Waterford ladies to make it third time lucky

Waterford and Tipperary clash at the unusual venue of Clane in Co Kildare on Saturday afternoon in the final of this years Lidl National Ladies Football League Division three final, a game that could well prove to be one of the best games played in 2016.

The two sides in the group section of the competition proved to be the best two sides in the Division and in their respective semi finals against Leitrim and Wexford, Waterford and Tipperary once more proved to be the best two sides in the competition with both recording good wins.

This will be the second meeting of the two neighbouring counties this year. They played in the opening round of games back in the last weekend of January at Piltown in Co. Kilkenny.

It was Tipperary that lead for much of the game and were in control at the break having played with the wind at their backs. But Waterford in the second half were able to call on some of their big guns as for the second year in a row, Waterford manager Pat Sullivan having worked with some exciting young prospects on the under age scene in the last few years gave some of them the chance to show what they could do on the bigger stage, but withdrew some of them from the action as the game went on in favour of the more experienced players and this experience stood to the team as they began to eat into the Tipperary lead built up at the interval.

Going into the closing minutes of the game the Premier ladies lead by a point buy a point from the experienced Linda Wall levelled matters and just as it was looking that both sides would have to settle for a share of the spoils, younger sister Aileen kicked the winner in a 0-18 to 2-11 win for Waterford.

This is Tipperary’s biggest game since they lost to Cavan in the All-Ireland Intermediate Final at Croke Park in 2013. After that game they appointed former inter county hurler John Leahy as their manager a controversial appointment in some quarters.

This year they are under the guidance Donegal man Gerry McGill who lead the Dublin Senior Ladies Footballers to the All-Ireland finals in 2009 and 2010 winning the latter against Tyrone.

Since then he was ad advisor to the Tipperary ladies football team in 2013 and has also held position in different male football teams in his adopted county where he teaches.

He has seen a remarkable turn around in the fortunes of Tipperary and has got experienced players back into the set up as well bringing in some of the hugely exciting players within the county that have played on successful colleges teams in Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel and Cahir in recent years.

Under his guidance with Waterford now out of the way having won the last seven Intermediate ladies football finals, he and his side will be very confident that they can win this years final later in the year and to even go on to greater things later in the year.

Ladies Football in Waterford is on a bit of a crest of a wave right now. The county has won a number of underage titles at provincial and national levels and some of players involved in these successes have been brought into the senior set up since Pat Sullivan took over the team at the start of last year and the players many of whom he worked with on the underage front have not left him down for the faith he has shown in them.

Like Tipperary, many of the Waterford players that are coming through at the moment have come through from successful college sides in Carrick-on-Suir, Dungarvan and Ring.

Waterford go into this weekend’s final with a perfect record beating Tipperary, Offaly, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Wexford, Down and Roscommon in the league section of the competition and last time out they had an excellent win over Leitrim at Portarlington.  Tipperary’s only defeat so far coming against Waterford.

Both sides have named strong teams for Saturday’s game. Tipperary look to be set to start with the stronger side. They have named Patricia Hickey (Brian Borus) in goal ahead of Ballymacarbry’s Lauren Fitzpatrick, but apart from that the team printed on the programme for Saturday is along expected lines.

Brid Condon (Aherlow), Samantha Lambert (Ardfinnan) and Sinead Delahunty (Foxrock-Cabinteely) make up the full back line with Ann O’Dwyer (Cappawhite), Jennifer Grant (Brian Borus) and Claire Carroll (Galtee Rovers) playing in front of them.

In the middle of the field the Premier management team have a solid look to it with Lorraine O’Shea (Mullinahone) and Sheelagh Carew (Cappawhite) set to contest the throw in.

In attack Tipperary could case Waterford’s defenders a lot of heartache. Catriona Walsh (Na Fianna), Mairead Morrissey (Brian Borus) and Niamh Lonergan (Moyle Rovers) are named in the half forward line with Aisling Moloney (Cahir) Gillian O’Brien (Moyle Rovers) and Edel Hanley (Aherlow) playing closest to the Waterford goal.

