Heartbreak for Déise Ladies in Mullingar

There was heartache for Waterford at St. Loman’s G.A.A. Club in Mullingar on Sunday afternoon as Pat Sullivan’s Waterford Senior Ladies Football side fell just short in the penultimate game in this year’s Division Two league campaign.

Waterford travelled to the midlands knowing that they had to win this game if they were to make the semi-finals of the league for the fourth year in a row plus needed results in the final round of games next weekend to go their way.

Waterford got off to a good start in this game with an early Maria Delahunty point but it was soon cancelled out with points from Leona Archibald and Lucy McCarton, but Waterford hit back with a Róisín Tobin goal on seven minutes.

Leona Archibald was not named to start in game but make a telling contribution kicking six points over the course of the hour, the first two coming after Roisin Tobin’s goal to level matters.

Fiona Claffey edged the home side in front on fourteen minutes and four minutes later they went further in front when Ciara Blundell kicked the first of her side’s goals, giving them a 1-5 to 1-1 lead.

Maria Delahunty and Leona Archibald swapped scores before Róisín Tobin and Maria Delahunty added points before the break leaving just two points between the sides at the interval.

Michelle Ryan hit the first score of the second half, but it was followed with points from Ciara Blundell, Leona Archibald, Laura Lee Walsh and Archibald again to give the home side a 1-10 to 1-5 lead with the game heading into its final quarter.

Waterford hit the next three scores through Katie Murray and a brace from Maria Delahunty to leave just two between the sides. Waterford now needed a goal, but it failed to come their way.

Laura Lee Walsh made it a three point game once more with her second score of the game after which Karen McDermott put daylight between the sides once more.

Another Maria Delahunty brace of scores cut the home sides lead once more to two points by the next score went the way of the home side, a goal from corner back Rachel Dillon shortly before the final whistle to secure the win for her side.

Westmeath: Karen Walsh; Rachel Dillion, Triona Durkin, Rebecca Dunne; Fiona Coyle, Fiona Claffey, Laura Brennan; Karen McDermot, Maude Ann Foley; Kelly Boyce Jordan, Lucy McCarton, Tracey Dillon; Ciara Blundell, Leona Archibald, Aileen Martin. Subs: Katie Dunne for Maud Ann Foley, Laura Lee Walsh for Tracey Dillon

Scorers: Leona Archibald 0-6 (5f), Ciara Blundell 1-1, Rachel Dillon 1-0, Laura Lee Walsh 0-2, Lucy McCarton, Fiona Claffey, Karen McDermot

Waterford: Katie Hannon; Mairead Wall, Michelle McGrath, Kate McGrath; Dearbhaile Hayes, Caoimhe McGrath, Megan Dunford; Katie Murray, Róisín Tobin; Emma Murray, Nicola fennel, Maria Delahunty; Michelle Ryan, Aileen Wall, Lauren McGregor. Subs: Karen McGrath for Nicola Fennell, Aoife Murray for Lauren McGregor, Eimer Fennell for Róisín Tobin.

Scorers: Maria Delahunty 0-7 (3f, 1 ’45), Roisin Tobin 1-1, Michelle Ryan, Katie Murray 0-1 each.

Referee: Yvonne Duffy (Cavan)

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	Points Difference	Points
Laois	6	4	2	0	+16	12
Cavan	6	4	2	0	+16	12
Westmeath	6	4	2	0	+6	12
Clare	6	3	2	1	+14	10
Sligo	6	3	3	0	-3	9
Tyrone	6	3	3	0	-9	9
Waterford	6	2	3	1	+9	7
Kildare	6	0	6	0	-49	0

Devine Inspiration for Waterford in Ennis

National Hurling League Champions Clare are out of this year’s competition after they lost out to Waterford in a repeat of last year’s which needed two attempts before the Division 1B winners came out on top for the second year in a row.

For a lot of this game it looked as if it was going to be the home side that would advance to the knockout stages leaving Waterford to play off in a relegation battle for the second time in three years, but Derek McGrath’s side never say die attitude saw them over the line at the end, thanks in no small part to a goal scored by substitute Tom Devine six minutes from the end of normal time in this game.

