A look back at hurling in Waterford in 2014 - Part 1.

2014 was a disappointing year for Waterford on the Inter county hurling scene many of us will agree.

No silverware was won in a year that promised so much.

In 2013 Waterford were unlucky to loose to Kilkenny in the Championship after extra time, Waterford’s best championship result against ‘The Cats’ since 1959.

In 2013 Waterford won a first minor hurling All-Ireland since 1948 and some of the players involved in this side were expected to feature on the Waterford Under 21 and Intermediate teams in the championship as were members of the Dungarvan Colleges, Dungarvan CBS and Colaiste na Déise sides that proved successful in the past few years and some were expected to make the break through into the senior set up.

It was no surprise that some of the players involved in these successes made an impact. Colin Dunford, Austin Gleeson and Tadhg de Búrca were the ones that got their chance and took it.

Stephen Bennett was unlucky. He was brought into the panel and was expected to get game time in the early stages of the year, but Ballysaggart’s run in the club championship robbed him of playing early in the year for Waterford but he did manage to make his debut late in the year.

Waterford’s interest in all competitions ended sooner than any of us would have likes. But while no silverware will be displayed when the county board meet this week at its annual convention, there is some things that can be taken as pluses as we head into another year.

In eleven games (1 Waterford Crystal, 6 league, 2 Munster Championship and 2 All-Ireland Qualifiers) Derek McGrath used 35 players. 14 of these played all or a part in seven or more games.

Waterford put up some good scores. However while some good scores were put up, there was a problem at the end of the field.

Modern coaches have a tendency to fill as much space as is possible in their own half of the field, but if they do this and are leaving in big scores past them, when you don’t have enough players in the opposition’s side of the field you are always going to struggle for results.

Another problem Waterford had in 2014 was a lot of scores were coming from placed balls. When you are struggling to find the range from play it is going to be hard to win. Another problem was that from the chances Waterford were creating from open play the ball often went wide of the uprights.

Waterford’s year began with a game in the Waterford Crystal Cup against the Students of UL at Carriganore.

Waterford started well on what was a difficult day to play in and went to the dressing rooms at the break with a two point lead, but a goal three minutes into the second half from Jonathan Glynn turned the game and the students went on to win 1-11 to 0-10.

The League began for Waterford with a trip to Thurles to play Tipperary.

At the break things were going well for the visitors, as they went to the dressing rooms holding a 0-8 to 0-5 advantage with all but two of Waterford’s scores coming from Pauric Mahony.

The Ballygunner man would tag on another four points in the second half, but he was powerless to stopping Waterford from going under.

A goal from Seamus Callanan on 47 minutes drew the sides level 1-7 to 0-10 and when Darren Gleeson who made the number 1 shirt his own following the retirement of Brendan Cummins sent a long range free all the way to the Waterford net it ensured that the home side secured a 2-13 to 0-16 victory.

Galway travelled to Walsh Park in round two. A week earlier the Tribes men had trounced Dublin and were travelling on a high.

For the third game in a row, Waterford turned around at the break with an advantage. The question now was if Waterford could reverse previous trends and go on and win a game for the first time in the calendar year.

On the day, Waterford played possibly as well as they did all year. There were some excellent performances all around the field. Pauric Mahony again finished as top scorer with eleven points, half a dozen of which came from frees. Seven other players also got on the score sheet sharing tallies ranging from one to four points giving hope that the tide was beginning to turn.

A 0-22 to 1-13 win over the Tribesmen was followed up with another win against Dublin in Walsh Park.

However, it was not easy for Waterford who had their numbers cut when Michael Walsh was sent off on a straight red card.

For the fourth game in a row, Waterford went in at the break with an advantage on the scoreboard, and with each player on the field putting in an extra shift to make up for the absence of the Michael Walsh, the home side in the second half held the visitors scoreless for 28 minutes.

Pauric Mahony again finished top scorer for Waterford with 1-8, 0-7 of which came from placed balls while Seamus Prendergast, Brian O’Sullivan, Ryan Donnelly and Kevin Moran also got on the score sheet as Waterford won out 1-13 to 1-10.

There was an expectation now amongst Waterford supporters that 2014 could well be a memorable year. Another win in Waterford’s last two games would secure a place in the quarter finals and once playing knockout hurling, anything could happen.

Waterford’s penultimate league game was in Ennis.

The game was over as a contest at the break. In truth it was over as a contest well before the break. Clare went to the dressing rooms holding a 4-15 to 0-4 lead and would only go through the motions in the second half.

Waterford did manage to put in a better second half, hitting 16 scores with the home side hitting just 4 scores in 35 minutes, one of which resulted in a fifth green flag being waved.