No side is complete without backup and the Tipperary management team for this game will be able to call on Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry), Grainne Condon (Aherlow), Bernie and Aoife Ryan (Cappawhite), Eimear Myles (Brian Borus), Edith Carroll (Galtee Rovers), Maria Curley (Templemore), Kelly Hackett (Moycarkey Borris), Roisin Crowe (Thurles Gaels), Claire Mullins (Aherlow), Erin Slattery (Gortnahoe/Glengoole), Siobhan Condon (Aherlow), Aoibhe O’Shea (Mullinahone) and Aisling McCarthy (Cahir).

The Waterford management team have named a team with a mix of youth and experience.

Katie Hannon (Ballyduff Upper) will start between the posts. In front of her Mairead Wall, Michelle McGrath and Linda Wall (all Ballymacarbry) remain in tact from last year All-Ireland Intermediate Final win against Kildare. In front of them Emma Murray (Comeragh Rangers) is joined with Louise Ryan (Ballymacarbry) and Aisling Mullaney (Stradbally) in the half back line.

In the middle of the field there is a youthful but experienced look to it with Megan Dunford (Abbeyside) and Katie Murray (Comeragh Rangers) are set to start.

In attack just like with Tipperary Waterford has a dangerous look to it for opposing defenders.

Maria Delahunty (Abbeyside), Michelle Ryan (Ballymacarbry) and Caoimhe McGrath (Abbeyside) will fill the shirt numbers from ten to twelve while inside them in Aileen Wall (Ballymacarbry), Liz Devine (Kilrossanty/Brickeys) and Sinead Ryan (Ballymacarbry) who captains the team this year are players that know where the posts are.

In the past, Waterford’s bench has won many a game and this time around things are expected to be no different.

Roisin Tobin (Abbeyside), Hannah Power (St. Pats), Grainne Kenneally (Ballyduff Upper), Ciara Hurley (Dungarvan), Nicola Fennell (Stradbally), Caragh McCarthy (Abbeyside), Aoife Landers (St. Pats), Chloe Fennell (Stradbally), Lauren McGregor (Dungarvan), Laura Mulcahy (Ballymacarbry), Bronagh Condon (Na Déise), Shauna Dunphy (Comeragh Rangers), Niamh Power (Stradbally), Hannah Power (Old Parish) and Becky Hogan (Ballymacarbry) are all players that have played a roll to get to Waterford to this weekend’s game with Tipperary and if they were to get a run in this game or maybe even from the start it would hardly come as a surprise.

Don’t be surprised either if others that have played for the side throughout the league but who are not named on the programme were to be added to the team sheet before the game and also to get a run out.

Some statistics suggest that this could well be a very high scoring game as both sets of forwards have been literally on fire in the seven games played to date, but at the other end of the field both defences have proven to be hard to break down and if the defenders on both sides were once more to be on top of their game on Saturday afternoon it could well prove to be a low scoring game.

In their eight games to date Waterford have hit 23 goals and kept four clean sheets at the back. Tipperary in their eight games has raised 30 green flags and has four clean sheets at the back.

Waterford have averaged just over 22.5 points per game and conceded just under 10.5 points a game while Tipperary’s average in their eight games sees them hit just over 23.5 points per game and concede just over 11.5 points per game.

This is Waterford’s third league final in a row. This year’s side will travel to the Kildare venue intent on making up for the disappointments of 2014 when they lost to Armagh and last year to Sligo.

The experience of winning last years All-Ireland Intermediate title will stand to the team in this game and will know that the best way to go into the upcoming Munster Championship and All-Ireland series is on a high and how high can you go into a game other that safe in the knowledge that you won your last competitive game, a game that would mean that another medal is to be added to an already collection of honours for many.

Waterford have it in them to make up for the disappointments of 2014 and 2015. If as expected the game will go to the wire and is not won till the final minutes or even seconds of the game just like back in January when the two sides clashed, experience will be important and so will the bench and Waterford look to be the stronger in both cases but the side wont need telling that they wont have thing easy in this game.

Déise Hurlers Seek Fourth League Title.

