The Calling Off Of Games In Waterford Has To Be Looked At

This evening at rain lashed Fraher Field Passage booked their place in the last eight of this year’s senior hurling championship when they came from being 1-9 to 0-7 behind with thirty eight minutes played to win 1-13 to 1-9.

To have to ask any players to tog out and play a game of hurling this evening was grossly unfair on any player, and indeed it was unfair to ask supporters to turn out in any big numbers to see the two sides in action.

But right now in Waterford it is very much a case of needs must when it comes to games.

Something in Waterford has to change and change very soon.

The first two rounds of this year’s Senior Hurling Championship were completed by the third fourth of five weekends in April and the third round was not played until last weekend. Going into last weekend’s round of games there was three rounds of league games to be played and then the knockout stages of the championship would be started.

If Waterford has to have a team in place to play in the Munster Club Championship against the Tipperary Champions, a county final winner has to be found before the weekend of the 29 of October, the weekend that the game is to be played.

If Waterford are to meet this date, the County Final is likely to be played the weekend before and no doubt when the knockout stages of the competition is reached, as much as the County Board might like it in normal circumstances, the last thing the officers will be looking for is for any game to go to a replay, something that could well just be needed as between many of the teams that are likely to feature in the knockout stages, a puck of the ball is all that is between the sides on any given day.

The monthly meeting of the County Board was held last Monday night and we were told after the meeting in reports that the County will not be in a position to have a team ready to play in the Munster Senior Club Football Championship.

This is something that is likely to anger many, and it is hard not to blame those that will give out.

Just two years ago there was a lot of anger when Stradbally won the County Senior Football Championship on a Friday night and were forced to play again twenty four hours later against Cork side Nemo Rangers in the Munster Championship.

Such is the anger that followed at the time was that no member of the Stradbally Club has played Senior Football for the County in 2016 or 2017. 

The question has to be asked why does this happen. Games running late in Waterford are not something new.

Last year Waterford did not have a representative to take part in the Munster Intermediate and Junior Club Football Championships. In 2009 Waterford did not have a representative to take part in the Munster Intermediate Club Championship. In some years while the county final was played and a team was in place to represent Waterford, the county final at times was played less than twenty four hours before the Munster Club Championship and clubs rather than to ask their players to play two games in quick succession, they opted to give a walk over in the Munster Championship.

The question has to be asked, why we have gone weeks and months without meaningful championship games in Waterford and are now asking players to play week in week out. What does this do for player welfare which we are told at times is very important?

Let us take one group of players and then wonder about Player Welfare.

On September 10 The Nire played Stradbally in the Senior Football Championship. On September 16 Fourmilewater played Roanmore in the senior Hurling Championship. This evening Fourmilewater played Passage and on Thursday night next they play Portlaw in the Senior Hurling Championship. That for most of the players playing both Senior Hurling and Senior Football that is 4 games in 19 days. It is expected that the Ballymacarbry Club will beat Portlaw and therefore qualify for the quarter finals of the senior hurling Championship and be out again on the weekend of 7 and 8 of October.

Yes, I know that we will be told that games were and are called off during the Summer months to allow the different inter county management team full access to the players in their panel and to allow them prepare to try and win an All-Ireland Final.

But to most this is not a satisfactory reason for calling off games.

We have to ask ourselves here in Waterford does the dog wag its tail or does the tail wag the dog.

All summer long we have had players sitting idly not knowing when they were going to get their next championship game. Now they are getting them week in week out with little time to recover from any knocks that they might have picked up during the course of a game.

For next year’s Senior Hurling Inter County Championship there is a proposal that a new championship.

Counties are expected to vote in the coming weeks on a championship where five counties in Munster will play each other in one group and all five counties will play each other once, guarantying them four championship games, while All-Ireland Champions Galway and four sides from Leinster will compete in another group with each side again told they will have a minimum of four games to play in the summer months.

Here in Waterford when it comes to proposals coming from the offices of Croke Park, we have a history of voting for many of what is proposed.

Let us imagine right now therefore if Waterford were to vote in favour of the new proposals and they were to come into play, imagine this time next year where it will leave the club scene if Waterford were to reach the All-Ireland Final once more, something that is very possible, even if the Bookies are making Waterford fourth favourites to win the Liam McCarthy Cup in 2018.

Will we see change in Waterford in the near future and dispense with the idea of calling off games during the summer months, and more consideration be given to the club player.

I for one won’t hold my breath too long hoping changes will happen.

I have heard it suggested that the Munster Council may well give Waterford a little grace in completing championships as the Waterford appeared in the All-Ireland Hurling Final, but why should the Munster Council do this for Waterford or for any county.

Dates for the Munster Club Championships are known now with some time and it is up to each county fixture committee to be in a position to meet these dates.

