Waterford Can Upset the Odds against All-Ireland Champions at Croke Park

Waterford have appeared in two All-Ireland Senior Hurling finals in recent years but in the eyes of many Waterford’s best chance of winning a first All-Ireland Final since beating Kilkenny back in October 1959 came in 2007 a year that Waterford did not actually contest the final, the year when Waterford lost out in the semi finals to Limerick by five points.

When Waterford set off in that year’s championship road they were coming off a very successful National League campaign beating a Kilkenny side who the previous September in the All-Ireland Final.

Waterford are back in a National League final once more again this coming weekend, having played in two in between and the opponents for Waterford are once more the reigning All-Ireland Champions.

Limerick will be going into this game as favourites, and who would argue with the bookies that will make them favourites. They are the reigning All-Ireland Champions after all and topped what some might argue was a tougher group in the round robin section of the league to what Waterford were in, and in the knockout phase of the competition, putting up impressive scores against Laois in the quarter finals and Dublin last Sunday in the semi finals at Nowlan Park in the curtain raiser to Waterford’s game, two sides that Waterford also played and put good scores up against in the round robin section of the competition.

Limerick secured their spot in Sunday’s final with a 1-19 to 1-16 win over Dublin to give them a first final appearance in 13 years.

And they will be hoping that history can repeat itself as 22 years ago when they last won the league, their semi final win that year came against Kilkenny in the Cat’s own back garden at Nowlan Park.

Limerick as we all know are a coming force within the game. They have contested the last four National League semi finals, last Sunday was the first one which they won. They won the Under 21 All-Ireland in 2015 and 2017, winning the Munster Championship at the same grade in the same years. They have contested the Minor All-Ireland Finals in 2014 and 2016, winning the Munster Minor Championships in 2013, 2014 and contested the Munster finals in 2015, 2016 and again last year. While since 2014 Ard Scoil Ris have won the Dr Harty Cup in 2014, 2016 and 2018 while Scoil na Tríonóide from Doon contested an all Limerick final in 2014. Limerick right now is a conveyor belt of underage hurling and last year we saw some of the hard work put in with the underage teams come to the fore with the winning the All-Ireland Senior Final.

But nobody will be writing off Waterford’s chances of winning what would only be a fourth National League final.

Just like in Limerick some great work is put in with Waterford’s underage teams in the last number of years. De La Salle College and Colaiste na Déise/Dungarvan Colleges have won Dr Harty and Dr Croke Finals and a number of players from these victorious teams will be part of the Waterford set up on Sunday.

Waterford have won Minor and Under 21 All-Ireland Finals and again a number of players with All-Ireland medals from these competitions will be looking to add to their medal collection, claiming what for some would be a second National League medal, having won one and contesting another while under the charge of Derek McGrath back in 2015 and 2016 when Waterford won the competition as a Division 1B team and a 1A team respectfully.

After Waterford lost out to Galway in the All-Ireland Final back in 2017, sitting in the press box at a club championship game the question was asked by someone was there an All-Ireland in Waterford. I was adamant at the time that there was one to be one by the current crop of players if some tweaks were made. I still stand over that and maybe 2019 will be when it happens.

But Sunday is not about All-Ireland Finals. It is about a National League title, one of two pieces of silverware that Senior Inter County Teams can win at a National Level each year.

Waterford’s involvement on Sunday means that the first round of the club championship goes by the way side, but there won’t be too many hurling supporters complain about that. One round of games can easily be made up later. There is a weekend of April when club games can be played.

Because of Waterford’s involvement in the League final on Sunday means that Pauric Fanning side will go into playing the Munster Championship in the middle of May having played inter county as long as possible, something that I for one will stand to Waterford, and something I firmly believe worked against Waterford last year when the side were involved in a relegation play off.

Limerick were getting quoted last Sunday evening by some bookies as odds on favourites to add the league title to the All-Ireland Final won last autumn. But that is something that could well work in Waterford’s favour. Waterford often plays best when written off by the bookies and the experts in the media.

Will Waterford win a fourth National League Final on Sunday, I for one think that Pauric Fanning and his charges will be celebrating with the rest of the county after what would be a rare win for the Waterford hurlers in Croke Park on Sunday.

Déise Ladies Edge Closer To Semi Final Spot

Waterford’s Senior Ladies Football team are within touching distance of reaching the Division Two semi finals of the National Football League for the second year in a row after they survived a late scare against a Laois side that refused to give up at Fraher Field today.