In front of 6,640 patrons it was Waterford that got off to a flying start in this game as Brian O’Halloran and Patrick Curran landed early points which Shane Bennett added to on four minutes when after a clever move involving older brother Stephen, he finished to the net to give Waterford a 1-2 to no score lead, which Waterford quickly added to when Austin Gleeson split the Clare uprights.

But as everyone knows you right Clare off at your pearl and they came back into contention after Ian Galvin hit his side’s first score of the game on six minutes.

And while Pauric Mahony was next to score, Clare soon stepped up a number of gears as Podge Collins put over a brace of points, Tony Kelly hit one and Aaron Shanagher also got off the mark before Podge Collins hit a brilliant goal for the home side, giving Stephen O’Keeffe no chance, blasting high into the roof of the Ballygunner Club man’s net after fifteen minutes.

Clare were now on a high and hit further scores through Aaron Shanagher and David McInerney to give their side a 1-7 to 1-4 lead with a quarter of the game played.

Patrick Curran and Austin Gleeson pulled points back for Waterford to leave one between the sides but Clare were soon on top again once more as Jason McCarthy and a hat-trick of scores from Tony Kelly followed to give Clare a 1-11 to 1-6 lead with twenty six minutes showing on the clock.

Brian O’Halloran and Pauric Mahony steadied the ship somewhat with points on twenty eight and thirty minutes.

The Ballygunner man split the posts from another free on thirty three minutes but either side of this score Tony Kelly landed a brace of scores to keep his side four clear.

But they did not score for the remainder of the half and in the time that was left Pauric Mahony put over two more for Waterford to leave the visiting side trailing 1-13 to 1-11 at the break.

Within four minutes of the restart the sides were all square when Pauric Mahony who finished this game with ten points behind his name put over two more frees.

Clare upped their game again once more and came back with points from Tony Kelly, Podge Collins, John Conlon and Cathal McInerney to give their side a 1-17 to 1-13 lead after forty four minutes.

Another brace of Pauric Mahony points followed by the fiftieth minute after which Conlon and Mahony swapped scores to keep two between the sides with nineteen minutes remaining in a game that looked as if it could go either way.

Back came Clare again with points from Jamie Shanahan an McInerney to put their side four up again with less than a quarter of an hour still to play.

Now we would see what this Waterford side were made off. Need Waterford supporters worry?

Tom Devine not long after coming off the bench landed a point, and Shane and Stephen Bennett hit vital scores to leave just one between the sides. The side that showed the greater hunger now would be playing in next weekend’s League Quarter Finals while the loser would be playing Dublin in a relegation play off.

There were many crucial scores in this game, but none were as crucial as Waterford’s second goal, six minutes from the end of normal time.

Tom Devine had his initial effort saved by Andrew Fahy but the Modeligo Club man was in the right to capitalise with the rebound and he made no mistake in putting his side 2-19 to 1-20 in front.

David Fitzgerald and Bobby Duggan pulled points back for Clare to draw level with the game in added time, but Waterford held their nerve the stronger of the two sides and landed late scores from Stephen Bennett and Thomas Ryan to win this game and set up a quarter final clash with Galway.

WATERFORD: Stephen O’Keeffe; Shane McNulty, Barry Coughlan, Shane Fives; Stephen Daniels, Tadhg de Burca, Conor Gleeson; Austin Gleeson, Kevin Moran; Shane Bennett; Michael Walsh, Pauric Mahony; Brian O’Halloran, Stephen Bennett, Patrick Curran. Subs: Tom Devine for Curran (42), Mikey Kearney for A. Gleeson (57), Tommy Ryan for O’Halloran (58), Colin Dunford for Shane Bennett (69), Stephen Roche for Coughlan (70+6, inj).

