Waterford push All-Ireland Champions all the way

Waterford’s first game in the Munster Senior Ladies Football Championship since 2008 may have ended in a six point defeat against All-Ireland Champions Cork at Fermoy on Saturday afternoon last, but there was enough to be seen that some good days for the game at the highest level within the county are not far from returning.

When Waterford were a force to be reckoned with under Michael Ryan in the 1990’s the side was build on a nice mix of youth and experience, the experience coming from the players who were still playing at the top level that had helped Waterford beat Wexford in the 1986 All-Ireland Junior Final, the first Ladies Football All-Ireland Final to be played at Croke Park, while the youth was coming from successful under 14, under 16 and minor teams that were put together within the county at the time, players who in turn went on to become very experienced players, many of whom won many honours in the game including up to five All-Ireland Final medals as well as several Munster Final medals and All-Stars.

In the last few years some exciting young teams have been put together and many of these players who worked with Pat Sullivan on the underage scene are now part and parcel of his Waterford senior panel, a panel that is likely to include more exciting underage players in the next year or two.

The experience in this years panel comes from players who helped Waterford win seven Munster Intermediate Finals in a row between 2009 and 2015, and appearing at Croke Park on All-Ireland Final Day on three occasions in that time, one of which was last years win over Kildare.

What has also bared fruit for Waterford in recent times is the re-introducing of players like Katie Hannon, Maria Delahunty and Sinead Ryan to the set up having played on and off for the county in the years prior to the appointment of the Dungarvan man as manager of the side ahead of the 2015 league and championship campaign.

Much has been made by some that Cork looked a tired side on Saturday afternoon. It was pointed out that it was the side’s second big game in a week having beaten Mayo in the League Final 1-10 to 0-10 a week earlier and some had also played camogie for Cork in recent weeks.

But it should not be forgotten that for the Waterford panel it was their third big game in a forth-night. They had drawn a hard fought game with Tipperary in the Division Three League Final two weeks earlier and the Sunday before this game the replay with the Premier County went right to the buzzer with Waterford needing Maria Delahunty to kick a free after the buzzer had sounded to ensure that they won the title at the third time of asking having lost the 2014 and 2015 finals against Armagh and Sligo respectfully.

Waterford will know that this is a game that they could have won as they kicked 13 wides over the course of the hour. They also went almost half and hour either side of the break without scoring. But they also will know that Cork could have won by a much bigger margin as they too kicked a large amount of wides, something down in no small part to some terrific defending by Waterford made the Rebelettes often hurry their shooting because they were closed down in numbers by the Waterford defenders.  

At the break Cork were 1-6 to 0-5 in front kicking four scores in a row in the last eight minutes half.

Orla Finn opened the scoring for Cork from a free but it was cancelled out with an effort from Sinead Ryan with Maria Delahunty, Aileen Wall and Grainne Kenneally playing a part in the score.

Waterford went in front when following some good work by Maria Delahunty Aileen Wall put the ball between the uprights and the Abbeyside player went from score provider to score getter soon afterwards to give Waterford a 0-3 to 0-1 lead following some good work by Linda and Aileen Wall.

Cork took the lead once more on sixteen minutes when Áine O’Sullivan lobbed Katie Hannon in the Waterford goal and the same player quickly added a point to give the All-Ireland champions a 1-2 to 0-3 lead.

Waterford however showed that they did not fear the All-Ireland champions and following some good work by the Murray sisters Maria Delahunty pulled a point back for Waterford before Michelle Ryan following some good work by Róisín Tobin pulled the sides level.

However this would prove to be Waterford last score for nearly half and hour and Cork would finish the half strong as Orla Finn put over a brace of frees and Orlagh Farmer converted two from play to give their side four point cushion at the break.

While Waterford did not score for nearly half an hour either side of the break Pat Sullivan’s charges did have many chances.

Maria Delahunty had two ‘45’s that failed to reach their intended target the same player had a chance for goal blocked by the experienced Briege Corkery and Aisling Mullaney also had a chance which went across the face of the Cork goal.

Orla Finn from a free gave Cork a double score (1-7 to 0-5) advantage on 41 minutes but they had their numbers cut five minutes later when Co. Tipperary referee Keith Delahunty sent Annie Walsh to the sideline for ten minutes after issuing her with a yellow card.  

Orla Finn made it a six point game before Ciara Hurley clipped the Cork post but Michelle from the rebound put the ball between the uprights it was followed with Maria Delahunty’s third of the afternoon after she was picked out by Grainne Kenneally.

But when Cork had their full compliment of players restored they finished strong as Áine O’Sullivan put over two more points to give her side a hard fought six point win.

For both sides its Kerry next. The Rebelettes have them first in Kerry and then the Waterford have them at home.

In the 1990’s it took Waterford a few years after winning the Junior All-Ireland to break the dominance of Kerry who were queens of the game for almost a decade. It’s going to take Waterford a little while to establish themselves in the top flight again this time. They may have to get out of Division Two in the league as quick as possible and to be playing the top teams in the country week in week out in the early months of the year. But give this a few years and maybe we will see a team that will end the dominance of Cork over the past decade and to maybe prove to be as good as the side that Waterford had in the 1990’s.  

WATERFORD: Katie Hannon; Megan Dunford, Michelle McGrath, Linda Wall; Aisling Mullaney, Mairead Wall, Hannah Power; Emma Murray, Grainne Kenneally; Roisin Tobin, Michelle Ryan, Katie Murray; Maria Delahunty, Sinead Ryan, Aileen Wall. Subs: Lauren McGregor for Roisin Tobin (36), Ciara Hurley for Sinead Ryan (49), Liz Devine for Michelle Ryan (52), Shauna Dunphy for Lauren McGregor (53).

Scorers: Maria Delahunty 0-3, Michelle Ryan 0-2, Aileen Wall, Sinead Ryan 0-1 each.

CORK: Martina O’Brien; Marie Ambrose, Brid Stack, Eimear Meaney; Vera Foley, Deirdre O’Reilly, Roisin Phelan; Annie Walsh, Briege Corkery; Rena Buckley, Áine O’Sullivan, Orlagh Farmer; Rhona Ní Bhuachalla, Hannah Looney, Orla Finn. Subs: Aisling Hutchings for Marie Ambrose (27), Niamh Cotter for Rena Buckley (h.t.), Emma Farmer for Rhona Ní Bhuachalla (47), Shauna Kelly for Orlagh Farmer (57), Áine Hayes for Roisin Phelan (60).

Scorers: Áine O’Sullivan 1-3, Orlagh Finn 0-5 (4f), Orla Farmer 0-2

Referee: Keith Delahunty (Tipperary)