I am not a Club player in any grade and nor have i for obvious reasons, but if i was I know i would be very angry right now if i felt my club could win a County Final at any grade and was not given the chance to play in the Munster Club Championship, something a player might get one chance to do so in his career.

Munster Club Championship Dates:

W/E 29 October - Waterford Champions V Tipperary Champions in Quarter Finals of Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship

W/E 5 November – Cork Champions V Waterford Champions in Quarter Finals of Munster Senior Club Football Championship

W/E 5 November – Clare or Limerick Champions V Waterford Champions in Semi Finals of Munster Intermediate Hurling Championship

W/E 29 October – Waterford Champions V Cork Champions in Quarter Finals of Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship

W/E 29 October Limerick Champions V Waterford Champions in Quarter Finals of Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship

W/E 19 November Cork or Tipperary Champions V Waterford Champions in Munster Junior Club Football Championship

Thirty-Six County Finals In A Row For Ballymacarbry

Ballymacarbry’s dominance in ladies football in the Adult Grades continue in the Déise County continues after they became county senior champions for the thirty-sixth (YES 36^th) year in a row on Sunday afternoon last beating arch rivals Comeragh Rangers at Fraher Field.

In those thirty six years the Ballymacarbry Club has produced some many fine players, players that were household names at the time, like Martina and Geraldine O’Ryan, Marie and Fiona Crotty, Bernie Ryan, Claire Ryan, Dolores Tyrell, Ann Dunford, Ann Fitzpatrick and of course Áine Wall.

Many of these players were involved in the early years of this outstanding run of results and one player that has played a role in the majority of these successes was involved in this game.

Linda Wall is a player that has given the game great service down the years and by my reckoning she was involved with the Ballymacarbry Club for the twentieth year in a row this year and she made a telling contribution in this game kicking two points for her side in the second half.

Of course she is not the only star in this team as it included her younger sisters Mairead and Aileen, the Ryan sisters (Michelle, Louise and Sinead) with Michelle and Sinead sharing ten of their sides tally of fifteen points in this game, Karen and Michelle McGrath, all players that have helped the county achieve so much in the last decade between then, while there is also plenty of quality to be found right throughout the team like rising stars Lauren Guiry, Kelly and Ann Hogan, as well as the likes of Rebecca Hallahan in goal and Eibhlis Cooney in attack.

No final is about just the one side and this is a Comeragh Rangers side that will be hoping to break the dominance of Ballymacarbry one day and if that was to happen then there will be one major celebration in the centre of the county.

Right throughout their side just as with the case of Ballymacarbry, there is plenty of ability in their set up in the likes of Nora, Ann, Ciara and Shauna Dunphy who have played for the county down the years, Geraldine Power who is was a member of the Waterford panel this year as were Katie, Aoife and Emma Murray, Keeley Corbett-Barry is a player that is to be looked out for in the years to come, while the likes of Aoife Dunne, Kate and Aisling Hahessey have all played for different inter county panels in recent years.

Ballymacarbry did a lot of their spade work to secure this win in the opening half of the game.

Sinead Ryan and Ciara Dunphy swapped early scores in this game but Ballymacarbry would hit the next five scores, Sinead and Michelle Ryan hit a brace of points each and Aileen Wall hit one to open up a 0-6 to 0-1 lead.

Aoife Dunne pulled two points back for the mid county side, but the impressive Sinead Ryan would cancel out these scores before the break to help her side into a 0-8 to 0-3 lead at the interval.

Geraldine Power opened the second half scoring with her first score of the game. Linda Wall knocked over her first score of the game before Katie Murray pointed for the challengers.

Sinead Ryan got her sixth score of the game but it was soon cancelled out with an effort from Emma Murray.

Lauren Guiry who had come on for Eibhlis Cooney pointed after which Aoife Dunne and Geraldine Power landed scores to leave just three between the sides.

But this was as close as the mid county side would get as Lauren Guiry had a goal bound effort brilliantly tipped over by Cailin Power, Sinead Ryan, Linda Wall and Michelle Ryan followed up with points for the winners.

Comeragh Rangers however would finish the second half the stronger of the two sides as a free from Geraldine Power went all the way to the net and Katie Murray followed up with a point, but they were to prove to be mere consolation scores for Comeragh Rangers.

Ballymacarbry: Rebecca Doocey; Mairead Wall, Laura Mulcahy, Maeve Ryan; Ciara Ryan, Karen McGrath, Michelle McGrath; Louise Ryan, Kelly Ann Hogan; Eibhlis Cooney, Linda Wall, Sadhbh Hallinan, Aileen Wall, Michelle Ryan. Subs: Lauren Guiry for Eibhlis Cooney, Danielle Hallahan for Ciara Ryan, Alice Ryan for Linda Wall.

