Waterford seek third league title in a week

Waterford’s Intermediate Ladies Football team will be hoping to do what the Counties Intermediate Camogie team and Senior Hurling team did last weekend this coming Saturday afternoon and become the third side in the county to win a National League Title in 2015.

When Waterford lead by Linda Wall takes to the pitch at Parnell Park in Dublin on Saturday around noon, it will be the fourteenth time that Waterford will contest a league final.

Between 1988 and 2002 Waterford under the guidance of Michael Ryan contested ten finals winning the deciders in 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2002 beating Laois, Mayo (twice) and Clare (twice) in the finals, loosing to Kerry in four finals in a row between 1988 and 1991 and to Monaghan in 1999.

Previous to Waterford contesting a Division one final, a Division two final was won in 1986 beating Laois in the final, the same year that they beat Wexford in the All-Ireland Junior Final, the first Ladies Football Final played at Croke Park.

In recent years, Waterford have played a lot of their league football in Division three, reaching the final in 2010 where they lost out to Cavan and again last year when they lost to a very strong Armagh side who contests this years Division two final against Donegal also at Parnell Park on Saturday.

At the start of the league back in the first week of February, most would have predicted that Waterford even with a younger side than last year would be in contention for a place in the final.

What some might not have predicted then was that Sligo would be Waterford’s opponents this weekend.

On paper it looked as Leitrim, Fermanagh and Tipperary, the latter along with Waterford being the runners up in the last three All-Ireland Intermediate All-Ireland Finals, but to the Yeats County side’s credit, they are in Saturday’s final on merit and will provide stiff opposition for Waterford.

Sligo began their league campaign with a 1-16 to 0-7 win over Longford and followed it up with a 4-8 to 0-5 win over last years All-Ireland Junior Champions Wexford.

Sligo made the journey to Fraher Field for the third game in the campaign and suffered a first loss of the campaign, loosing 5-13 to 0-6. Another defeat against Roscommon 2-9 to 1-7 followed but since then it was wins all the way.

What was described as a 1-11 to 0-7 win over Leitrim was recorded in round five and another big win was recorded in the penultimate round of games in the league section of the competition winning 4-18 to 1-6. In the final round of games another big win was recorded this time against last years All-Ireland Intermediate runners up, the Magpies ran out wines 4-7 to 0-5.

Finishing on fifteen points from the seven games, the same tally as Leitrim and Roscommon, Sligo were first out of the hat in a draw to see who finished second in the group with the remaining to sides having to play off to see who finish’s third and fourth in the semi finals.

It was Leitrim that came out on top in the play off game with Roscommon and so were paired with Sligo in the semi finals.

At the break in that game at Ballyhaunis, Sligo despite playing with the wind at their backs trailed 1-5 to 0-7. However Sligo could well have been out of site at the break as they kicked 12 wides and when they away a soft goal within seconds of the second half starting, it looked as if they were going to be made pay for the first half wide’s tally.

The Sligo management team however pulled a bit of a master stroke at the break sending on Emma Hansberry who earlier in the day had played a soccer game. it was as a result of this soccer game that the game between the two Connacht sides was put back to allow Hansberry to be involved in both something that vexed Leitrim manager Pat Costello and the Irish International soccer player added ‘insult to injury’ by kicking two goals from penalties to seal victory for her side.

Waterford’s passage to this Saturday’s final is very impressive, even if along the way there was the odd scare or two.

Waterford’s first game of the campaign was against Wexford. When the sides met last year Waterford recorded a very big win and may were expecting something similar to happen this year. However after last years game, the Model County side improved a lot and went on to win the Junior All-Ireland Final which meant that they travelled to Dungarvan on a high, and they really put it up to Waterford but the home side ran out 0-9 to 2-2 winners.

Excellent wins over Fermanagh (5-12 to 0-3) and Sligo (5-13 to 0-6) both at Fraher Field followed for Waterford before Sligo visited ‘the Old Boro’.

Waterford’s first away game of the campaign was away to Tipperary in Ardfinnan. Waterford began without many of their big name players and Tipperary took advantage of this. However, as Pat Sullivan emptied his bench and Waterford with some very experienced players on the field ran out 2-12 to 3-5 winners.

Against Roscommon at Fraher Field again youth was given its chance in the first half but in the second half with some of the more experienced player on the field Waterford were able to pull away and win 5-6 to 2-9.

That win secured a semi final spot and in round six they collected the full quota of points on offer without playing as Longford who were without a win in the league up to that point informed officials that they would not be travelling to Dungarvan.

