go back nearly a decade further, to 1995 when Waterford won 2-12 to 3-7, largely because this was the time when the great Kerry side of the 80’s had broken up or was breaking up and Clare became Waterford’s main rivals in Munster as Ladies Football at the time was not that strong in Cork.

The two sides have met frequently in the last two years. This Saturday’s meeting in fact is the fourth championship meeting between the two in the last twelve months or so and at present its the side from the Kingdom lead two one.

When the sides met at Brosna in the round robin series of games last year it was the home side that ran out 1-14 to 1-7 winners to book a place in the Munster Final against Cork, who had beaten Waterford earlier in the competition at Fermoy, while the home side went into that game with a five point win over Cork a week earlier under their belts.

On that day, Maria Delahunty kicked an early score for Waterford but her score was quickly cancelled out with points from Sarah Houlihan and Bernie Breen and when Laura Rogers passed to Sarah Houlihan on eight minutes and beat Katie Hannon, Waterford knew that they were going to be in for a tough encounter.

Waterford won’t need any telling this weekend that Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh, Laura Rogers and Sarah Houlihan will need to be closely watched in the Waterford half of the field and in the first meeting of the two sides last year, they shared three points before Waterford cancelled it out with a fine goal as Grainne Kenneally found Michelle Ryan who finished to the net.

Cassandra Buckley followed up with a point before Maria Delahunty hit a brace of frees but Kerry went in leading 1-8 to 1-3 as Jane Lynch and Sarah Houlihan landed late first half scores.

Waterford began the second half brightly as Maria Delahunty pointed which was followed with a brace of points each first from Jane Lynch and Maria Delahunty to keep Kerry in front by four.

Kerry however weathered the storm and Sarah Houlihan kicked three more points and Lorraine Scanlon hit one to open up an eight point lead, and while Waterford kicked a late score from Maria Delahunty, Waterford on a learning curve back in the senior grade for the first time in eight years had to settle for second best on the day.

Two losses in the Munster Championship meant that Waterford entered the All-Ireland Series at the first round and after beating a fancied Armagh side they were pitted against Kerry once more with Birr chosen as the venue for the game.

Waterford that day once again had to settle for second best but Pat Sullivan’s charges got off to a great start when Lauren McGregor found Caoimhe McGrath who fed the ball to Gráinne Kenneally who despatched to the net with less than thirty second played.

Kerry however quickly responded with a brace of Laura Rogers points and one from Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh to level matters.

Maria Delahunty put Waterford back in front but a brace of scores from Sarah Houlihan followed. Róisín Tobin who is having a very good year with Waterford this year levelled matters on thirteen minutes after which Sarah Houlihan and Maria Delahunty swapped scores.

A goal on seventeen minutes proved key for Kerry as Bernie Breen finished past Katie Hannon when she was set up by Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh. At the other end Edel Murphy did well to deny Caoimhe McGrath and Gráinne Kenneally goals, before Maria Delahunty put over a brace of scores.

Kerry however came back with three points from Lorraine Scanlon, Jane Lynch and Sarah Houlihan to go four up before Katie Hannon made a great save from Laura Rogers.

Waterford were well in contention at the break as they went in trailing 1-9 to 1-7 after Róisín Tobin and Lauren McGregor kicked late scores for Pat Sullivan’s side.

Waterford at the start of the second half had to deal with a lots of pressure from Kerry who kicked the first five scores of the half shared between Sarah Houlihan and Bernie Breen.

Things got even harder for Waterford when Emma Sherwood found the net for a second Kerry goal which was followed by points from Lorraine Scanlon and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh with eighteen minutes remaining.

Credit must go to Waterford and the belief that Pat Sullivan and his management team have instilled into this brilliant group of players as they never gave up.

Grainne Kennelly was pulled down for a penalty which was dispatched to the net by Waterford goalkeeper Katie Hannon. Kerry however would hit back with a Laura Rogers point and then a Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh goal but not before Katie Hannon had done well to keep an earlier attempt out. This score put Kerry well in command, going thirteen points up with fourteen minutes to play.

 Waterford kept fighting and kicked a third goal when Grainne Kenneally got her second of the game, but it was not to be for a Waterford team who were without the Ryan sisters on the day, as they went under 3-19 to 3-10, but remember, this was Waterford’s first year back playing senior and the side were very much on a learning curve.

When the sides met at wet and windy Fraher Field some weeks back in the first round of this year’s Munster Championship, Waterford put in a magnificent hours work.

Waterford that day set out their intentions from the off as Grainne Kenneally was unlucky not to have scored a very early goal.

Kerry were first to score through Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh but her score was cancelled out with a brace of scores from Maria Delahunty.

Kerry showed why they were favourites for this game when Anna Galvin and Amanda Brosnan put the size four over Jessica Fitzgerald’s crossbar which was followed by a brace of scores by Maria Delahunty to give Waterford a one point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Aileen Wall extended Waterford’s lead but points from Sarah Houlihan and Miriam O’Keeffe followed to level matters by the twenty first minute.

Another brace of scores from the brilliant Maria Delahunty followed which gave Waterford a two point advantage on the score board but the visiting side would go in at the break just one behind thanks to a late Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh score.

The first goal was going to be important in this game and it came two minutes after the restart when Maria Delahunty and Katie Murray combined to set up Michelle Ryan who used every inch of her towering frame to get the ball past Laura Fitzgerald in the Kerry goal.

Lorraine Scanlon and Katie Murray swapped scores before Sarah Houlihan made it a three point game. Jessica Fitzgerald on her debut at this level made a good save from Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh before Maria Delahunty hit her seventh score of the game and then Waterford struck for a second goal when Róisín Tobin finished off an Aileen Wall delivery.

Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh pointed with four minutes remaining as Kerry began to put plenty of pressure on the Waterford goal. But they found a Waterford side that closed them down at every opportunity and then attack out of their own half with pace.

The visitors did however did manage to get through the Waterford defence late on but there was a degree of luck to it as Laura Rogers dipping shot managed to get in the top corner of Jessica Fitzgerald’s net.

 This is a Waterford side that will not go into Saturday’s game short of confidence. Pat Sullivan has done a fantastic job with the team since he took over, mixing young players he would have worked with on the underage scene together with more experienced players that he would have inherited from previous managers.

All going well he will name a very strong starting team on Saturday afternoon, but he will have a big decision to make along with his management team in does he bring the experienced Katie Hannon back into the team in place of Jessica Fitzgerald who has done well when called upon this year.

The rest of the team should prove to be straight forward in picking with Kate McGrath, Caoimhe McGrath and Megan Dunford in the full back line with Dearbhaile Ni hAodha, Karen McGrath and Michelle McGrath in front of them.

In the middle of the field Mairead Wall and Emma Murray have impressed up to now and should retain their places while in attack Katie Murray, Grainne Kenneally and Róisín Tobin form a good half forward line while the inside line of Michelle Ryan, Maria Delahunty and Aileen Wall would strike fear into many a side.

For Kerry Aisling Leonard is going to be key in their full back line, while Lorraine Scanlon and Emma Sherwood are a formidable centre field pairing while just like Waterford, Kerry have a dangerous full forward line in Sarah Houlihan, Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Laura Rogers.

Nobody in the Waterford camp will need telling what sort of a task they face on Saturday afternoon. They are up against a very experienced outfit who will punish any mistake or lack of discipline shown in the Waterford defence.

But this is as has been said many times in the last two or three years, this is an excellent Waterford side.

If Pat Sullivan’s side can open up an early lead as they have done against both Kerry and Cork in the championship to date and maybe even raise an early green flag, then they will be very difficult to beat.