Waterford Moving In Right Direction Despite Defeat Against All-Ireland Champions

 

Three decades ago, the then Waterford Senior Football Manager and his assistant Bridget Grant were both putting together a football team that would light up the 90’s. In 1986 Waterford had won the All-Ireland Junior Football Final, beating Wexford in the decider, the first Ladies Football All-Ireland Final to be played at Croke Park and for a number of years that followed that win the pair began to bring in some brilliant young players to replace some of the older players that had helped Waterford create a piece of history at G.A.A. Headquarters.

At the time there was no Intermediate grade on the Ladies Football Inter County scene and when a county won the Junior championship you went straight to senior and all that was expected of you was that you retained your status for a few years as you found your way playing at a higher level.

For Waterford to make any major impact straight away would not be a big ask, it would be a massive ask as the championship was knockout at the time, played on a provincial level and at the time Kerry were the team to beat, winning a more than impressive nine Senior All-Ireland Finals between 1982 and 1990.

But with some brilliant young players coming through it was only going to be a matter of time before Michael Ryan’s side broke the dominance of Kerry in Munster and the question to be asked then would his side bring the Brendan Martin Cup to the Déise County.

Prior to Waterford winning the Munster Championship in 1991 and going on to beat Laois in the All-Ireland Final it was clear to see that the gap between the ladies from the Kingdom and the ladies from the Déise County was closing and once Waterford got on top the different sides put together by Michael Ryan were the top team in Munster and indeed all of Ireland for over a decade.

Thirty years on from Waterford’s big break through the standard of many counties is much higher. Dublin and Cork are the most successful sides in recent years on the Inter county level, but right behind them is a group of counties that very little separate, the likes of Kerry, Galway, Donegal, Mayo, Monaghan to name but a few and amongst them is Waterford.

The county have come a long way in recent years. Over a decade ago Waterford were relegated from Senior to Intermediate. At the same time Waterford began to drop down the divisions in the National League.

Waterford however were knocking at the door to get back up to where they wanted to be but Lady Luck was not always with the Waterford Ladies. Waterford in winning SEVEN Munster Intermediate Finals in a row lost out in the All-Ireland Finals of 2010 and 2012 against Donegal and Armagh before beating Kildare in 2015.

In the National League Waterford reached the final of Division Three 3 years in a row, losing the first two to Armagh and Sligo before beating Tipperary in a replay at Thurles in 2016. After a couple of seasons in Division two reaching the semi finals in 2018 beat Kerry in the 2019 final, Waterford were now where everyone wants to be, playing in the Senior Championship and playing in Division One of the National League.

Earlier this year because of the way things have happened the National League was suspended Waterford looked good to retain their status for the 2021 League with two games still to play.

The championship also had to be revised and got underway last weekend nearly two months later than the All-Ireland was originally scheduled for.

Waterford in the revised competition were drawn very much in a group of death containing All-Ireland Champions Dublin and Donegal, who met in the first series of games, a game that Dublin won by a small margin.

Today, Ciaran Curran and his panel and management team made the journey up the M9 and across the Carlow boundary to South Wicklow to the town of Baltinglass for a meeting with All-Ireland Champions Dublin.

Mick Bohan’s Dublin side had a fantastic start to this game as they went eight points to two up with only 19 minutes played, but credit must go to Ciaran Curran’s side who battled back and by the time that Wexford referee Barry Redmond blew his half time whistle just two points separated the sides on the scoreboard.

Waterford continued to mount the pressure on the Dublin defence in the second half and when Róisín Tobin netted mid way through the second half just one point separated the sides in favour of the side from the capital, but in the end Dublin’s greater experience on the big stage was the telling factor as they kicked three of the last four scores to win.

Dublin were quick out of the traps in this one. Sinead Ahearne and Caoimhe O’Connor pointed in the opening two minutes. Chloe Fennell hit Waterford’s first score on three minutes and when Sinead Ahearne from a free and Róisín Tobin swapped scores it started to show signs that this could be a game much closer than most anticipated.

Dublin however would enjoy a purple patch in the next ten minutes in which they would kick five points in a row.

Sarah McCaffrey put the ladies from the Capital two up, Carla Rowe extended the lead on twelve minutes and when Caoimhe O’Connor, Niamh McEvoy and Sinead Ahearne kicked scores in a seven minute spell it was starting to look as if it was going to be an extremely good day for the side in sky blue shirts.