For the final game in the league section Waterford travelled to Leitrim knowing that if they were to avoid defeat they would top the group. Not only did Waterford win, they won far more comfortably that the 5-11 to 3-9 score line suggested as Leitrim hit some late goals to put a gloss on the score board.

In the semi finals against Roscommon, Waterford travelled to Nenagh expecting a tough battle after the test they had in Fraher Field, and at the break it did look as if they were in a game, but in the second half Michelle Ryan, Hannah Landers and Mary Foley hit goals to help Waterford win 4-15 to 0-9.

Both sides have named very strong sides for Saturday’s game.

Sligo make one change to the team that started against Leitrim. Karen Moloney comes in at right corner forward for Rachel Monaghan. Many might have expected Emma Hanberry to get a start this weekend, but she will be away with the Irish International Soccer team in America where they have a friendly on Sunday in San Jose against the United States and a few days later against Haiti in Florida.

Waterford name the same fifteen that started against Roscommon the last day with positional changes kept to the minimum as Michelle Ryan and Aoife Murray are set to swap corners.

Having won two National League Finals last weekend was nice. To win a third this weekend would be very sweet. For Waterford to win might set some sort of record as Waterford’s highest graded team in both hurling, football, camogie and ladies football will have won titles in the one calendar year and not many counties can claim that.

There is some that might suggest that the Waterford Intermediate Ladies Footballers might be under pressure this weekend to do the same as what happened last weekend. I don’t think this is the case.

This is a good Waterford team made up with a nice mix of youth and experience. Pat Sullivan has done things different this year. He has not been afraid to make these changes. Players that have become household names in a certain position in recent years have taken up a new position this year and they have settled in like ducks to water.

Waterford will not head to Dublin this Saturday with ‘cocky heads’. They will give Sligo the respect that they deserve. They will know that they have beaten them already this year but lets not forget that it was Sligo that won the game between the two last year.

If Waterford go out and play the football that they are capable of, then a seventh National League title in fourteen finals should be beating to Waterford on Saturday evening.

Discipline is also going to be an important issue on Saturday. Should any side have their numbers cut for players who may get sin-binned for ten minutes, it could prove costly on their side as a lot of damage can be done while a player is watching from the sideline.

The game is not going to be won by the players that start for what ever side that does win. Those that will come on will also play a vital roll. If changes are needed you can’t but feel that Waterford have the stronger bench. Players like Aoife Dunne, Caoimhe McGrath, Ciara Hurley, Hannah Landers, Lauren McGreggor, Mairead Power, Mary Foley, Louise Ryan, Nora Dunphy, Liz Devine, Mags Revins and Shauna Dunphy are all players that have played a part in getting Waterford to where they are and are able to come in and do a job if needed.

Waterford: 1. Katie Hannon; 2. Megan Dunford, 3. Karen McGrath, 4. Linda Wall; 5. Michelle McGrath, 6. Elaine Power, 7. Emma Murray; 8. Nicola Fennell, 9. Mairead Wall; 10. Grainne Kenneally, 11. Maria Delahunty, 12. Aileen Wall; 13. Michelle Ryan, 14. Sinead Ryan, 15. Aoife Murray.

Sligo: 1. Noelle Gormley; 2. Jackie Mulligan, 3. Grainne O’Loughlin, 4. Orla McGowan; 5. Colley Casey. 6. Elsie Codd, 7. Ruth Goodwin; 8. Sinead McTiernan, 9. Bernice Byrne; 10. Sarah Reynolds, 11. Stephanie O’Reilly, 12. Elaine O’Reilly; 13. Karen Moloney, 14. Katie Walsh, 15. Laura Anne Laffey.

Paths to the Final

Sligo:

Sligo   1-16    Longford        0-7

Sligo   4-8      Wexford         0-5

Sligo   0-6      Waterford       5-13

Sligo   1-7      Roscommon 2-9

Sligo   1-11    Leitrim            0-7

Sligo   4-18    Tipperary       1-6

Sligo   4-7      Fermanagh   0-5

Sligo   2-9      Leitrim            1-8      (Semi Final)

Total For:       17-82

Total Against: 9-60

Average For: 17 points

Average Against: 11 points

Waterford:

Waterford       0-9      Wexford         2-2

Waterford       5-12    Fermanagh   0-3

Waterford       5-13    Sligo               0-6

Waterford       2-12    Tipperary       3-5

Waterford       5-6      Roscommon 2-9

Waterford received a walkover from Longford

Waterford       5-11    Leitrim            3-9

Waterford       4-14    Roscommon 0-9      (semi Final)

Total For:       26-77

Total Against: 10-43

Average For:   22 points

Average Against: 11

Averages are rounded up to the nearest full or half number.