Pauric Mahony again finished top scorer for Waterford with eight points, six of which came from frees. Brian O’Sullivan, Maurice Shanahan, Stephen Molumphy, Ryan Donnelly, Kevin Moran and Shane Roche shared the rest.

After defeat to Clare, Waterford hoped to get back to winning ways and secure their place in the quarter finals of the league when they took on Kilkenny at Nolan Park, but the final outcome was very similar to the one recorded at Ennis.

In what was a close first half the home side at the break held a 1-7 to 0-8 advantage, but in the second half Brian Cody’s charges hit the ground running putting 3-15 past Waterford.

Pauric Mahony finished the game with five points, all from frees in the first half. Ray Barry proved to be Waterford best player on the day hitting four points all from play after he came in for fellow Lismore man Maurice Shanahan.

Three defeats in five games meant Waterford were in a relegation play off with Dublin.

Waterford won the toss for home advantage. Having beaten Dublin at Walsh Park weeks earlier expectations were that Waterford would win again and retain their place in Division 1A for 2015.

But for a side to beat the same opposition twice in a short space of time is always a big ask. The looser of the first game is often the side that learns most and give them an advantage heading into the second game.

Just as happened in the first meeting between the sides Waterford had their numbers cut during this game as Shane O’Sullivan was dismissed.

Waterford started the game brightly as Ray Barry and Brian O’Sullivan hit scores inside the opening 51 seconds, a lead that stretched when Pauric Mahony hit three points to give Waterford a 0-5 to 0-0 lead after 10 minutes.

The visitors pulled a goal back three minutes later when Paul Ryan blasted a 21 metre free to the Waterford net.

Seamus Prendergast caused Dublin all sorts of problems and on 21 minutes he set up Darragh Fives for a goal, just moments after he replaced Stephen Molumphy. Colm Cronin four minutes from the break gathered from Mark Schutte and he buried past Ian O’Regan to help his side to a 2-6 to 1-8 lead at the turn around.

A brace of Danny Sutcliffe goals in the third quarter put Dublin in command and went on to win 4-13 to 1-17 and retain their Division 1A status.

Between the end of the league and the championship, no stone was left unturned to get Waterford ready. A number of challenge games were played and some players who were not regular starters in the league came into contention for a place in the team.

When June 8 came around, expectations were high amongst some.

The game with Cork ended 1-21 to 1-21, but Waterford will be disappointed not to have won.

Waterford fielded a youthful team. This was partly due to necessity and partly due to the fact that some of the up and coming players in the county had done enough in the weeks leading up to the game to earn a place in the team.

On his championship debut Clashmore’s Tadhg de Búrca was magnificent. Austin Gleeson announced his introduction to big time hurling with a suburb goal, one that would rival John Fenton’s goal for Cork against Limerick in the 1980’s as one of the greatest ever scored at the Thurles venue.

Waterford seldom looked in trouble in defence, except for a moment just before the break when Barry Coughlan was deemed to have pulled down Pat Horgan as he bore down on goal.  Brian Gavin awarded Cork a free, which Patrick Horgan struck over for a point, a score that was cancelled out by Austin Gleeson to give Waterford a 0-13 to 0-7 lead at the interval.

Cork on the resumption increased the tempo and succeeded in reducing the deficit when they hit four of the first six points in the half.

However the tide would turn again when Austin Gleeson, crashed a memorable goal fit to grace any occasion. Taking possession on the Cork 45m line he left three defenders for dead and proceeded to plant the ball into the top corner of Anthony Nash’s net.

Waterford added further scores from Shane Walsh and Pauric Mahoney before the game turned thanks to a Bill Cooper goal after Stephen O’Keeffe did well to deny Horgan but when the Waterford defence failed to clear the loose ball, the Youghal man scrambled to the net.

After this Cork were the better of the sides. They drew level with time ticking down but Seamus Prendergast edged Waterford back in front with the game in stoppage time.

No game however is over till the final whistle sounds

Austin Gleeson was deemed to have fouled Anthony Nash as he made a clearance and as a result a free was awarded from where the ball dropped. From 30 metres Patrick Horgan was going to make no mistake ensuring that the two sides would have to return to Thurles for a second clash.

Were Waterford good for the first meeting with Cork at Thurles or did the rebels play beneath the standard they are capable of. The answer to that will never be decided upon by a unanimous vote.

Which ever is true, there could be no disputing who the better team was for the second game between the two sides.

Just under 22,100 people saw Cork prove forever too strong winning the game by a double score tally.

Patrick Horgan was vital for Cork on the day as he hit ten of his sides twenty-eight points.

Cork lead 0-14 to 0-5 at the break. The sides were level on three occasions in the opening minutes but Cork never allowed Waterford to build up a head of steam like they had in the first game.

Patrick Horgan, Bill Cooper, Conor Lehane and Seamus Harnedy all shun for the winners.