Waterford senior hurlers on Sunday afternoon next set out to win what would only be a fourth ever National Hurling League Final when they take on a fancied Clare side at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

The meeting of the two is the first since the sides met at Cusack Park in Ennis in March 2014 when the home side ran out 5-18 to 0-20 winners, a for Davy Fitzgerald’s side that went a long way towards relegating the county they he had managed previously.

As we all know now, Waterford played in Division 1B last year, a division they won with some ease and went on to win the league proper beating Cork in the final. By strange coincidence Waterford as they do this year played the side they were due to face in the Munster Championship last year a few weeks later where again Derek McGrath’s side recorded a win over the rebels and will be hoping that history repeats itself this year.

Clare will head to Thurles looking for a first win in a league final since 1978 and are appearing in their first final in eleven years.

Twelve months ago Davy Fitzgerald’s side were relegated from Division 1A when they lost a relegation play off to Kilkenny, and like Waterford last year came through the Division 1B league this year with some ease and will be looking to do on Sunday what Waterford did twelve months ago winning the league outright from the second level of the competition.

While the two sides at Thurles on Sunday have a big clash five weeks later at the same venue, neither side will go in the game looking ahead of this clash. Waterford certainly won’t. All talk of the Munster Championship and what might come after it will have to be put to the back of the minds of the players and the supporters.

This Sunday’s game is a National Final and when it comes to such events and hurling in Waterford they are like hens teeth. Win or loose the Munster Championship game between the two sides both sets of players will have another chance to win an All-Ireland Medal something every player craves for, but loose on Sunday and whether you or the youngest or oldest man involved you might never get the chance again to play in a league final again let alone win one.

On the respective semi final results Clare will have to go into Sunday’s game with the favourite’s tag around their necks.

Waterford were full value for their win over Limerick but it must be said that the side laboured in the first half, while Clare had a good win over Kilkenny and any day you beat Brian Cody’s side you do well and it will give you plenty of confidence for the next day and will believe now that they can beat the holders this weekend.

Most will expect Sunday’s final to be a cagey affair with defences on top but in the two semi finals we saw the forward units of both sides hit some impressive tallies and if they were to be at the top of their game again this time around then both sets of defences could well be in for a tough afternoon.

It will be interesting to see how both Davy Fitzgerald and Derek McGrath will line out their teams on Sunday, but both would be expected to be along familiar lines.

Patrick Kelly will be between the posts for Clare while the likes of Oisin O’Brien, Cian Dillon, Patrick O’Connor, Brendan Bulger, Conor Cleary, Paul Flanagan, David McInerney, Seadna Morey and Conor Ryan will fight it out for places in defence.

David Reidy and Colm Galvin could well start in the middle of the field while in attack John Conlon and Shane O’Donnell are reported doubts but is this a case of paper never refusing ink. If they are out however Davy Fitzgerald will still have plenty of options open to him with the likes of Conor McGrath, Podge Collins, Aaron Cunningham, Bobby Duggan, Darach Honan, Colin Ryan and Tony Kelly to call on.

Waterford too should be along familiar lines. Maurice Shanahan missed the win over Limerick and is reported to be a doubt as well again this weekend. If the Lismore club man does not start it will be a blow to Waterford but as we know there is plenty of other options open to Derek McGrath.

Stephen O’Keeffe will start with the number one on his back while Barry Coughlan, Shane Fives, Noel Connors, Austin Gleeson, Tadhg de Búrca and Philip Mahony forming the full back line while Darragh Fives will drop back as well from centre field where he will be partnered by Jamie Barron.

In attack should Maurice Shanahan miss out expect Kevin Moran, Shane Bennett, Michael Walsh, Patrick Curran, Jake Dillon and Colin Dunford all to start in the Clare half of the field at the start but there would be no surprises either if the likes of Brian O’Halloran, Shane McNulty, Tom Devine, Pauric Mahony or Shane O’Sullivan got get the nod to start and if not to play a major part in the game as it goes on.

Expect this year’s league final to be a much closer affair than the one twelve months ago when Waterford beat Cork much easier than anyone expected. Clare after beating Kilkenny in the semi final will have to be considered favourites. Confidence is going to be high in their camp.

But come tea time on Sunday there can only be one winner and I am expecting that it will be the supporters from the Déise County that will leave Thurles the happier of the two.