Ciaran Curran’s side got off to a dream start in this game hitting two goals within 90 seconds of the throw in which proved to be the difference between the sides at the end of the hour.

Referee Jonathan Murphy added seven minutes for stoppages and injuries at the end of the hour and in this time the visitors cancelled out Waterford’s great start to this game with two goals of their own, in a game that saw eight goals scored, shared equally by the two sides.

With the game nearing half time it looked as if Waterford had suffered a major blow when full back Caoimhe McGrath was forced off with a hand injury. Katie Murray came on for the Abbeyside club player and went into the middle of the field with Megan Dunford moving to full back in the absence of her club mate.

However while the subs went out for a kick around at the break, Caoimhe McGrath went to the dressing room with the other outfield player and whatever work was carried out there on her in those ten or so minutes, it paid off as she came out with the rest of the players taking her place in the team at full back in front of teenager Rosie Landers who impressed in goal in what was only her second competitive outing at this level.

In other codes Waterford have often found that they have struggled to fill the vital full back position, and while in Ladies Football, the different managers have found players who have filled the position successfully, but it can be said that none have looked as natural to the position as Caoimhe McGrath is. She is without doubt one of the best in that position in the country at the moment and surly there is long standing fans of Ladies Football such as myself who are asking themselves right now as to whether if the Abbeyside club player is as good or even better than Martina O’Ryan who filled the number three shirt so successfully for a number of years during the era of the great team that Michael Ryan had in the 1990’s.

Waterford were always the better of the two sides in this contest and in truth on another day with Waterford having the same amount of procession they could have won this game by a much greater margin than they won today.

 Waterford won the toss in this game and opted to play against the stiff breeze which blew into the town end of the ground, and the home side got off to a dream start with two goals with the two first two attacks of the game.

There was just 34 seconds played when Waterford had the size 4 in the back of the Laois net. Wing forward Maria Delahunty Garryowned an effort in front of the Laois goal and was on hand to collect the ball as it dropped back down from the sky and cooly finish past Fiona Kelly in the visitors goal.

Laois responded with a point from a Mo Nearey free and from the restart Waterford again attacked down field and Kelly Ann Hogan finished to the net less than 90 seconds after Waterford hit their first goal.

Eimear Fennell from a short Maria Delahunty ’45 raised Waterford’s first white flag of the game to put six between the sides once more.

Aileen Wall edged Waterford further in front on 12 minutes and it was at this point that we saw the pressure that Laois were under as they made their first change of the afternoon.

Mo Nearey got her second just short of the half way point in the first half and she struck a third on 19 minutes to leave 5 between the sides.

Maria Delahunty extended Waterford’s lead once more on 20 minutes but almost straight away Mo Nearey again pointed this time with the help of the upright. Maria Delahunty from a free restored a six point lead for Waterford before Caoimhe McGrath who is showing signs to be Waterford’s best full back since Martina O’Ryan filled the number three shirt back in the 90’s was forced off with a hand injury with 27 minutes played.

Chloe Fennell extended Waterford’s lead on 28 minutes and three minutes later Liz Devine got her name on the score sheet to pit eight between the sides.

But in the time that remained the visitors hit two more scores the first a goal from Mo Nearey after some good work by Erone Fitzpatrick in the third added minute at the end of the 30 and almost straight away Shannon Costello pointed to leave her side trailing 2-5 to 1-4 at the break.

Maria Delahunty put over the first two scores of the half to extend Waterford’s lead but they were cancelled out on 36 minutes when Mo Nearey finished past Rosie Landers from a tight angle after some good work by Erone Fitzpatrick.

Eimear Fennell split the posts with a free on 40 minutes, but we had to wait a further 10 minutes for the next score which came from a penalty after a foul on Chloe Fennell. Regular free taker Maria Delahunty took the ball in her hands to strike the resulting one on one which she slotted past Fiona Kelly to give Waterford a 3-9 to 2-5 lead, referee Jonathan Murphy had to step out the 12 metres from under the Laois crossbar as the 12 metre spot was not clearly marked.

The Abbeyside Club player put over two more frees before Aileen Wall a late call up for Michelle Ryan on the published team which game gave Waterford a 3-12 to 2-5 lead with 54 minutes played.