Scorers: Sinead Ryan 0-7 (4f), Michelle Ryan 0-3, Lauren Guiry, Linda Ryan 0-2 each, Aileen Wall 0-1.

Comeragh Rangers: Cailin Power; Nora Dunphy, Kate Hahessey, Caroline Murphy; Cora Murray, Emma Murray, Aisling Hahessey; Keeley Corbett-Barry, Katie Murray; Aoife Murray, Geraldine Power, Ann Dunphy; Aoife Dunne, Ciara Dunphy, Shauna Dunphy. Sub: Aoife Hahessey for Aoife Dunne.

Scorers: Geraldine Power 1-2 (1-1f), Aoife Dunne 0-3 (1f), Katie Murray 0-2, Ciara Dunphy, Emma Murray 0-1 each.

Three Quarter Final Spots Secured In Senior Hurling Championship

Three of the eight clubs that will contest the quarter finals of this year’s county senior hurling championship are known already after the third round of games in this year’s competition were played in the weekend that has just past.

Three time champions De La Salle became the first club to reach the last eight of the competition when they rather easily accounted for an under strength Abbeyside at Walsh Park on Saturday evening.

The city side were always in control in this game and at the break they lead 2-12 to 0-8.

While Abbeyside were first to score through Sean Daly, the city side were quickly into their stride and hit points from Jake Dillon, Jack Fagan, Shane Ryan with a hat-trick of scores, John Mullane and Adam Farrell to give them a comfortable lead.

Shane Ryan hit the winners’ first goal on thirteen minutes and six minutes later former inter county favourite John Mullane finished to the net from close range when he was set up by Jake Dillon for a score that gave his side a 2-9 to 0-4 lead.

While it could be said that De La Salle eased up a little in the second half, the scores still came flooding along.

The winners had a chance of a third goal denied on 53 minutes when Stephen Enright did well to keep Jake Dillon’s effort out, but he was powerless to keep a Jack Fagan effort from entering his net two minutes from time, a score that helped the city side to a 3-20 to 0-14 victory.

Last year’s Intermediate Champions Lismore qualified for the last eight on Saturday evening at Fraher Field when they accounted for Portlaw.

Early in the game, Lismore who were missing Dan Shanahan for this game looked as if they were going to easily win this game as they went 1-8 to no score up inside eighteen minutes.

The Lismore goal came on nine minutes when Jack Prendergast found Peter O’Keeffe who made no mistake against Luke Power.

Portlaw’s first meaningful attack of the game resulted in a green flag on 19 minutes. Craig Fraher drew a good save from Seanie Barry but the sliotar fell kindly to Eoin Galvin who finished to the net.

The winners lead 1-9 to 1-3 at the break, and for much of the second half little if anything separated them form Portlaw on the night on the field of play, but in the end, Lismore’s greater experience told and they ran out 2-15 to 1-10 winners, their second goal coming nine minutes from time when Paudie Prendergast beat Luke Power.

The reigning champions and favourites to win the News and Star Cup again this year Ballygunner became the third team to qualify for the last eight, even with two games still to play in the group section of the competition.

Their game with Dungarvan, the last of the weekend to be played was the game of the weekend.

At one point in the second half it looked as if Ballygunner were going to have a very comfortable win in this one as they held a nine point lead, but credit must go to Dungarvan who fought back and made a game of it for the champions.

Early in the game it looked as if it was the champions would have to fight hard as they went three points down just minutes after the start as Patrick Curran with a brace and Ryan Donnelly landed early scores for the Old Boro.

For some reason the short puck out has come into the modern day game of hurling and many people (myself included) like to see it go wrong and be punished and when Darren Duggan opted to puck out short when his side was leading 0-7 to 0-6 with 17 minutes played, the sliotar went astray and Michael Mahony was able to intercept and he beat the Old Boro net minder to give his side the lead.

That goal proved to be crucial as it gave the champions who are seeking four in a row of titles this year a 1-8 to 0-10 lead at the break.

The Gunners second goal came 12 minutes after the restart. Shane O’Sullivan intercepted a poor John Curran clearance and he found Conor Power who finished to the net giving his side a 2-12 to 0-11 lead, and when Billy O’Keeffe and Conor Power followed up with point’s things were looking very good for the champions with 15 minutes to play.

But Dungarvan hit back with the next five scores, all from Patrick Curran in a seven minute spell, to leave his side 2-14 to 0-16 behind.

Important scores from Pauric Mahony helped Ballygunner to a 2-17 to 0-17 lead with time almost up, but Dungarvan refused to throw in the towel and appeared to be rewarded when Ryan Donnelly disposed David O’Sullivan and then shoot high into the roof of Stephen O’Keeffe’s net, but it proved to be a mere consolation score as it was the champions that got the final score of the game when Pauric Mahony raised his eight white flag of the evening.