Waterford again relied on Pauric Mahony for much of their scores. He hit five points, four of which came from placed balls. Newcomers Austin Gleeson and Colin Dunford also shared five points, while Shane O’Sullivan, Brian O’Sullivan, Shane Walsh and Richie Foley also got on the score sheet.

Cork ran out convincing winners (0-28 to 0-14) to end Waterford’s hopes of winning a fifth Munster title since 2002. Waterford if they were to be in Croke Park in September would have to do it the scenic way.

Laois provided the opposition for Waterford at Walsh Park in the first round of the qualifiers.

The Midlanders reached the quarter finals of the league playing out of Division 1B and along the way they made things difficult for many sides along the way.

They were expected to put up stiff opposition for Waterford and for much of the game this is what happened.

Waterford won 2-22 to 1-15 in front of just over 5,000 spectators but it was only in the closing minutes that the game was won.

Pauric Mahony was again top scorer for Waterford with eleven points, all but one of which came from frees, while Shane Walsh bagged a brace of goals.

The visitors could not have asked for a better start to this game. Neil Foyle finished to the net with just 57 seconds on the clock, but Waterford responded well after leaving in the early goal and went to the dressing rooms at the break leading 2-10 to 1-5.

The first of the Waterford goals came on ten minutes after Colin Dunford cut in from the right touchline and supplied Shane Walsh with a perfect pass.

Waterford struck a second goal again through the Fourmilewater club man and five more unanswered points were struck to give Waterford a double score lead at the interval.

Waterford could have been even further in front at the break but for the fact they hit ten wide’s in the opening 35 minutes and early in the second half it looked as though they could be made to pay for these misses as Laois began well as Willie Hyland began the second half with a brace of points.

After Waterford went 2-17 to 1-9 in front, Laois hit back with five points in a row with Willie Hyland and John Purcell playing vital rolls.

This was as good as it got for the midlander’s  as Waterford finished strong and could have won by more in the end but for Eoin Reilly pulling off a magnificent save to divert a Jake Dillon effort over the crossbar.

In the second round of the qualifiers Waterford were handed a game against Wexford at Nolan Park.

19,000 people say the Model County side record a 3-15 to 2-15 win in this game.

Paul Morris was the hero for Wexford shooting 1-6 with Conor McDonald and David Redmond also raising green flags.

The games first goal came in 12 minutes went in the way of the Leinster side as Paul Morris gave Stephen O’Keeffe no chance to give his side a 1-4 to 0-3 lead.

Waterford were awarded a chance to cancel out the score just a minute later when they were awarded a penalty, but Austin Gleeson had his effort saved by Moore and the ball was put out for a ’65 which Pauric Mahony converted.

Wexford held a lead till the twenty fourth minute of the game when Colin Dunford and Austin Gleeson landed points to draw the sides level 1-6 to 0-9 and two minutes later, Waterford took the lead when Pauric Mahony put over a free and that lead was extended when Jake Dillon and Austin Gleeson landed scores to give Waterford a 0-12 to 1-7 lead after 28 minutes.

Wexford would draw level as Paul Morris and Liam McGovern landed points with 33 minutes played.

Wexford would retire at the break 2-9 to 0-12 in front as Conor McDonald cracked an unstoppable shot past Stephen O’Keeffe one minute into added time at the end of the first half.

Wexford began the second half as they ended the first. Podge Doran stuck the first score of the second half on 38 minutes and just three minutes later Wexford hit a third goal through David Redmond. Wexford could have been even further in front at this stage as just a minute earlier Stephen O’Keeffe did brilliantly to keep Paul Morris at bay.

This was the wake up call that Waterford needed as Pauric Mahony landed a point on 44 minutes, Kevin Moran with a brilliant pass found Colin Dunford three minutes later and he made no mistake in hitting the Wexford net and a minute later Austin Gleeson struck again to leave Waterford trailing 3-10 to 1-14 with 48 minutes played.

A quick exchange of scores soon followed as Colin Dunford again hit the Wexford net again to give Waterford a one point lead but it was soon wiped out when Paul Morris dissected the Waterford uprights to level matters at 2-14 to 3-11.

Paul Morris hit Wexford’s next three points and Stephen Molumphy hit one for Waterford which gave Wexford a 3-14 to 2-15 lead with 16 minutes still to play.

After this both sides began to slow down and so did the scores with both sides missing chances to change the score board.

In the closing minutes one further score was registered, an Ian Byrne point with four minutes left on the clock which gave Wexford a three point advantage.

That loss ended what some might call a disappointing year for Waterford. However a new year is around the corner. There is lots of changes in 2015 but we can for now hope that the year ahead will be a good one and that this time next year there will be some silverware, even Crystal-ware on show for the effort put in during the course of the year.