Katie Hannon who played in goal for a number of years in recent years came on as a sub after Aileen Wall’s effort and within three minutes she got her name on the score sheet with a point and seconds later she had the ball in the Laois net for the fourth time in this game to give Waterford what looked like an unassailable 4-13 to 2-6 lead.

Laois however were not going to give up without a fight and on the hour mark Mo Nearey finished to the net for her third goal of the game and moments later Erone Fitzpatrick split the posts.

In the fourth minute of added time Erone Fitzpatrick finished to the net leaving six between the sides, and with no one to indicate how much time remained Waterford at this point were starting to sweat. Three minutes later Laura Nearey split the uprights to leave five between the sides, but soon afterwards a nervous end to this game for the Waterford defenders came to an end.

Waterford’s last game of the round robin section is in two weeks time away to Clare, where if Ciaran Curran’s side as would be expected will win and Armagh were to lose out to Wexford (an unlikely event) then Waterford would top the group and play who ever finishes fourth in the group. Should Armagh beat Wexford and Waterford beat Clare they will play the third team in the group in the semi finals which possibly will be Kerry.

Waterford: Rosie Landers; Cora Murray, Caoimhe McGrath, Rebecca Casey; Katy Hayes, Karen McGrath, Kate McGrath; Megan Dunford, Emma Murray; Kelly Ann Hogan, Chloe Fennell, Maria Delahunty; Eimear Fennell, Liz Devine, Aileen Wall.

Subs: Katie Murray for Caoimhe McGrath (27), Caoimhe McGrath for Katie Murray (HT), Katie Murray for Eimear Fennell (43), Lauren McGregor for Liz Devine (49), Becky Hogan for Cora Murray (57), Emma Gildea for Rebecca Casey (57), Chloe Fennell for Becky Hogan (66).

Scorers: Maria Delahunty 2-6 (1-0 Pen, 0-4 f), Katie Hannon 1-1, Kelly Ann Hogan 1-0, Eimear Fennell (0-1F), Aileen Wall 0-2 each, Chloe Fennell, Liz Devine 0-1 each.

Laois: Fiona Kelly; Clodagh Dunne, Maureen Young, Mary Cotter; Ellen Healy, Jane Moore, Laura Peake; Laura Nearey, Anna Healy; Alanna Havill, Joyce Dunne, Emma Lawlor; Mo Nearey, Shannon Costello, Meagan Dunne.

Subs: Erone Fitzpatrick for Laura Peake (12), Sinead Cullen for Alana Havill (18), Aisling Keogh for Joyce Dunne (43), Niamh O’Rourke for Mary Cotter (54).

Scorers: Mo Nearey 3-4 (0-1F), Erone Fitzpatrick 1-1, Shannon Costello 0-2, Laura Nearey 0-1.

Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow)

Tribe’s Men Stand in Way of League Final Appearance for Waterford

There can be no disputing that this year’s National Hurling League has been good for Waterford.

Whoever drew up this year’s fixture list must be a Waterford fan because I doubt anyone associated with the team or even a supporter of the team could have any arguments with the way the fixtures came.

Starting with a game against Offaly, a game rightly or wrongly that Waterford lost the right to host in the Déise County because of whatever might have happened last year Waterford could not have had a better path to this Sunday’s League Semi Final at Nowlan Park.

Offaly without fear of contradiction were the weakest county to play in Division 1A or 1B this year. The Faithful County nearly four decades ago for about 20 year’s were somewhat a stronghold within the game and in that time they won their share of silverware with some fine players in their set up which those of us old enough to remember can still remember.

Playing the opening fixture in Thurles was like playing in Waterford’s own back garden for many on this Waterford panel. If the G.A.A. really wanted to inflict a punishment on Waterford they could have fixed the game for Nenagh, Carlow, Kilkenny or Portlaoise, but chose Thurles, a venue where Waterford have played more big games in recent years than they have within our own county, and almost certainly without checking the stats would have won more games that what we have in Walsh Park.

Next up for Waterford – a game against Laois in Portlaoise where Waterford again won before playing Colm Bonner’s Carlow side in round three, the Barrowsiders being the second weakest side in the group in between Offaly and Laois.

After scoring 9-65 in their first three games without the services of the Ballygunner players who were preparing for their All-Ireland Club semi final against Ballyhale Shamrocks, Pauric Fanning and his charges knew that things would not be so easy for them throughout the league and their first real test came when they travelled to Parnell Park to play Dublin.