In what was in all effect a relegation spot play-off between near neighbours Tallow and Ballyduff Upper on Friday evening, it was the Bride-siders that emerged victorious in a tight game winning 0-20 to 0-19.

Over the course of the game, the winners were the better of the two sides on the night and lead 0-12 to 0-11 at the break, but Ballyduff will be left cursing their look as with the final attack of the game inter county panel member Mikey Kearney struck the base of the Tallow post.

Ballyduff finished the game with thirteen players on the field as Oran Leamy and Denis McDonough were dismissed for tugging at the helmet of an opposing player. The sooner this practice which has crept into the game is eradicated the better as sooner rather than later, some player is going to be left seriously injured.

How the GAA will manage this is hard to know. One way might be to impose lengthy bans for those reported for committing this very dangerous act, and maybe appeals against sending off for such an offence could be banned as there is a risk that some youngster someday will do the same, and is willing to take a red card there and then in the knowledge that he can appeal the card up to three times, and maybe get off with it after one of the appeals.

It should be pointed out that the sending off’s in this game came late in the game and played no part in the final result.

Jamie Barron produced a brilliant performance for Fourmilewater when they played Roanmore at Fraher Field on Saturday evening.

The inter county player who is widely regarded as a certainty to win an All-Star this year and who is also in contention for hurler of the year often fell back deep into his own half of the field mopping up loose ball and sending out clever ball to players out the field and also popped up scoring two points for his side.

Fellow inter county player Conor Gleeson was also impressive for Fourmilewater hitting three points after he was switched from defence to attack where he scored three points while former inter county star Shane Walsh also impressed hitting three points.

At the break Fourmilewater lead 0-9 to 0-8 but they were by far the better side in the second half and with ten minutes to play they lead 0-17 to 0-9, but eight points in a row for the Ballymacarbry based outfit at the start of the second half proved decisive.

The sky blues scored the only goal of the game seven minutes from time after they won a 25 metre free from which Billy Nolan went for goal but was saved but Daniel Murphy was on hand to finish to the net at the second time of asking.

The meeting of Passage and Mount Sion proved to be the poorest game of the weekend.

At the break Passage lead 2-4 to 0-4.

Their first goal came on five minutes when Jamie Burke finished past Ian O’Regan after he was picked out by John Whitty.

Their second goal came in the dying moments of the first half when Stephen Lynch picked out Jamie Burke for his second major score of the game and third score overall in this game.

Mount Sion marginally shaded the second half when it came to scoring, outscoring their opponents five points to four, but in the end Jamie Burke’s first half brace of green flags was the difference between the sides in what was one of the worst senior hurling championship games played in the Déise County in a long number of years.

Stradbally Topple Champions

Stradbally advanced to the semi finals of this year’s County Senior Football Championship on Sunday evening at Fraher Field when they had four points to spare over arch rivals The Nire in the second round of the new look JJ Kavanagh & Sons County Senior Football Championship but it was football that was the real winner in this game and those that left the ground about 8-30pm did so safe in the knowledge that they had seen a good game of football regardless of what side they were there to support.

Too often in the past when these two sides did battle at this same venue, a drab affair was often fought out with often just a single kick of the ball between the sides at the end of the hour in what was to prove to be a low scoring game, but this cannot be said of this game.

For much of the game it looked as if Stradbally would advance to the last four, joining An Rinn and Kilrossanty who had already qualified for the semi finals after recent round two wins, but with time ticking down and when Tholm Guiry finished to the net, just moments after coming on and he finished to the net, it looked that it would be the reigning champions that would advance, but as everyone knows you write Stradbally off at your pearl and it was they that struck some late scores which means that the reigning champions will have to go through the scenic route if they are to retain the Conway Cup this autumn.

The winners had first use of the strong wind which blew into the town end of the ground, and they made good use of that advantage as they headed to the dressing rooms at the break holding a 1-8 to 0-5 advantage.

It was Paul Tobin that opened the scoring for Stradbally in this game in the first minute, but it was cancelled out with an effort from the champion’s best player on the night Shane Walsh two minutes later.

Eoin O’Brien and Shane Walsh would swap scores in the next eight minutes to keep the sides locked on the scoreboard but the Cove Men would soon step up a gear or two.

Michael Sweeny edged them one in front from a free after which Shane Lannon and Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh landed points to give their sides a 0-5 to 0-2 advantage with the game having entered its second quarter.

Shane O’Meara pulled a point back for The Nire before Shane Ahearne and Shane Walsh swapped scores with twenty minutes played.

The game’s first goal came on twenty two minutes when Michael Walsh set up Shane Ahearne who shot for goal but his shot was blocked but Ger Crowley was in the right place to capitalise and finished to the net to give his side a 1-6 to 0-4 advantage.