Scorers: Pauric Mahony 0-10 (8fs), Shane Bennett 1-1, Tom Devine 1-1, Stephen Bennett 0-3, Brian O’Halloran 0-2, Austin Gleeson 0-2, Patrick Curran 0-1, Tommy Ryan 0-1

CLARE: Andrew Fahey; David McInerney, Cian Dillon, Seadna Morey; Jason McCarthy, Conor Cleary, David Fitzgerald; Jamie Shanahan, Tony Kelly; Cathal Malone, Podge Collins, John Conlon; Aron Shanagher, Cathal McInerney, Ian Galvin. Subs: Aaron Cunningham for I. Galvin (25), Patrick Donnellan for McCarthy (65), Colm Galvin for Malone (65), Bobby Duggan for C. McInerney (69), Paul Flanagan for D. McInerney (75, inj)

Scorers: Tony Kelly 0-7 (5fs), Podge Collins 1-3, Aron Shanagher 0-2, John Conlon 0-2, Cathal McInerney 0-2, Ian Galvin 0-1, David McInerney 0-1, Jason McCarthy 0-1, Jamie Shanahan 0-1, David Fitzgerald 0-1, Bobby Duggan 0-1.

REFEREE: John Keenan (Wicklow).

Late Aisling Doonan Scores Give Cavan Ladies Victory over Waterford

Waterford’s trip into Ulster to play Cavan at Kingspan Breffni Park ended in disappointment on Sunday afternoon when they lost out by the minimum.

Waterford were forced into making a number of changes to the printed line up from the start, but none the less were still able to start with a very strong team. Early in the game it did not look as if Waterford were missing some of their bigger guns as they went 0-4 to 0-1 in front with fifteen minutes played.

It was the home side that opened the scoring through Aisling Sheridan but Waterford would hit back with the next four scores.

Maria Delahunty opened Waterford’s account with a point from a free, after which Katie Murray and Róisín Tobin who is impressing this year landed scores which was followed with an effort from Michelle Ryan again from play.

The second quarter belonged to the home side.

Aisling Doonan opened her account for the afternoon with a free on nineteen minutes which was quickly followed with an effort from Donna English from play.

With nine minutes of the first half remaining, the home side went back in front once more when Aisling Sheridan had the umpire reaching for the green flag in this game and from the restart Cavan won possession and the same player finished past Katie Hannon who was back in the Waterford goal after missing the last two games due to injury, a score that gave the home side a 2-3 to 0-4 lead.

Waterford ended a fifteen minute spell without a score just before the half time whistle when Maria Delahunty put over her second point of the afternoon to leave Waterford trailing 2-3 to 0-5 at the break.

Waterford in many of their games to date in this league have somewhat struggled in the second half, but in this game Waterford were the better side by some distance.

Maria Delahunty registered the opening point of the second half when she put over a free, which was followed with a point from Aileen Wall who had entered the game as a sub.

In the last few years the influence that Maria Delahunty have had on this team cannot be spelt out enough and the brilliant Abbeyside Club player followed up with the next three scores, two from play and the other from a free to put Waterford 0-10 to 2-3 in front with forty eight minutes showing on the clock.

With six minutes remaining Michelle Ryan extended Waterford’s lead when she again put over from play, but in the closing five minutes, it was the home side that were ever so slightly the stronger of the two sides.

Aisling Sheridan pointed from play which was followed with a similar effort from Aisling Doonan which levelled the game. Had the game ended at this stage the draw would possibly be the fairest result all round.

But there was still time to be played and in the closing minutes both sides went all out for the scores that would get them the full three points on offer.

Michelle Ryan edged Waterford back in from only for Aisling Doonan to cancel out the Ballymacarbry Club players effort with another converted free.

In added time referee Kieran McKeever awarded the home side and with plenty of pressure on her shoulders Aisling Doonan made no mistake to give her side the most slender of victories.

Waterford: Katie Hannon, Mairead Wall, Rebecca Casey, Katie Murray; Dearbhaile Hayes, Caoimhe McGrath, Megan Dunford; Róisín Tobin, Hannah Power; Emma Murray, Nicola Fennell, Geraldine Power; Maria Delahunty, Michelle Ryan, Lauren McGregor. Rest of the Panel: Michelle McGrath, Kate McGrath, Karen McGrath, Eimear Fennell, Aileen Wall, Jessica Fitzgerald, Lauren Grey, Aoife Murray, Caragh McCarthy, Eimer Scanlon, Chloe Fennell and Ciara Kearney.