Wins for Stradbally and Rathgormack in first round of Senior Football Championship

Just two of the six games scheduled to take place in the first round of this year’s JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship took place this weekend.

Because of the heavy overnight rain which continued right throughout Sunday, the double headers at Kill and Fraher Field were called off in the hours leading up to the games.

Reigning champions Stradbally opened their bid to win back to back titles with a five point win over last years Intermediate Champions Ballinameela at Fraher Field in the first game of this year’s championship at Fraher Field on Saturday evening.

It was last years intermediate champions that opened the brighter of the two teams kicking the first three scores of the game, the first two a brace of frees from Jim Curran followed by a fisted effort from Brendan Phelan after a Michael Shine ’45 fell short.

The side in Blue and White were at this stage unlucky not to have been even further in front as they had an effort from Tom Curran taken off the line by Cathal Cusack.

Stradbally hit their first score of the game on twenty minutes when Michael Sweeney put over a free and followed it up with another effort again from a free moment’s later.

Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh levelled matters on twenty three minutes and a minute later the Cove Men hit the first goal of the game when Shane Ahearne finished from close range.

That score gave Stradbally a 1-3 to 0-3 lead at the break but Ballinameela were unlucky not to have gone in all square as two minutes from the break, Jim Curran and Rob Shine linked up with Brendan Phelan but his goal effort was deflected for an un-converted ’45 by Eoin Cunningham who made an excellent save with his legs.

Ballinameela began the second half by drawing level as Michael Culloo found Rob Shine who beat Eoin Cunningham in the Stradbally goal.

Stradbally however for the remainder of the game would prove to be the better of the two sides as Shane Ahearne landed a hat-trick of points, Michael Sweeney hit a brace and Tony Grey and Stephen Cunningham both hit one each to give Stradbally a 1-10 to 1-4 lead with the hour played.

In the middle of this sequence of scores the Cove Men lost Robert Ahearne after he was flashed a black card by referee Tommy O’Sullivan.

In added time Brendan Phelan pulled a consolation score back for Ballinameela which could well prove valuable at the end of the league section of the competition if Ballinameela were to finish level on points with other sides.

The second game at Fraher Field on Saturday evening saw Rathgormack record a 1-7 to 0-8 win over Brickeys.

Brickeys were first out of the traps in this game with a point from a Cormac O’Grady free.

However for the remainder of the half it was Rathgormack that proved to be the better of the two sides as Conor Murray landed three points, Jason Curry landed a brace and Michael Curry hit one to give their side a 0-6 to 0-1 lead after twenty minutes.

Brickeys did manage to come more into the game in the last ten minutes of the half as Cormac O’Grady put over a brace of frees and Mark Scanlon hit one from play to leave two between the sides, but on the stroke of half time Jason Gleeson hit the games only goal to give his side a 1-6 to 0-4 advantage on the score board as the sides headed to the dressing rooms at the break.

Brickeys in the second half proved to be the better of the two sides but some poor shooting when presented with chances would cost them.

Cormac O’Grady put over three more frees by the fifty-third minute and a minute later Shane McGrath pointed to leave the minimum between the sides.

Rathgormack registered their only score of the second half on fifty six minutes when Jason Curry from a free split the Rathgormack posts but it was good enough to seal a deserved win for his side.

Details have also been announced for games in round two of the championship.

Because of Waterford’s involvement in the National League semi final against Limerick on Sunday next in Thurles, three games involving players involved in Derek McGrath’s Waterford set up, will not take place until Tuesday week.

Ballinacourty and An Rinn get next weekend’s round of games underway on Friday evening when they play at Fraher Field, the game having a 8pm throw in.

On Saturday evening there is a double header at the same weekend. Saint Saviours and Ardmore clash at 6-30pm and will be followed ninety minutes later with the clash of Brickeys and Kilrossanty.

The three games on Tuesday week all have 7-30pm throw ins.

The Nire and Gaultier clash at the Saint Molleran’s grounds at Carrickbeg. Clashmore and Ballinameela meet at Fraher Field while Stradbally and Rathgormack meet at Lemybrien.