The Dub’s in Dublin are always a difficult side to play against and it was no real surprise to see them come out on top in a tight contest (even if scores were plentiful) on a 4-15 to 1-26 score line.

Waterford’s final league game in the round robin section of the competition was against this Sunday’s opponents – Galway but it was called off at the 11^th hour after a heavy deluge of rain made the Walsh Park surface unplayable and certainly unsafe for the players.

When the Westerners returned to Walsh Park a week later Pauric Fanning’s side got back to winning way’s with a 1-18 to 2-13 win, a win that will give the side in White and Blue on Sunday much confidence going into the second of this year’s semi finals, but let’s not get carried away with beating them already as we have to remember how many times we have seen the side beaten the first day when they meet twice in close proximity be the one that learned most and come back the second day with a win.

There was never any doubt that Waterford were going to make the quarter finals of this year’s league having missed out last year when Derek McGrath’s side were relegated from the upper level for the second time in his tenure as manager.

The only real thing to be decided in so far as Waterford was concerned in the group stages of the competition is where they would finish. Waterford, Galway and Dublin were always the side’s to fight it out for the top three places and it was the side from the Capital that finished top finishing level with Waterford on eight points from a possible ten, but finished above Waterford winning the head to head between the two, with Waterford finishing with a thirty point better score difference, which would have come into play had Galway not dropped a point when they played Colm Bonner’s Carlow side.

Galway in their other games in the group section beat Dublin, Offaly and Laois to finish behind Dublin and Waterford by one point.

The quarter final paring last week also proved to be somewhat kind to Waterford, getting paired with Clare and winning the toss to host the game in Walsh Park after both sides initially were given three home games each in the group stages of the competition.

Limerick and Tipperary could well have proven much tougher opposition that what Clare opposed and had they played against Davy Fitzgerald’s Wexford they would have faced the sort of challenge you know you will get when you play against any side coached by the former Waterford manager.

Waterford last week racked up another very impressive win, recording a facile 0-31 to 1-14 win while Galway in their quarter final game in Pearse Stadium proved too good for Wexford winning 3-21 to 3-11.

Both sides have made changes from last weekend for this game and at first glance most hurling supporters will agree that the two sides that they are putting out on Sunday afternoon will be somewhat different to the sides they are likely to put out in the championship in a few weeks time.

Galway could well be well in contention to win another All-Ireland Final this year. Last time out in beating Wexford they had just six players out which started last year’s All-Ireland Final against Limerick, which would suggest that Micheál Donoghue has an abundance of talent at his disposal. Even for this game they have resisted on calling on players from County Champions Saint Thomas’ like Daithi Burke, David Burke and Conor Cooney but we could well see them involved at some stage, and with managers often making changes to the published teams in recent year’s could we see them even come in from the off.

Waterford last weekend looked very impressive in chalking up 31 points against Clare. It’s not every day that a side will put up such a tally and to not hit a goal or two, but in doing so it will give the team plenty of confidence going into this game.

Galway has decided to bring in Ronan Burke, Johnny Coen, Kevin Hussey and Davy Glennon to the side which beat Wexford last week with Jack Grealish, Sean Loftus, Sean Bleahene and Thomas Monaghan the players missing out.

Waterford make one change less to the side which beat Clare last week as Pauric Fanning, James Murray and Pa Kearney have brought in Tadhg Bourke, Colin Dunford and Thomas Ryan to the side with Colm Roche, Jack Prendergast and Peter Hogan the players to miss out.

Most pundits are making the 2017 All-Ireland Champions favourites to win this game, but a win for Waterford here could well be much more important that it would be for Galway.

There is no doubting that they are going to come out in the Leinster Championship to play the All-Ireland series, the only thing to be decided is where they will finish in the group and if they win the provincial title.

For Waterford there is no guarantee that they will come out of Munster, even with two games to be played in Walsh Park this year. This is not a defeatist thing to say, it is realistic as there is little between the five competing Munster Sides. Cork and Tipperary might not be involved in the League Semi Final’s Cork last week played a nonsensical relegation play off with Kilkenny, a game that was in effect a revenue taker for the G.A.A. but both will be there or there about come the championship. So too will Limerick who will not want to give back the Liam McCarthy Cup with a good fight. Whether they can retain it or not is a thing that we have to see.

The League is an ideal opportunity to win some silverware for Waterford. There is no doubt that if Waterford can go into the championship on the back of winning a league it would give the side plenty of confidence going into the championship.