Scorers: Maria Delahunty 0-6 (3f), Michelle Ryan 0-3, Katie Murray, Róisín Tobin, Aileen Wall 0-1 each.

Cavan: Elaine Walsh; Rachel Doonan, Ailish Cornyn, Mona Sheridan; Sinead Greene, Rachel Jordan, Sheila Reilly; Sinead O’Sullivan, Donna English; Caitriona Smith, Neasa Byrd, Rachel Talbot; Aisling Sheridan, Claragh O’Reilly, Aisling Doonan. Rest of the Panel: Shauna Lynch, Laura Fitzpatrick, Amy Rooney, Grainne Smith, Holly Lynch, Amy Wharton, Caoimhe McDermott, Gemma McLoughlin, Sinead McKenna, Andrea O’Reilly, Beth Farrelly Magee, Geraldine Smith, Katie Fitzpatrick, Keely Doonan, Geraldine Sheridan.

Scorers: Aisling Sheridan 2-2, Aisling Doonan 0-4 (3f), Donna English 0-1.

Referee:  Kieran McKeever (Armagh).

Deise Ladies Push All-Ireland Champions All The Way

A sizeable attendance at the WIT Arena on Sunday Afternoon saw Ray O’Brien’s Waterford Senior Camogie Team push All-Ireland Champions Kilkenny all the way in the fourth round of games in this year’s National Camogie League.

With no other big games played locally on the day, some new faces were spotted in the stands at the venue and hopefully they were impressed enough by what is a good Waterford side to return to see this team in action again soon and hopefully that they will spread the word on what they saw and bring some of their friends with them the next time Waterford play.

The Waterford management team can’t but have been impressed with what they saw from their charges and how they reacted to a heavy defeat last week against Cork at the same venue when the visitors put in a very strong second half to win the game with nineteen points to spare.

There is an old saying in Gaelic Games that goals win games and it was certainly the case in this game, as the All-Ireland champions netted twice in this game which helped them to a four point win.

The ability of Beth Carton should be known to all G.A.A. Supporters at this stage and the De La Salle Club player was again to the fore in this game as she accounted for all but one of Waterford’s scores. A notable statistic from this game was that she was presented with fourteen chances to score from plays and took twelve of the chances, and with the two that she failed to convert she was only centimetres on both occasions to adding to her overall tally on the day.

 Kilkenny last weekend lost out to Wexford at Gorey and they retained just six of the side that started that game for this game, the lucky six being Laura Murphy, Claire Phelan, Kelly Anne Doyle, Miriam Walsh, Julie Ann Malone and Jenny Clifford.

It was not easy however to find out this information as while the visitors submitted a panel to the Waterford County Board with their panel for the day for the hand out given to patrons entering the ground, they failed to submit the numbers that the players were wearing. And while the members of the local press which were present at the game to report on the game for this week’s newspapers were able to get the line out ahead of the game, when the game started it was quickly noticed that the players were wearing squad numbers which required one member of the press to approach the Kilkenny bench to find out who was wearing what number.

Waterford had a fantastic start to this game.

Beth Carton pointed from play on two minutes only for it to be cancelled out two minutes later with an effort from Kelly Ann Doyle.

The De La Salle sharp shooter who could have put a sliotar through the eye of a needle on the afternoon such was the quality of her shooting followed up with three points in a row, all from placed balls to give Waterford a 0-4 to 0-1 lead with thirteen minutes played.

The following few minutes proved to be the most crucial of the opening half as Julie Anne Malone pointed a minute later and on eighteen minutes after she was set up by Jenny Clifford Miriam Walsh beat Brianna O’Regan from close range.