Michael O’Gorman pulled a point back for the champions on the half hour mark but in added time at the end of the thirty Shane Ahearne put over a brace of scores to give his side a six point advantage at the break.

The Nire cut the Stradbally lead by half at the start of the second half as with the very first attack of the half Dermot Ryan tore the reds defence apart with a brilliant run and when he found Conor Gleeson the inter county hurler made no mistake in finding the net.

Shane Walsh landed a point for the champions either side of efforts from Eoin O’Brien and Robert Ahearne after which O’Brien again split the posts to put five between the sides.

The champions introduced Tom Barron for the final quarter of this game and his introduction made a telling impact as Shane O’Meara and Jamie Barron with a brace landed scores to leave just one between the sides with ten minutes to play.

If the introduction of Tom Barron seemed to be a good move by the Nire mentors, the introduction of Tholm Guiry for his championship debut on 51 appeared to be a master stroke as within seconds of his coming on Tom Barron ran at the Stradbally defence and attempted his look for goal which was saved by Eoin Cunningham but Tholm Guiry was on hand and was in the right place to fist the size five to an empty Stradbally net.

Robert Ahearne and Shane O’Meara swapped scores within a minute of each other with three minutes of the game to play, leaving The Nire 2-11 to 1-13 in front.

Stradbally with the past two decades are one of the hardest teams in the county to beat as they never lie down and they showed once more that they keep enough in the tank right to the end.

With a minute of the game to play Michael Walsh, Shane and Robert Ahearne and Eoin O’Brien all linked up to set up Paul Tobin who finished to the net to give his side the lead once more.

Stradbally refused to sit on their laurels and pressed on and kicked scores in added time at the end of the hour through Michael Walsh and Tony Grey to book their passage to the last four of this year’s competition.

Stradbally: Eoin Cunningham; Luke Casey, Kevin Lawlor, Jack Mullaney; Tony Grey, Shane Lannon, Paul Connors; Michael Walsh, Daniel Weldon; Ger Crowley, Eoin O’Brien, Shane Ahearne; Michael Sweeney, Robert Ahearne, Paul Tobin. Subs: Ciaran Cusack for Ger Crowley (51), Ger Power for Daniel Weldon (55), Cormac Gough for Michael Sweeney (62).

Scorers: Paul Tobin 1-1, Shane Ahearne 0-4 (1f), Eoin O’Brien 0-3, Ger Crowley 1-0, Robert Ahearne, Michael Walsh 0-2 each, Michael Sweeney, Shane Lannon, Tony Grey 0-1.

The Nire: Diarmuid Murphy; Dave Meehan, Dermot Ryan, Jake Mulcahy; James McGrath, Shane Ryan, Darren Guiry; Dylan Guiry, Craig Guiry; Seamus Lawlor, Conor Gleeson, Jamie Barron; Shane O’Meara, Michael O’Gorman, Shane Walsh. Subs: Tom Barron for Michael O’Gorman (44), Tholm Guiry for Craig Guiry (51),

Scorers: Shane Walsh 0-4, Shane O’Meara 0-3, Conor Gleeson, Tholm Guiry 1-0 each, Jamie Barron 0-2, Michael O’Gorman, Dylan Guiry 0-1 each.

Referee: Anthony Fitzgerald.

Rathgormack Signal Intent

Rathgormack signalled their intent on Sunday evening last when they easily accounted for Clashmore in round two of this year’s County Senior Football Championship.

The Comeragh men went into the game as a club on somewhat of a high after they beat Ballinacourty in this year’s County Minor Football Championship decider at the same venue just over a week earlier.

They are a club on the up as they have now won a number of Minor and Under 21 titles in the last number of years and they will feel that if they can gel these players together with some of their more household names that they could well become a force to be reckoned with in the years to come and maybe break the dominance of the big three within the game over the past two decades.

The winners in this game won the toss and with a strong wind blowing into the town goal at the Shandon venue and wisely took the advantage in the opening thirty minutes and used it to their full advantage, going in at the break leading 1-11 to 0-3.

On an evening when a number of players from the winning side impressed they finished the game with no fewer than nine different players getting their name on the score sheet and in doing so clocking up a very impressive 4-19 on the score board, a tally that most hurling sides where it often easier to score, could only dream off.

They hit their first score of the game after just twelve seconds through the very impressive Conor Murray.

Paul O’Connor cancelled out that score from a free less than three minutes later, but this would be as close as Clashmore would get to the winners on the evening.

Padraig Larkin, Michael Curry, Conor Murray, Jason Murray from about fifty five metres out, Conor Murray with a monster free struck from the sideline 45 metres from goal and Michael Curry again all landed scores for the winners in a  six minute spell either side of the half way point in the first half to give the victors an 0-7 to 0-1 lead and even at this point they looked out of reach of Clashmore even if they were to have the wind at their backs in the second half.

