Waterford ladies footballers hoping for First All-Ireland appearance since 2012

Waterford will attempt to reach an All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Final on Saturday afternoon for the first time since 2012.

But first they will have to beat a strong Leitrim side in the semi finals at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

Waterford will know that to beat Leitrim they will have to be at their very best and will not go into the game that because they have beaten Leitrim already this year that they will beat them again.

Leitrim have impressed a lot this year, reaching the Division Three League Semi Final where they lost out to eventual winners Sligo and then beating the same opposition in the Connacht Final last month and again recently when they beat Clare in the quarter finals that Waterford had beaten in the Munster Final.

Just like in Waterford’s last game Pat Sullivan’s side face a side with a huge name in it and if they are to win they will have to do as they did against Sligo, without letting others maybe as a result of taking an eye of them to have a big game.

Against Sligo, Waterford knew that to win the influence of Katie Walsh, something the side successfully managed reducing her to four points all from frees.

This time out Áine Tighe is the player that Waterford will have to keep an eye most on as she could well have a big game.

In her side’s win over Clare two weeks ago the side hit 4-7 and Áine Tighe registered 3-5 of that.

However, having too many players keep a close eye on her could allow someone like Deirdre Ward, Áine Heslin, Dearbhaile Byrne, Aileen McGuire, Carla Leguen, Niamh Tighe, Emma Guckian or Ailbhe Clancy be the western’s heroine in front of the Waterford goal.

Pat Sullivan’s charges are in fantastic form all year and will know after the counties Intermediate Camogie Team reached an All-Ireland Final last weekend beating Meath at Nowlan Park that it could be their turn to be making headlines within the coming week and in doing so give the county a further boost.

Waterford strolled through to the League Final with Sligo, which was the only game Waterford lost this year (by four points) and then came through the Munster Campaign again with flying colours beating Limerick, Tipperary and Clare in the round robin stages of the competition before beating Clare again in the Munster Final and then as already pointed out beat Sligo in the first of this years quarter finals two weeks ago at Birr.

Since coming in as Waterford manager this year, Pat Sullivan and his management team have helped reshape Waterford.

Some new faces have been introduced and some faces from previous years have reintroduced and made a massive impact.

The management team have also freshened up things by moving established players around the field with success.

Team captain Linda Wall has moved from attack to defence with Mary Foley making the opposite move.

The very successful centre field pairing for many years of Elaine Power and Michelle McGrath has also been broken up.

The Tramore Club lady has moved to centre back and the Ballymacarbry player has moved to full back. Mairead McGrath has also moved from attack to defence and another established versatile star of the side Karen McGrath now plays in the centre of the field.

The Waterford management team are unlikely to make too many changes to the team for this game as they have impressed a lot in recent games.

That will mean that Katie Hannon will be between the posts with Michelle McGrath directly in front of her with the two older of the three Wall sisters involved in this panel Linda and Mairead in the corners.

Elaine Power will be at centre back and will be flanked by Megan Dunford and one from Emma Murray or Louise Ryan.

Which ever of these two that misses out on a place in defence will most likely partner Karen McGrath in the middle of the field.

In attack, Maria Delahunty who is having a brilliant year with Waterford should continue at centre forward with Sinead Ryan directly behind her.

Hannah Landers and Aileen Wall are likely to start in the half forward positions and could pose an enormous treat to the Leitrim defence.

Grainne Kenneally should start in one of the corner forward positions with Mary Foley in the other corner making up a very experienced full forward line.

And no team is made up with out back up and if needed Waterford has plenty of experience to call upon if needed which could well prove to be the winning of the game.

Players like Aoife Landers, Nora Dunphy and Michelle Ryan are vastly experienced players.

Ciara Kearney has been brought in as back up to club mate Katie Hannon on goal and if called upon will not let the side down.

Shauna Dunphy and Emer Scanlon are playing Football with some time now and again if called upon will do a job for the side while the likes of Mary Kate Morrissey, Aoife Murray, Nicola Fennell, Kate McGrath, Caoimhe McGrath and Katie Murray are all exciting prospects who have been brought into the set up this year and like other likely players held in reserve for this game, will if called upon will not let the side down in any way.

Waterford will know that this will not be an easy game to win, but one which is winnable all the same. In recent games between the two Waterford have the upper hand and that will give the side confidence going into the game.

Make no mistake, Áine Tighe is vital to Leitrim’s hopes in this game and if she is left play as she can, she will inflict damage on Waterford.

However Leitrim do not depend solely on Kiltubrid player who is likely to start on the edge of the Waterford square.

Last time out when Katie Walsh who proved to be the difference in the league final between Waterford and Sligo, had her influence reduced by the Waterford defence which helped Waterford advance to this stage of the competition.

If the Waterford defence can do the same this Saturday in Limerick, I for won will be confident that not only will I be going to Croke Park on September 13; I will be going there again two weeks later.