Last year Waterford went into the championship after getting relegated from Division 1A, something that might have played a part in a disappointing championship, as there is nothing like going into the championship on the back of a winning run.

Let’s not forget that Waterford’s best chance of winning a first All-Ireland Final since 1959 was back in 2007 and that year Waterford went into the championship on the back of a league win, and Galway in 2017 went into the championship on the back of winning the league.

There is some that will tell you that in the modern game it’s all about the championship, but we must never lose sight that the league is still a very important competition and it is one of two National Pieces of silverware that a handful of teams can win each year.

When it comes to silverware while Waterford’s fate has improved since the turn of the Millennium,  winning a number of Munster titles and a National League as well as blooding future inter county senior hurlers on the college’s scene where Waterford won four Dr Harty Cup’s and two Dr Croke titles as well as an Under 21 Muster Final and a Minor and Under 21 All-Ireland Final, but the one that we want most still alludes us Waterford fans.

Will 2019 see the end of a sixty year Famine; right now it’s hard to tell. We can hope and pray it does at this stage. But there is a chance that Silverware can be won before that. But for that to happen, Pauric Fanning’s side first have to overcome the challenge of Galway in Nowlan Park.

Will Waterford beat Galway in Nowlan Park on Sunday, I have a feeling they will, and while that will throw the county board’s plan’s for the Club Championship up in the air, I think most of us will agree that it would be worth it, if it meant Silverware was to come to the Déise County.

But let’s not get too carried away right now with what might happen in the coming weeks and months. Let’s just get over the challenge that Galway will put up first.

Galway: Fergal Flannery; Paul Killeen, Ronan Burke, Darren Morrissey; Aidan Harte, Padraig Mannion, Gearoid McInerney; Cathal Mannion, Johnny Coen; Niall Burke, Joe Canning, Kevin Hussey; Conor Whelan, Brian Concannon, Davy Glennon.

Waterford: Stephen O’Keeffe; Shane McNulty, Calum Lyons, Noel Connors; Philip Mahony, Tadhg Bourke, Kevin Moran; Jamie Barron, Austin Gleeson; Colin Dunford, Mikey Kearney, Pauric Mahony; Thomas Ryan, Stephen Bennett, Shane Bennett.

How much are Waterford City and County Council Contributing to the Problem of Illegal Dumping

How much are Waterford City and County Council contributing to the problem with illegal dumping in the County.

I am someone that walks a section of the R671 a road that links Youghal in East Cork to Clonmel in South Tipperary.

When a person is out for a walk and there is no pressure on them to get between two particular points in a certain length of time, I feel that you notice a lot more, especially if you have no distractions like listening to music via earphones, something many people do when they are walking, but it is something that i seldom if ever do.

Along a section of the above mentioned road between Millstreet and Ballinamult is a disused quarry in the townland of Lisleigh, which the council have used for almost as long as I can remember as a storage area for the chips needed when tarring the roads in the area.

But in the last while for whatever reason the council have decided that this quarry is no longer a place that they want to store the chips that they have in stock. They have even allowed countless tonnes of chips to be overgrown by briers and weeds, meaning that they will possibly be never used, certainly not in the near future.

Where the quarry is located is on an acute bend in the road with the River Phinisk coming almost up to a wall directly across from the quarry. Because the road is wide at this particular spot, for many years lorry and van drivers travelling the road often pull in and have a break from their driving, sometimes having a cup of tea which they have with them in their vehicle and something to eat. Some drivers also take the opportunity known that their vehicle is safely pulled in, despite it been on an acute bend will take the opportunity to stretch their legs and maybe have a call of nature.

In the last twelve months or so Waterford County Council or contract workers which they take on to carry out particular work for them have begun to use the quarry site as a sort of dumb for dumping might not be the correct word to use, but is the one that I will use here, of site clearings or the grass verges that they have taken off different roads in the area. They have used other areas where bends have been taken out in the road over the years and where people pulled in for a break, for similar purposes.

Recently while out walking I noticed that someone seeing that the Council or the contractors taken on by them have decided to dump soil in the area have decided to start dumping their own rubbish amongst those what the Council have put in the quarry area.

I have noticed recently that this has included a small black leather sofa and what I would call a black kitchen chair, or the type of chair that you might see in a barbers shop from time to time that customers can sit on till it is there turn to have a haircut.