Paul O’Connor landed his second of the game on eighteen minutes for Clashmore but Rathgormack would hit the next three points in a row through Jason Curry, Conor Murray and Michael Curry who was very impressive in the number six shirt.

The first goal of the game came with three minutes of the first half to play when Billy Power played the ball to Jason Gleeson who gave Fintan Walsh no chance.

Tadhg Bourke hit Clashmore’s final score of the half a minute from the end of normal time but it was Jason Gleeson that knocked over the final score of the half deep in stoppage time, one which gave his side an eleven point advantage.

Clashmore faired considerably better in the second half but they still had to give second best to Rathgormack.

Jason Curry opened the second half scoring with a fisted effort thirty seconds after the restart. Brian O’Halloran got his first score of the game on thirty five but Rathgormack would hit the next three scores through Jason Curry, Paul Drohan and Conor Murray that gave their side a 1-15 to 0-4 lead with thirty eight minutes played.

Paul O’Connor hit a brace of scores for Clashmore, but with the next attack any chance Clashmore had of staging a fight back were ended when Jason Crotty crashed the ball off the crossbar it came back to Rathgormack who from the bank side of the field played it into Jamie Kirwan who was pulled down resulting in a penalty which Billy Power who blasted one to the net in the minor county final a week earlier placed the ball low and hard into the left hand side of Fintan Walsh’s net to give his side a 2-15 to 0-6 lead.

Michael Curry pointed for Rathgormack on forty six minutes and a minute later Declan Allen had a goal attempt for Clashmore saved by Padraig Hunt, but the Still Men scored two minutes later through Brian O’Halloran.

With eight minutes to play Rathgormack struck for the third goal when Conor Murray passed to Billy Power who finished to the net.

Michael Curry pointed in between a brace for Brian O’Halloran. Brian Lynch and Jack Nugent raised white flags for the winners after which Sean Fleming got his name on the score sheet.

Jason Gleeson pointed a minute from time and on the hour mark Stephen Curry who had only came on as a sub finished to the net for his sides fourth goal of the game.

The last score of the game came a minute into stoppage time when Paul O’Connor put over his fifth score of the game and second from a free.

Rathgormack: Padraig Hunt; Billy Power (Bally), Padraig Larkin, Michael Crotty; Robbie Flynn, Michael Curry, Jamie Kirwan; Brian Fogarty, Ronan Cahill; Jason Curry, Jason Gleeson, Conor Murray; Ronan Crotty, Paul Drohan, Billy Power (Cool). Subs: Gavin Nugent for Robbie Flynn (50), Brendan Behan for Billy Power [Bally] (53), Jack Nugent for Brian Fogarty (55), Declan Hennebry for Billy Power [Cool] (58), Liam Connolly for Jamie Kirwan (59), Stephen Curry for Jason Gleeson (59).

Scorers: Billy Power (Cool) 2-0 (1 pen), Jason Gleeson 1-2, Conor Murray (2f), Michael Curry 0-5 each, Jason Curry 0-4 (2F), Stephen Curry 1-0, Padraig Larkin, Paul Drohan, Jack Nugent 0-1 each.

Clashmore: Fintan Walsh; Eric O’Connor, Ciaran Bourke, Ronan Fitzgerald; Aidan Trihy, Gavin Dower, Sean Bourke; Jason Seward, James O’Leary; Brian O’Halloran, Tadhg Bourke, Edmond O’Halloran; Paul O’Connor, Declan Allen, Ciaran Connery. Subs: Sean Fleming for James O’Leary (HT), Brian Lynch for Gavin Dower (36).

Scorers: Paul O’Connor 0-5 (2f), Brian O’Halloran 0-4, Tadhg Bourke, Brian Lynch, Sean Fleming 0-1 each.

Referee: Alan Kissane

The Waterford Famine Goes On

Waterford’s quest to win a third All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship goes on to 2018 after Derek McGrath’s side lost to Galway in this year’s championship decider at Croke Park, with the Tribesmen having three points to spare at the end of seventy minutes of hurling.

The win means that the side from Connacht who play in the Leinster Championship end the year having won all they can, adding the Liam McCarthy Cup to the Walsh Cup, National League Title and Leinster Championship titles won earlier in the year.

There can be no disputing that the better team on the day ran out winners in this battle. The winners hit twenty six scores on the day, all of which were white flags and never looked like breaching the Waterford defence to have a green flag waved.

Waterford while only three points separated the sides in the end had it not being for two goals scored in the first half could be well beaten in this game, but it could be also argued that Waterford could have won the game, as Thomas Ryan attempted for a third Waterford goal late in the game, and the Munster side also won a free late on, but a strange decision was made to bring Austin Gleeson back into his own half of the field and lob it in around the Galway house when maybe the best call would be to have him and Maurice Shanahan in front of the Galway goal and hope that one of them could pluck the ball out of the air and strike for goal.