Jenny Clifford and Julie Anne Malone followed up with points for the visiting side to give them a three point cushion on the scoreboard by the twenty fourth minute, after which there was just two further scores in the opening half, one each, the first from a Beth Carton free on twenty six minutes to leave just two between the sides, and then another score from a free, this time from Claire Phelan to give her side a 1-5 to 0-5 lead as the sides headed to the dressing rooms.

If the first half was close so too was the second half.

Miriam Walsh and Beth Carton swapped early scores, before Beth and Niamh Deely did likewise. Another Beth Carton converted free on thirty nine minutes made it a two point game but it was followed with a similar score by Michelle Quilty seconds later, to keep three between the sides.

The same two players again traded scores before Michelle Quilty following some good work down the road side of the main field placed the sliotar past Brianna O’Regan for the second time at the midway point of the second half.

Grace O’Donnell put Kilkenny seven in front moments later, but the rest of the game saw Waterford prove to be the better of the two sides.

Two more Beth Carton points were followed with an effort from Jenny Reddy four minutes short of the hour mark, after which Kelly Anne Doyle pointed second later.

Beth Carton brought her tally for the afternoon to a dozen scores on fifty seven minutes and two minutes later Niamh Rockett who again worked very hard got her name on the score sheet.

Beth Carton brought the scoring to a close a minute into stoppage time, but it was goals that Waterford needed at this point if they were going to get something from the game.

Waterford have one more game left, that away to Tipperary, but after a very good showing here they will travel to the Premier County confident that they can add to the win they recorded against Dublin earlier in the campaign.

This was a game where once more we saw the progress that is being made in the game in Waterford. The scoreboard showed at the end of the game that Waterford were behind by four points, but the only loser here was those that opted to stay away from this game on an afternoon that there was no other big action within the county on the same afternoon.   

Waterford: Brianna O’Regan; Áine Power, Fiona Morrissey, Claire Whyte; Mairead Power, Shona Kiernan, Jenny McCarthy; Aoife Landers, Lorraine Bray; Kate McMahon, Iona Heffernan, Emma Hannon-Roche; Beth Carton, Niamh Rockett, Catriona McGlone. Subs: Niamh Ahearne for Iona Heffernan (HT), Niamh Murphy for Aoife Landers (60).

Scorers: Beth Carton 0-13 (12f), Niamh Rockett 0-1.

Kilkenny: Anne Marie Lennon; Miriam Frisby, Catherine Foley, Laura Murphy; Claire Phelan, Meighan Farrell, Aisling Nolan; Niamh Deely, Jenny Reddy; Kelly Anne Doyle, Julie Ann Malone, Denise Gaule; Danielle Morrissey, Miriam Walsh, Jenny Clifford. Subs: Michelle Quilty for Danielle Morrissey (HT). Michelle Teehan for Laura Murphy (37), Grace O’Donnell for Jenny Clifford (40), Stacey Quirke for Aisling Nolan (42), Roisin Phelan for Miriam Frisby (48), Áine Gannon for Denise Gaule (55), Grace Walsh for Niamh Deely (59).

Scorers: Miriam Walsh 1-1, Denise Gaule 1-0, Kelly Anne Doyle, Julie Ann Malone, Michelle Quilty (2f) 0-2 each, Jenny Clifford, Claire Phelan (f), Niamh Deely, Grace O’Donnell, Jenny Reddy 0-1 each.

Referee: Cathal Egan (Cork).

Waterford and Cavan Do Battle In Must Win Game for Both

Waterford’s Senior Ladies Football team make an almost 350km trip to Ulster this coming weekend to play Cavan in the fifth round of games in this year’s National Football League.

For both sides it is a must win game this weekend at Breffni as all sides now reach a crucial stage of the completion, when every point won and lost in the league table could be the difference between qualifying for the semi-finals of the completion and not doing so.

Waterford goes into this weekend’s game in slightly the better placed position of the two sides.

Last time out the Ulster side most out to Ulster Rival’s 4-9 to 2-14, having lost earlier in the competition to Westmeath 1-9 to 2-4. For Waterford these are the two sides that they must play after this weekend’s game so the need to win for Waterford cannot be spelt out enough this weekend.