While from time to time over the years when the council have used the area as store area for road chips some dumping has taken place at this site, I have never seen anything the size of chairs or sofas getting dumped at the scene.

A short distance up the same road towards Ballinamult, where the road meets one of the roads that will bring you to Touraneena, or onto the R672 a number of tyres have been dumped in a small wooded area on the banks of the Phinisk River.

I know that this dumping has been reported to the relevant section of Waterford City and County Council at least two if not three times. Maybe there are more reports of the dumping of tyres that I am not aware of. I can confirm that one of reporters was me who provided photographic proof to the council via email, and to date several weeks later the tyres are still to be seen.

I can’t wonder how serious Waterford City and County Council are about illegal dumping sites in the county. I know to the credit of the Councillors that some of them are reporting what they see for themselves or what is brought to their attention, and it must be very frustrating for them to know that those whose job it is to deal with illegal dumping are not doing their jobs when things are reported to them.

Some Changes on Here to Come

Just before a quarter to four on Monday May 7, 2012 I posted by first posting on my thomaskeane1973 blog page, a review of the first round of games in that year’s County Senior Hurling Championship.

In the weeks, months and years since then I have posted many times on matters pertaining to not just the Waterford Senior Hurling and Football teams, but the different club championships in Waterford and more importantly to me, I have reported on Waterford Ladies Football and Camogie teams, getting to see the then Intermediate teams in both codes win All-Ireland Finals and to see them give more than a fair account of themselves playing against more experienced teams in the senior grade since then.

Over the past near seven years now I have noticed that just under 303,000 people have a look at what I have had to say. I am not someone that goes out to look for a reaction to what I have to say, but when people of their own accord come up and ask am I Thomas Keane that does the blogging and tell me that they enjoy reading what I have to say, it is nice to hear what they have to say.

Equally as nice is when I might make an error in what I have to say, maybe giving a wrong name and people get on to me in a nice way pointing out the error which once pointed out I will always try and correct as soon as I can. When this happens it give me an idea of who is reading what I have to say, and it is particularly nice when it is a leading player at club or county level, as once more it shows that they reading what I have to say about them, and I hope that they find it is always positive.

Recently a member of an Inter County backroom team came up to me one day in Dungarvan thanking me for the coverage that I give the women’s teams in particular which was nice when it happened out of the blue.

Thank you to each and every one of you that has taken the time over the past near seven years to have a look at what I have to say when I post.

With the past few weeks I have been thinking about the blog. Up to now thomaskeane1973 was all about the G.A.A. at club level, at inter county level, and not just about the men’s games.

I have decided that from now on that thomaskeane1973 will not just be about the G.A.A. I am going to try and point out a few things that I spot while out and about. I am going to try and change people’s way of thinking to the way people have towards disabled people, and how able bodied people can make things a little easier for disabled people. For those that don’t know, I am disabled from birth myself so I will have a fair idea what I am talking about when I do this.

I hope that people continue to read what I have to say in the numbers they have going forward. Each time I put a new posting on my blog I will always put a posting about it on my thomaskeane1973 Facebook page, which should automatically go onto my thomaskeane1973 Twitter page, but unfortunately not all postings do, but about 95% of them do.

          Again thank you to all who have taken the time to read what I have had to say over the past few years and I hope you continue to do so going into the future. As I say I always put posting’s on my thomaskeane1973 Facebook page and will from now on every so often on my own private page (is that what you would call it) and hopefully they will also go onto the twitter page.

          If you think that there are people that might not have heard of my Social Media pages and they might be interested in what I have to say, don’t be afraid to send then an invitation to like the pages.

          Unfortunately while most of the feedback is good, there is some that take offence with what I have to say. One think i never do is set out to offend anyone on social media. I give an honest view on how I see things. Sadly there is some that don’t seem to like freedom of speech, but we can’t do anything about these people.  

Heartbreak for Gailltir at Croke Park

I don’t know what it is like to play in an All-Ireland Final, but I can imagine what it is like to win one, and I can imagine what it is like to come home from Croke Park, Semple Stadium or any other venue on the back of a defeat in an All-Ireland Final.

The journey home from Croke Park this evening for the Gailltir Camogie Club must be a long one, one made even longer by the weather conditions that we experienced in different parts of the country today.