Both sides on the day had their heroes. For Galway, David Burke, Gearoid McInerney and Joe Canning impressed throughout while Niall Burke and David Flynn also impressed after coming on, while for Waterford Kevin Moran and Michael Walsh were impressive while Tadgh de Búrca was possibly the side’s best player on the day.

Galway made a flying start to this game, hitting over the first four scores of the game inside the opening five minutes.

Joe Canning opened the scoring in the first minute after which Johnny Coen, Joseph Cooney and Cathal Mannion all split the Waterford posts.

Waterford on the day were not allowed to play the short passing game they like to play. As soon as any of the Déise players got on the ball they came under immediate pressure and were forced to shoot quickly rather than to look up and pick out a player.

Waterford scored their first goal on five minutes through team captain Kevin Moran. He was picked out by Michael Walsh as he laid off to Moran who ran from deep and struck a sweet shot past Colm Callanan.

Conor Cooney and David Burke opened up a three point lead for the Tribesmen by the seventh minute but these scores were cancelled out with efforts from Pauric Mahony and another score from the impressive Kevin Moran.

Cathal Mannion, Joe Canning and Conor Cooney all added on scores for Galway but Pauric Mahony and Michael Walsh with a delightful effort made it a two point game with the game having entered its second quarter.

David Burke put three between the sides when he found the range on nineteen minutes, but the sides were level for the first time seconds later as lady luck shun on Waterford as a long ball from Kieran Bennett playing in only his second championship game bounced in front of the Galway goal and go all the way to the net without younger brother Shane getting a touch.

 Joe Canning edges Galway back in front and Conor Whelan extended his sides lead to two with another point on the half hour mark.

Waterford went to the dressing rooms under the Hogan Stand trailing by a single score, as Pauric Mahony and Jamie Barron added late points but Galway in the same time registered scores through Joseph Cooney and Joe Canning.

Trailing 0-14 to 2-7 at the break, Waterford hit the first score of the second half through top scorer Pauric Mahony.

Joe Canning and Pauric Mahony swapped scores to keep the sides level after 41 minutes, and took the lead for the first time seconds later when the dependable Ballygunner man again found the range.

Galway’s response was to bring on Niall Burke and he made a big impact after coming one.

Joe Canning leveled matters once more eight minutes after the restart, Pauric Mahony and David Burke swapped scores in quick succession, before Mahony gave Waterford the lead once more on forty six minutes.

David Burke landed a brace of scores to give Galway the lead with just over twenty minutes to play, and Joe Canning soon doubled his sides lead.

David Burke landed his fourth of the afternoon before Brian O’Halloran put over a good point minutes after coming in for Jake Dillon to leave two between the sides and the Galway lead was just one with a quarter of an hour to play when Pauric Mahony found the range.

Jason Flynn made an impact two minutes after coming on pointing to put his side two in front, but it was cancelled out by another sub on the Waterford side Thomas Ryan.

Joe Canning and Conor Cooney found the range for Galway with eight minutes remaining to put them 0-24 to 2-15 in front, a lead that was extended when Jason Flynn got his second of the game.

Pauric Mahony and Joe Canning swapped scores with the game going into four minutes of stoppage time, and while the last score of the game went to Waterford, when Pauric Mahony hit his eleventh of the game it was to prove to be but a mere consolation score for the Munster side.

GALWAY: Colm Callanan; Daithí Burke, Adrian Tuohy, John Hanbury; Pádraic Mannion, Gearoid McInerney, Aidan Harte; Johnny Coen, David Burke; Joseph Cooney, Cathal Mannion, Joe Canning; Conor Whelan, Jonathan Glynn, Conor Cooney. SUBS: Niall Burke for Glynn (42),  Jason Flynn for Cathal Mannion (54), Shane Maloney for David Burke (68).

SCORERS: Joe Canning 0-10, (6f, 1 sideline), David Burke 0-4; Conor Cooney 0-3, Joseph Cooney, Cathal Mannion, Niall Burke, Jason Flynn 0-2 each, Johnny Coen, Conor Whelan 0-1 each.

WATERFORD: Stephen O’Keeffe; Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan, Noel Connors; Kieran Bennett, Tadhg de Búrca, Philip Mahony; Jamie Barron, Kevin Moran; Darragh Fives, Austin Gleeson, Pauric Mahony; Shane Bennett, Michael Walsh, Jake Dillon. SUBS: Maurice Shanahan for Shane Bennett (22), Brian O’Halloran for Jake Dillon (48), Tommy Ryan for Michael Walsh (56), Colin Dunford for Jamie Barron (64), Patrick Curran for Kieran Bennett (64).

