Stern Test Expected For Waterford Camogie Team, but A Win Is Expected

Waterford Senior County Camogie Team go in search of a first win in this year’s All-Ireland Championship on Saturday afternoon when they take on Clare at Cusack Park in Ennis.

Like the Déise County the home side are also seeking a first win as just like Waterford who lost out to Kilkenny at Walsh Park on Saturday last, Clare lost out by three points on their travels when they took on Dublin at the Parnell’s G.A.A. Club Ground.

While Waterford lost out by fifteen points against the All-Ireland Champions last week, if there is any consolation from the defeat for Waterford it is that they are now safe in the knowledge that they have the best team in the group now played and can knuckle down knowing that they are more than capable of getting something from the remainder of the games that they have to play.

Kilkenny are always a certainty to qualify for the knockout stages of the All-Ireland Championship from Waterford’s group, along with possibly with the remaining three sides doing battle for the final place in the quarter finals.

While Clare are playing on a ground that they will be far more familiar with than Waterford are, this is certainly a game that Waterford will feel that they can win.

The sides did not play in the league, but Waterford did play Dublin and managed to beat them on their own soil, and with Dublin having beaten Clare last week, Waterford have every right to think they can win this one.

While Waterford will feel that they can win this one, they at the same time will not be underestimating the challenge that the home side will serve up.

It could be argued that at this level Clare are a more experienced side that Waterford who are only playing in the top flight for the second year after winning the Intermediate All-Ireland Championship two years ago.

Anybody that follows the game to any extent will know that Clare have some very good players with possibly Chloe Morey and Niamh O’Dea, both who play regularly in the Banner Counties Full Forward line their most stand out players.

They are players that can cause most teams problems and if allowed to against Waterford, they will notch up the scores for Clare.

 But if you watch the Waterford team in action, you will notice that the team is strong at the back. They have a strong full back line made up of Marie Russell, Fiona Morrissey and Claire Whyte are all top notch players, while behind them Brianna O’Regan is a top quality goalkeeper, while in front of them Mairead Power, Shona Kiernan and Iona Heffernan are also quality players with others like Aoife Landers and Jenny McCarthy from the side that started last week also able to play in defence.

While 2-15 when past the Waterford defence last time out, it is fair to assume that the same will not happen this time, as while the Clare attack will be good, it won’t be near as good as what Kilkenny have in attack.

Last week Waterford appeared to be lacking a scoring threat in their forward line, with all six of the side’s scores coming from placed balls.

This time around it can be taken that Waterford will be more of a threat to the opposition defence.

Beth Carton would be expected to be the sides top scorer as she is a quality forward. She was the sides top scorer in the league with many of her scores coming from placed balls.

But since the league Áine Lyng has been added to the panel. A number of years back the Gailltir player was regarded as one of the leading lights in the game. She was a number of years away from the game but returned last year with Gailltir, helping the Barony Ladies to a first County Senior Title since 2008 when she was involved and going on to win a Munster Intermediate Championship, and also helped her side to reach the County League Final a few years back, where they had to settle for second best against a strong Lismore side, and in all three competitions she has shown that she still is a quality player and has and will add something to this panel.

Niamh Rockett is also a very good player who impressed in the league causing many of the opposition sides plenty of heartaches with some very strong runs at them, forcing the opposition to often foul her before she got near the goals.

Lorraine Bray and Caithriona McGlone are also top quality players but maybe we might just see the Melleray player move further out the field week where she often plays her best Camogie. If this was to happen we could well see someone like Valerie O’Brien come into the Waterford attack where she is a player that will cause problems, and another player that could come into the side is the very versatile Becky Kavanagh.

This is a game that will be hard won, but one that Waterford are more than good enough to collect a first full quota of three points on offer to the winning team.