Chloe Fennell who has taken over free taking duties for Waterford this year put over a brace of scores from frees and Aileen Wall hit one to leave just two between the sides with half an hour played. Carla Rowe put three between the sides when she pointed in the first added minute, but Stradbally’s Chloe Fennell who finished top scorer for the Déise County ended the half with her fourth of the game to leave just two between the sides at the interval.

The second half of this game when it came to scoring had the reigning All-Ireland Champions ever so slightly in front when it came to scoring until just before the end of the third quarter.

Wing back Orlagh Nolan opened the second half scoring mid way through the third quarter, but her score was cancelled out by another from Chloe Fennell. Carla Rowe and Lyndsey Davey followed up with points for the Sky Blues opening up a four point lead.

But Waterford would quickly respond with the only goal of the game. On 43 minutes Noelle Healy fouled Karen McGrath inside the Waterford half of the field. She took the free herself and sent a huge delivery into the Dublin half of the field which Aileen Wall raced onto. The Ballymacarbry player ran at the Dublin defence and spotted Róisín Tobin running inside her, laid off the ball and the Abbeyside player sent an unstoppable strike past Ciara Trant to leave just one between the sides.

Sinead Ahearne responded with a brace of points for Dublin within a minute of each other, but Chloe Fennell again split the Dublin uprights four minutes from time.

Dublin now had to call on all of their experience gained over the last decade in which time they contested seven All-Ireland Finals (winning four) to see them over the line and advance to this year’s semi final as group winners. Noelle McEvoy and substitute Lucy Collins hit scores at the Waterford end of the field before Chloe Fennell hit her seventh of the game.

Three points been a dangerous lead to hold in any game Dublin ensured that victory would be theirs deep in stoppage time when Sinead Ahearne put over her four free of the afternoon and sixth score overall to seal victory.

In the last few years since coming up from the Intermediate grade Waterford have made steady progress. We know for a fact that they are closing the gap that would have existed between them and the perceived stronger sides, the likes of Dublin and Cork.

We know that Waterford have some excellent young footballers coming up through the ranks and hopefully we will see them challenging for a place in the senior inter county side sooner rather than later.

It is fair to say that this Waterford side is not all very far from winning something big. As I have said the gap is closing. Can this present Waterford side be as good as the one which we saw three decades ago. There is no reason to suggest it can’t. Whether if this present Waterford side can win as much as the Waterford side put together by Michael Ryan in the 1990’s and early 00’s would be much more difficult to ask as the standard these days across the country is much higher. Back then Laois had a good side for a few years, Monaghan and Mayo also came along at different times with very good sides, but these days there is a lot more sides challenging for League, Provincial and All-Ireland Titles making it more difficult to win as much silver wear, but it certainly can be as good a team to watch going forward.

Ciaran Curran’s side have one game in the round robin section of the competition to play this coming weekend when they will take on Donegal in Mullingar at 1pm on Saturday.

Waterford: Rosie Landers; Megan Dunford, Rebecca Casey, Kelly Anne Hogan; Aisling Mullaney, Karen McGrath, Mairead Wall; Emma Murray, Liz Devine; Chloe Fennell, Katie Murray, Aoife Murray; Aileen Wall, Róisín Tobin, Lauren Mulcahy. 

Subs: Róisín Dunphy for Kelly Anne Hogan (9), Aoife Kennedy for Megan Dunford, Caragh McCarthy for Liz Devine (both 61).

Scorers: Chloe Fennell 0-7 (5f), Roisin Tobin 1-1, Katie Murray, Aileen Wall 0-1 each.

Dublin: Ciara Trant; Martha Byrne, Niamh Collins, Aoife Kane; Orlagh Nolan, Leah Caffrey, Lauren Magee; Jennifer Dunne, Lyndsey Davey; Noelle Healy, Sinead Aherne, Carla Rowe; Sarah McCaffrey, Niamh McEvoy, Caoimhe O’Connor.

Subs: Lucy Collins for Jennifer Dunne (38), Kate Sullivan for Sarah McCaffrey (45), Niamh Hetherton for Niamh McEvoy (58), Laura McGinley for Orlagh Nolan (61), Muireann Ni Scanaill for Lauren Magee (63).

Scorers: Sinead Aherne 0-6 (4f), Carla Rowe 0-3, Niamh McEvoy, Caoimhe O’Connor 0-2 each, Orlagh Nolan, Lyndsey Davey, Sarah McCaffrey, Lucy Collins 0-1 each. 

Referee: Barry Redmond (Wexford).