I am sure no words right now will ease the pain that they suffered in going under to Down and Ulster Champions Clonduff in the All-Ireland Intermediate Final at G.A.A. Headquarters. But hopefully the panel of 30 players plus the backroom team of Gail O’Sullivan, Chloe Murphy, Grainne Flood, Lillian Foley, David Whelan, Sally O’Grady, Paul Lyng, Catherine Whitty and Shane Lyng under the guidance of team Manager Orla Murphy will see that time is on their side, that this is in the main a young team with some experienced players within the panel, and one day sooner rather than later that they will be champions and that journey home from Croke Park despite being the same length as it was today will feel a much shorter one.

Last year writing after Waterford had narrowly lost out to Cork in the Munster Camogie Championship in Modeligo; I quoted team secretary Majella Pollard who I got talking to before the game. Majella was telling me that she was constantly telling the players in Donal O’Rourke’s side that if they believe (believe in themselves), then anything is possible, and we saw this later in the year (last year) when Waterford came out of the group stages of the All-Ireland qualifiers and took on Tipperary in the All-Ireland Quarter Final in Cork.

I have a firm belief this evening that if this Gailltir side were to believe going forward then anything for them is possible.

Over the past number of years I have reported on different Gailltir sides and what they have achieved and seeing what they have done in the past few years, I firmly believe that this Gailltir side or the majority of them at any least will experience much better days that which they experienced today.

Today Gailltir knew that they faced a difficult task in taking on Clonduff, but one that they would have felt was a winnable one, one which I too felt was winnable, but it was not to be today, but on another day it certainly could have been Gailltir’s day.

We all know of the old Irish saying ‘tús maith leath na hoibre’ meaning a good start is half the work was certainly true today in Croke Park.

The Ulster side got off to a fantastic start in this game, going five points up in the first 11 minutes. In fact twice in the first twenty minutes of this game the Ulster side went five points up, but credit must go to the Gailltir ladies they never gave up.

The Ulster side opened the scoring on two minutes when Paula Gribben who finished as top scorer for her side with six points all from placed balls put over a free following a foul on Isabella O’Hare.

They doubled their advantage four minutes when the same player put over a free when referee John McDonagh rather harshly judged that Emily Mahony picked the ball directly off the ground.

Two minutes later the Ulster side when three up, again from a Paula Gribben put over a ’45 after Ciara Jackman had done well to keep an effort from Katie McGilligan out of her net.

The side in yellow refused to relent and hit their first score from open play on 10 minutes from the Sara-Louise Carr one of two daughters of former Down footballer Ross Carr split the posts with an effort from the ’45 metre line, and just seconds later Carr was fouled and Gribben made no mistake putting her side five in front.

Gailltir’s first real scoring chance came on 12 minutes falling to Annie Fitzgerald but she was judged to have over carried the sliotar by the County Galway referee.

Annie Fitzgerald did manage to get on the score sheet two minutes later when she converted a free won following a foul on Clodagh Carroll. Within a minute the same player got her second of the game when she converted another free this time won by herself, leaving three between the sides.

But unfortunately for Gailltir the next two scores fell to the Ulster side restoring a five point cushion.

Sara-Louise Carr pointed from open play on 19 minutes and almost straight away when the ball fell to her sister Fionnuala in the middle of the field she sent the ball over the head of Ciara Jackman in the Gailltir goal.

Back at the other end Katie Lynch did brilliant to pick out Clodagh Carroll one of many brilliant young players that we will hear a lot more about in the coming years within the Gailltir Club, and she made no mistake.

Another promising Gailltir player Emer Walsh looked as if she had a good chance to reduce the Clonduff lead with five minutes of the opening half remaining but she was crowded out by a water tight Clonduff defence who managed to clear the danger.

Early in added time at the end of the first half Annie Fitzgerald saw a difficult free on the ’45 metre line won by Katie Lynch went just wide.

Deep in stoppage time at the end of the first half Annie Fitzgerald was pulled down in the square in front of Hill 16 and John O’Donoghue had no option but to award the side in Blue and Navy a penalty.

The experienced Áine Lyng was brought up to strike at the three woman wall guarding the goal in front of the empty Hill 16 and she used all her experience in the conditions on the day striking low and hard hoping that the ball would skid in the conditions into the net but a combination of goalkeeper Karen Haughey standing in the middle of the three and full back Jenna Boden standing to her left managed to somehow keep the sliotar out of the net with the last play of the half.

Trailing 0-7 to 0-5 at the break Gailltir needed a good start to the second half, but it was the Ulster side that once more got the good start.