In between these two defeats, the Ulster side have recorded wins over Kildare and Clare. After this weekend’s game they have both Sligo and Laois to play, neither of which will prove to be a walk in the Park.

Waterford moved up a grade this year having won the Division three League last year, beating a very good Tipperary side after a replay in Thurles.

Pat Sullivan’s side began the league this year with a tricky game against Clare and returned home with a draw having travelled to one of the most furthest venues in the county that the side could have played at.

After this Waterford had a good win over Laois at the WIT Arena and followed that up with a narrow 2-7 to 0-11 defeat to Sligo and a brilliant 2-15 to 0-6 win last time out at the Carriganore venue, where they served up their best performance to date.

The home side in this game will go into the game this weekend very much fancying their chances of collecting another three points in the league table.

And they would have every right to be confident of winning.

In Aisling Doonan they have an outstanding forward who will punish Waterford if given the chance to do so. She is their top scorer in the league, kicking some impressive tallies in her games to date.

But they are by no means a one person team.

In Aisling Sheridan, Claragh O’Reilly, Catriona Smith, Amy Rooney, Grainne Smith as well as Hayley Lynch and Elaine Walsh who have shared goalkeeping duties they have what appears to be a strong outfit.

While Cavan will be confident of pulling off a win, so too will Waterford.

In the first three games they played this year they were by far the better side in the opening half but had to give second best to their opponents in the second half.

But last time out, they put that with a brilliant performance from the first minute to the last when beating Kildare.

Regular goalkeeper Katie Hannon has missed the last two games due to injury but she has been ably replaced by Clashmore’s Jess Fitzgerald who has played well in the last two games. It remains to be seen if the Ballyduff player will be back in the team for this weekend, but if she is not, then the number one shirt will be in safe hands with the Clashmore player once more.

Last time out Michelle Ryan and Maria Delahunty returned to the starting line up for the first time this year and both made very telling contributions.

A few weeks on from that game both will have got their match fitness more up to speed and if both are selected to start again this Sunday, then both will be key to a positive result for Waterford.

But just like Cavan with Aisling Doonan, Waterford do not rely on their big gun forwards to see them through games like this.

Aileen Wall is a player that will need no introduction to any defence that she plays against. Lauren McGregor is very much an emerging player and has made telling contributions this year.

Elsewhere in the team the Murray sisters, Mairead Wall and the McGrath sisters are also key for Waterford.

This is a game that could well go either way and both sides would possibly settle for a draw, but a draw might not be enough from this game after two further rounds of games to secure a place in the semi-finals.

As a Waterford supporter I am hoping for a Waterford win, even a narrow one and I think all other Waterford supporters would settle for the same.

Improving Waterford Take on All-Ireland Champions at WIT Arena

The fourth round of games in this year’s National Camogie League take place this coming weekend and for Waterford they will welcome All-Ireland Champions Kilkenny to the WIT Arena at Carriganore.

This is the third game this year that the home side have had at the Carriganore venue, having played Wexford and Cork at the venue already in recent weeks, both resulting in defeats for the home side.

The All-Ireland Champions will make the short journey down the M9 Motorway on Sunday with the tag of favourites wrapped firmly around their necks, despite an eight point defeat to Wexford last weekend at Gorey.

That defeat was the first time that the All-Ireland Champions had been defeated in ten months and will be going out all guns blazing this weekend to try and get back to winning ways.

Kilkenny in that game looked early on if they would extend their winning run as Miriam Walsh attempted her luck for a goal but her shot was deflected out for a 45 which was converted by Michelle Quilty after just a minute.

Wexford hit back two minutes later with a goal kicked to the net my Nicole Fortune, but Kilkenny responded with a brace of points each from Miriam Walsh and Michelle Quilty to lead with the game just after entering its second quarter.

Linda Bolger steadied the ship with a brace of points in the space of a minute to level the game but Kilkenny took the lead once more when Miriam Walsh got her sixth point of the game.

