Munster Champions win Munster Final Dress Rehearsal at Fraher Field.

In 2015 its fairy to say that Waterford have some very consistent teams.

Take the county senior hurlers. They have played 9 competitive games in league and championship and won 8 of them. The game they did not win was the league opener against Limerick which ended in a draw.

The counties Intermediate Camogie team are also constant this year. Seven games have been played up to this point in league and championship. Waterford have won 6 of them. The game not won was a Munster Championship defeat to Clare.

And then there is the Waterford Intermediate Ladies Football team.

Pat Sullivan’s charges have played 11 league and championship games, winning ten of them. The game not won was the league final against Sligo.

Waterford’s latest win came on Sunday afternoon when the side beat Clare in the final game in the Round Robin section of the Munster Championship, having seven points to spare at the end of the hour.

Prior to the game the two sides had qualified for the Munster Final on July 11, the game having a 4pm throw in at Mallow.

While Sunday’s game had a degree of a shadow boxing attached to it, with neither side wanting to show their full hand ahead of the Provincial Final show down, none-the-less both sides served up an entertaining game.

There can be no doubting that on the day Grainne Nolan was the visiting side’s best player.

The Banner Club player kicked four points for her side, three of which came from play.

Her tally however could well have been much higher but for some wayward shooting from frees especially in the first half.

For Waterford a number of players impressed.

Katie Hannon on goal was coolness personified. The Ballyduff Upper player when needed was always in command around her own goal.

In front of her, the full back line of Nora Dunphy, Michelle McGrath and Linda Wall were outstanding. Linda Wall in particular shone. She helped break up many attacks. She helped carry some good ball out of defence and at one stage she showed her attacking skills kicking a magnificent point after she broke almost unnoticed out of defence to take a pass and to split the posts. Caoimhe McGrath in the half back line also served up an excellent performance over the hour.

In the middle of the field Karen McGrath had another excellent game and in attack Sinead Ryan and Mary Foley were the pick of the forwards who all impressed on the day.

Sinead Ryan who finished as top scorer in her sides win over Tipperary was one of three players to share the title as ‘top scorer’ in this game. The brilliant Ballymacarbry player finished the game with four points all from play, the same tally as Clare’s top scorer Gráinne Nolan, three of which were from play, while Waterford corner forward Mary Foley who seems to have found a new lease of life since moving to the forwards (in the same way as Michelle McGrath and Elaine Power, the latter who did not play in this game have moved to defensive positions after many years playing in the middle of the field) blasted a late goal to also finish the game with an accumulative value of four points.

Waterford started this game very brightly kicking two points inside the opening four minutes of the game both through Sinead Ryan.

Ellie O’Gorman pulled a point back for Clare on six minutes, but Nicola Fennell and Sinead Ryan would follow up with scores for Waterford to give the home side a 0-4 to 0-1 lead with 12 minutes played.

Clare who played in the senior grade up to this year for a number of years and who played at a higher level in the league than Waterford in the last two seasons came back and hit points from Niamh Keane and Kate Coughlan to leave just one between the sides with 16 minutes played.

The visitors levelled matters 8 minutes from the break when their best player on the day Gráinne Nolan hit her first of the game, but Waterford hit back with the games first goal within thirty seconds, Hannah Landers the scorer of two goals against Tipperary finished a good move to the net having been picked out by Sinead Ryan.

The Ballymacarbry Club player went from score provider to score getter on the half hour mark when she split the posts for the fourth time to give her side a 1-5 to 0-4 lead at the change of ends.

The visitors at the start of the second half began by cutting Waterford’s lead to three as Róisín Howley hit a very early score.

Waterford however soon were into their stride and a Michelle Ryan point was followed up with Fiona Toughy making an excellent save to deny Hannah Landers and on 37 minutes Michelle Ryan hit her second of the game.

Grainne Nolan again pulled a point back for Clare before the very impressive Linda Wall burst up field and splitting the posts for a delightful score at the end of the third quarter.

Grainne Nolan again pointed for Clare before Fiona Toughy made another excellent save this time keeping out an effort from Waterford sub Maria Delahunty.

Marie Considine landed a point for Clare to leave three between the sides once more with nine minutes to play, but Maria Delahunty from a free and Mary Foley kicked points for Waterford to give their side a more comfortable lead.

Grainne Nolan and Niamh Keane cancelled out the scores of the Abbeyside Club duo to leave three between the sides once more with three minutes plus injury time still to play.

Maria Delahunty put over a point before Mary Foley wrapped up the game for Waterford with an excellent goal a minute from time and on the hour mark Maria Delahunty hit her third score of the game.

Ciara Cahill hit the last score of the game for Clare in added time but it was a mere consolation score.

On the day, the better team won, but when they clash again in two weeks time, things might prove to be a little closer.  

Waterford: Katie Hannon (Ballyduff Upper); Nora Dunphy (Comeragh Rangers), Michelle McGrath (Ballymacarbry), Linda Wall (Ballymacarbry); Mairead Wall (Ballymacarbry), Caoimhe McGrath (Abbeyside), Kate McGrath (Brickeys); Karen McGrath (Ballymacarbry), Nicola Fennell (Stradbally); Hannah Landers (Ballyduff Upper), Michelle Ryan (Ballymacarbry), Sinead Ryan (Ballymacarbry); Aoife Dunne (Comeragh Rangers), Aoife Murray (Comeragh Rangers), Mary Foley (Abbeyside). Subs: Maria Delahunty (Abbeyside) for Aoife Murray (42), Grainne Kenneally (Ballyduff Upper) for Aoife Dunne (48), Aoife Landers (Saint Patrick’s) for Hannah Landers (58)

Scorers: Sinead Ryan 0-4, Mary Foley 1-1, Hannah Landers 1-0, Maria Delahunty 0-3 (1f), Michelle Ryan 0-2, Linda Wall, Nicola Fennell 0-1 each.

Clare: Fiona Toughy (Kilmihil); Orlaith Lynch (Banner) Grainne Harvey (West Clare Gaels), Claire Hester (Fergus Rovers); Ellie O’Gorman (Kilmihil), Laurie Ryan (Banner), Marie Considine (Liscannor); Becky Mahon (Kilmihil), Louise Woods (Banner); Grainne Nolan (Banner), Niamh Keane (Banner), Roisin Howley (Burren Gaels); Kate Coughlan (Kilmihil), Eimear Hillery (Liscannor), Sarah Browne (Kilmihil). Subs: Carla Beehan (Shannon Gaels) for Eimear Hillery (23), Ciara Cahill (Barefield) for Kate Coughlan (HT), Karen Roche (Banner) for Grainne Harvey (48).

Scorers: Grainne Nolan 0-4 (1f), Niamh Keane 0-2, Ellie O’Gorman, Kate Coughlan, Roisin Howley, Marie Considine, Ciara Cahill 0-1 each.

Referee: Mike Duffy (Tipperary)