Sara-Louise Carr hit the first score of the second half to put three between the sides two minutes after the restart and Paula Gribben from another free pointed five minutes later gave the Ulster side a more manageable lead.

Gailltir however would hit back with the next three scores in a 13 minute spell to leave the minimum between the sides with three minutes of normal time to play.

Annie Fitzgerald put over a free on 44 minutes and 11 minutes later she split the posts again this time from a ’45, and on 57 minutes she pointed from open play to leave the minimum between the sides.

The next score was going to be vital. Fortunately for Clonduff and unfortunately for Gailltir it went the way of the Ulster side. Not surprisingly it came from a placed ball just outside the Gailltir ’45 metre line from the Hogan Stand side of the field from which Paula Gribben made no mistake.

Leading by two, the Ulster side conceded a free in the first minute of stoppage time. Áine Lyng was tasked at striking from 30 metres out on the Cusack Stand side of the field playing into the Canal end of the ground and she made no mistake.

With just the minimum between the sides had Gailltir hit the score that would force the sides to do it all over again it would not be an unfair result, but it was not to be.

Time ran out for Gailltir. A one point defeat is often the hardest to take in any game, and in an All-Ireland Final it would be even harder to accept.

But this Gailltir side while they will feel down in themselves this evening, each and every one of them can hold their head up very high.

In the last 12 months they have won a County Senior League and Championship double, they have won a Munster Intermediate Club title for the second time in three years and they reached an All-Ireland Club Final.

Some of their players helped Waterford achieve so much above what would be expected of them last year in the senior grades, they had players that helped Waterford win the Munster Minor ‘A’ Championship last year in which they beat a Cork side that had won the All-Ireland Final earlier in the year.

A great number of players from Gailltir have won Munster and All-Ireland Medals with St Angela’s Ursuline School in the college’s scene and they are back in an All-Ireland Final again in the coming weeks.

Each and every one of the panel both players and management on this Gailltir panel should hold their heads up high with what they have achieved and not be ashamed to tell anyone what they have achieved.

Gailltir will not need any telling it is not easy to get to play in games like they played in today, and with the way the game is progressing in Waterford right now it is even going to get harder to represent Waterford in the Provincial Championship, let alone to represent Munster in the All-Ireland Championship. But they have the players who are not afraid to put in the required work, and I have no doubt having experienced defeat today the hunger will be there going forward to experience what it is like to win in Croke Park. When that will happen none of us can say right now, but I have no doubt that if this current Gailltir panel stay together and add to it with some of the brilliant talent coming through from the underage section of the club, whether it is this year, next year or whenever next win a Senior County Final and go on to represent Waterford in Munster, that they will go on and reverse the feeling they experienced this afternoon.   

GAILLTÍR: Ciara Jackman; Emily Mahony, Margo Heffernan, Claire Dunne; Leah Sheridan, Emma Roche, Hannah Flynn; Shauna Fitzgerald, Áine Lyng; Clodagh Carroll, Annie Fitzgerald, Katie Lynch: Anne Corcoran, Trish Jackman, Emer Walsh.

Subs: Ciara O’Sullivan for Emer Walsh (ht), Aoife Fitzgerald for Anne Corcoran (ht), Anne Corcoran for Ciara Carroll (54)

SCORERS: Annie Fitzgerald 0-7(0-4fs, 0-2 45s); C Carroll, A Lyng (f) 0-1 each

          Remainder of the Panel: Róisín Flood, Leah O’Donoghue, Áine O’Keeffe, Hannah Hutchinson, Eilis Cullinane, Sorcha Cantwell, Laoise McLoughlin, Clara Hogan, Jill Doherty, Kadie Griffin, Laura Flynn.

CLONDUFF: Karen Haughey; Nicola O’Hagan, Jenna Boden, Sarah Murphy; Clare McGilligan, Erin Rafferty, Fionnuala Carr; Beth Fitzpatrick, Clara Cowan; Cassie Fitzpatrick, Sara-Louise Carr, Paula Gribben; Isabella O’Hare, Orla Gribben, Katie McGilligan.

Subs: Megan O’Reilly for Erin Rafferty (ht), Roisin Mulholland for Cassie Fitzpatrick (57)

SCORERS: Paula Gribben 0-6(0-5fs, 0-1 45); Sara-Louise Carr 0-3; Fionnuala Carr 0-1

REFEREE: John McDonagh (Galway)