In the twenty third minute Brid Gordon struck a second Wexford goal and while Anne Dalton pulled a point back, a Linda Bolger point gave Wexford a 2-4 to 0-7 lead at the break.

Linda Bolger (x3) and Shelly Kehoe extended the Wexford lead at the start of the second half. Michelle Quilty followed up with a brace of points for Wexford with the game now in its final quarter, but the home side finished that game the stronger of the two sides as Shelly Kehoe and Linda Bolger with a brace hit scores to help Wexford to a worthy win.

Kilkenny are not All-Ireland Champions for no reason and will look to the players already mentioned above plus others like Kelly Anne Doyle, Denis Gaule, Emma Kavanagh and Claire Phelan for much of their guidance in this game.

Waterford are still on a learning curve after winning the Division Two League title and Intermediate All-Ireland Final in 2015, but are most defiantly moving in the right direction.

Last weekend while in the end the side lost heavily to Cork in the end, I think it’s fair to say that we saw that the speed needed by the players to play at this level is coming right.

The squad is a nice mixture of youth and experience, and in some cases both apply to the same players.

There is a lot of changes to the team which won the double in 2015, but maybe the team now is stronger than it was them.

Beth Carton is a player that everybody knows about now. She is a player of unquestionable skill and will cause any side she plays against problems.

In attack she is not alone. Catriona McGlone is a player we know is a player that can do it on the big stage, while in the last few games we have seen Niamh Rockett make a very big impact.

In the middle of the field Aoife Landers and Shona Kiernan look a strong outfit, while Brianna O’Regan looks to have nailed down the goal keeping position as her own. Yes, three goals went past her last weekend, but there is nothing she could have done about any of them and for the first she had made a very good save but was beaten on the follow up.

In defence, Waterford look strong able to call on the likes of Áine and Mairead Power, Claire Whyte, Emma Hannon-Roche, Fiona Morrissey and Marie Russell.

This game has the ingredients of being an entertaining encounter. Kilkenny will go in the game as favourites, but this is a Waterford side that learning and improving all the time, and they could well test Kilkenny in this game. Should Waterford put in another good hours work and maybe even get something from this game, it would set the team up nicely for their final league game against Tipperary.

Kerry prove too strong for Waterford at Fraher Field

The possible need for the restructuring of the different Inter county football Championships was clear to be seen at Fraher Field on Wednesday evening when Kerry easily accounted for Waterford at the semi-final stage of the Munster Under 21 Football Championship.

People are quick to say that there is no interest in football in Waterford, but this is total rubbish. There is interest, certainly within the players but they have to be given a fair crack of the whip.

Waterford manager Tom Flynn has had just three weeks to help prepare his side for last night’s game. In those three weeks, the side had two training sessions, something that was hardly a help but it was not helped by the fact that the Under 21 championships are up and running in the county, and games have been played the last few weekends, with clubs having first call on their players, something of course which is only right.

Imagine the outcry there would be within the county if the County Under 21 Hurling manager in any given year was given just three weeks to prepare a team for their first championship game. It is possibly to fair to say that last year had it happened, Waterford would hardly have won an opening round game let alone to go on and win a Munster and All-Ireland Final.

This of course is something that has not just happened over night when it comes to football in Waterford. It is happening with many years and there is no point hiding behind the wall paper and saying otherwise.

What Waterford voted for recently to introduce a super 8 competition for the All-Ireland Championship is mind boggling. Surely we in Waterford instead should be looking after our own interests and be calling for the re-introduction of an All-Ireland ‘B’ Championship when it comes to football for the so called weaker counties to play in and to give them the chance of winning silverware at Croke Park at the end of the competition, and to try and built up interest in younger teams as a result.

And why not go further. While players at this and higher levels might want to play against the best sides, for players coming through in the years ahead, seeing or more over hearing about their County getting a fourteen point lost to a Kerry side that had withdrawn some of their big guns before the end of the game will do little to get others interested in the game and more importantly to pull on the white and blue shirt of Waterford in the years ahead.