SCORERS: Pauric Mahony 0-11, 8f; Kevin Moran 1-1, Kieran Bennett 1-0, Jamie Barron 0-2; Michael Walsh, Brian O’Halloran, Tommy Ryan 0-1.

REFEREE: Feargal Horgan (Tipperary)

Liam McCarthy To Come Back To Waterford

With some time I have a feeling that 2017 will be Waterford’s year. Liam McCarthy i feel will be in Waterford on Monday evening barring the need for a replay, something that cannot be discounted when Waterford and Galway do battle on Sunday afternoon in this years All-Ireland Final, and even if the game does go to a replay, I feel that the most famous hurling cup in the country will eventually cross Rice Bridge onto the quay in Waterford and hopefully on the same evening it will cross the Devonshire Bridge in Dungarvan into Grattan Square, a location that Waterford teams have always received a massive welcome in the past.

During the week I got one or two private messages on my thomaskeane1973 Facebook page asking me was I as confident as i was all along and I have to say, I am.

While I am confident that Waterford will win this weekend in Croke Park, I must say that I would be even more confident if Derek McGrath and his selectors had Conor Gleeson to pick from, but he don’t, and in the recent past Waterford have been short the services of other key players and they have proven that they have the backup to bring in a player that can fill any roll that needs filling.

Why am I so confident? Let me try and explain.

I think everyone knows when it comes to selecting a team I am someone that would prefer to see six backs mark six forwards and six forwards to mark six backs, but we know that this is something that will not happen with Waterford, and the system of an extra defender or a sweeper, call it what you want is working for Waterford, why change now, but if Waterford did, it would not be a surprise.

The defensive unit that Waterford played in recent games is working and is able to play the ball out of defence with intelligence into the forwards and while we might be a man short in attack, scores are coming, and some are actually coming from defence so that has to be a plus for Waterford.

Much of the hard graft done by Waterford is done in the last twenty minutes or so of a game when Derek McGrath and his management team begin to empty their bench, and when this happens when the likes of Brian O’Halloran, Maurice Shanahan, Colin Dunford, Thomas Ryan, Patrick Curran and Stephen Bennett come onto the field, not only are they players who can pick off scores when the opposition defence is slowing down, they are players with pace and it could well be argued that they are players who actually strengthen the side and its often that Waterford end the game with a stronger side than they started with, which is again a plus as the opposition legs begin to tire.

The Waterford defence are solid and as pointed out some of them are able to pick off crucial scores at important points in the game.

A few years ago at this time of the year people spoke about an aging Waterford team, but you can no longer say this, as many of the panel are in their prime years or are approaching what should be their best years. But Waterford have experience as well and the experience of Michael Walsh and Kevin Moran is going to be vital and none more so when the players are in the dressing rooms and heading to the ground as they have gone through what it is like to play in an All-Ireland Final from back in 2008.

Jamie Barron and Austin Gleeson were selected as All-Stars last year and they look as if they will do so again this year. The Mount Sion man might have had a disappointing game in the Munster Championship defeat to Cork but since then he has been a model of consistency, while the Fourmilewater man is outstanding all year and he will go into this weekend’s game after scoring two goals in the win over Cork in the semi finals.

To see the pair win All-Stars this year would be no surprise, and while the Mount Sion man might not win the Hurler of the Year which he won last year, for me such is the way that Jamie Barron is playing if he was to win this year’s award, i for one would not be surprised.

Waterford last time out used the absence of Tadgh de Búrca as motivation to go on and beat a fancied Cork side, and will surly do the same this time out with Conor Gleeson missing.

The young Fourmilewater man is a fine player and is very under rated by many, including here in Waterford. His loss is going to bigger than what many might envisage, and could be a bigger loss than what Tadgh De Búrca was against Cork or even if Austin Gleeson was forced to sit out this game as well. But have no doubts, Derek McGrath will have someone more than ready to come in and fill the role the young Fourmilewater man fills.

But while Conor Gleeson will be disappointed to miss out on this game, he might well be celebrating at the end of the year, as not only do i believe he will have a an All-Ireland Medal in his collection, he could also be in serious contention for an All-Star and the Young Hurler of the Year award but first might have to fight off Mark Colman from Cork for these awards.

Waterford never gave Cork an inch in their semi final win and it was only in the last ten minutes when with a numerical advantage were Waterford able to pull away.

Against Galway we can expect Waterford to not concede an inch to a side that are looking to win all they can this year, already having won the Walsh Cup, National League and Leinster Championship.

Much has been said of Galway’s height and physic advantage over Waterford, but remember the old saying that the bigger you are, the harder you fall at times.

I have no doubt that this year’s All-Ireland Final will be hard won, but as I have said with some time, I firmly believe that Waterford will be crowned All-Ireland Champions in 2017.