A few years back Waterford and Tipperary were on a par when it comes to Inter county Football. But in recent years, Tipperary have somewhat pulled away and when it comes to ranking of the different Intercounty senior team they would be somewhat ahead of Waterford.

Why is this?

Well put it this way, some years back the county board put in place a plan for when it comes to football. Winning the Tommy Murphy Cup a few years back at Croke Park was a help for them as it got young boys, particularly in South Tipperary where football is strong to get involved and many of those youngsters that saw the likes of Declan Browne win the Tommy Murphy Cup were part of a side last year that got so close to contesting an All-Ireland Final.

Wednesday evening’s game against Kerry was well over as a contest before the break by which time the visitors playing in front of just over 360 football die-hards, held a 1-12 to 0-1 lead.

A number of people might be making money from the happenings at Cheltenham this week, but nobody would have made money from this game as the visiting side were unbackable.

With ten minutes played, the side managed by former Senior All-Ireland winning manager Jack O’Connor were six points to the good with Cathal Bambury kicking a brace of scores, with Killinan Spillane, Andrew Barry, Sean O’Shea and Matthew Flaherty all getting their name on the score sheet.

And when Sean O’Shea raced through the Waterford defence and found Killian Spillane who touched to the Waterford net on twenty four minutes, the game was well and truly over as a contest.

Credit must go to Tom Flynn’s side as they tried to battle on with David Looby, Dylan Guiry and Edmond O’Halloran the pick of the bunch, but it was always going to be a struggle for Waterford, not helped of course by the fact they kicked just one point in the opening thirty minutes from the boot of David Looby on 12 minutes.

Waterford it could be argued won the second half on the score board, but there is nothing to be got from moral victories.

David Looby hit a brace of second half points both from placed balls, with Edmond O’Halloran, Conor Gleeson, Conor Murray and Joe Allen from a free all getting their names on score sheet too.

But it must be pointed out that while Waterford fared somewhat better in the second thirty minutes, Sean O’Shea, Andrew Barry, Tom O’Sullivan and Matthew Flaherty who contributed six points between them on the score sheet had exited the game by the forty-seventh minute.

Both sides would finish the game with fourteen players. Cormac Coffey was ordered off for the visitors after forty two minutes when he collected a second yellow card while Cormac Curran was sent off on a straight red card moments later for the home side for a striking incident off the ball, while Waterford also lost Stephen Ryan in the first half after he collected a black card from the County Tipperary referee.

Waterford: Kevin Dwane; Conor McCarthy, Stephen Ryan, Michael Cronin; Edmund O’Halloran, Darach O Cathasaigh, Sean Kelly; Dylan Guiry, Cormac Curran; David Looby, Conor Gleeson, Conor Murray; Craig Brown, Joe Allen, Michael Sweeney. Subs: Ciaran O’Neill for Stephen Ryan (19), Donal Fitzgerald for Michael Sweeney (38), Jake Mulcahy for Craig Brown (54)

Scorers: David Looby 0-3 (0-2f, 0-1 ’45), Edmund O’Halloran, Conor Gleeson, Conor Murray, Joe Allen (f) 0-1 each.

Kerry: Shane Ryan; Tom Leo O’Sullivan, Jason Foley, Brian Sugrue; Jack Morgan, Tom O’Sullivan, Cormac Coffey; Barry O’Sullivan, Andrew Barry; Brian Ó Seanacháin, Sean O’Shea, Matthew Flaherty; Lee O’Donoghue, Killian Spillane, Cathal Bambury. Subs: Ivan Parker for Sean O’Shea (41), Brian Ó Beaglaíoch for Andrew Barry (44), Roibeard Ó Sé for Tom O’Sullivan (44), Daniel O’Brien for Brian Sugrue (47), Brandon Barrett for Matthew Flaherty (47), Graham O’Sullivan for Jason Foley (54).

Scorers: Killian Spillane 1-6 (0-3f), Cathal Bambury 0-5, Sean O’Shea 0-3 (0-1f), Tom O’Sullivan 0-2, Andrew Barry, Matthew Flaherty 0-1 each.

Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary)