Can Waterford Upset the Odds in Limerick

            Early in the Munster Senior Hurling Clash between Tipperary and Cork last week, when Cork were well on top, I placed a message on my Facebook and Twitter pages something along the lines that Cork were on fire, and also said that if Waterford were to beat Clare later that day in Ennis, Waterford could be meeting Tipperary at the right time this week, as it looked like they were going to go into the game this weekend having lost to both Limerick and Cork and another defeat to Waterford would mean that with only Clare to play, Tipperary would not only be out of the Munster Championship but also out of the All-Ireland Championship, which would have many in the Premier County calling for the heads of the management team.

            As we know now, Tipperary staged a brilliant second half of hurling against their greatest rival in Munster, and in the end a draw between the two sides was arguably the best result all round for the two sides playing at Thurles, and we also know that Waterford did not get anything from the game against Clare in Thurles.

            Maybe what is going to be said here might not go down well with some Waterford supporters, but it is what a lot of Waterford supporters, maybe the majority of the Waterford supporters are saying but who are being silence to a degree by some.

            We can make all the excuses in the world for the defeat to Clare last week. We can talk about injuries all we like. We can talk about how Waterford started the game without Austin Gleeson and Pauric Mahony, two of the best players on the inter-county scene in the last number of years.

We can talk about how we lost Tadhg Bourke after only fifteen minutes. We can talk about how we lost Noel Connors at the break and Darragh Fives three minutes into the second half. We can talk about the sending off of Kevin Moran, and how Maurice Shanahan finished the game with a injury and how he could not be replaced as Waterford had emptied the bench eleven minutes into the second half when Barry Coughlan had to be replaced after he picked up an injury, but for all the talking up of these withdrawals, Waterford still had fifteen players on the field of play for the majority of this game, just like Clare, but we can’t blame these injuries for the loss on Sunday last, especially when at times we talk up the strength that Waterford have at our disposal at times.

Up to now I have kept much of my feelings on the Waterford set up to myself. Anyone that reads what I have to say when it comes to Waterford hurling will know that I am not a fan of the way Waterford have played in the last number of years.

I am by no means a fan of the sweeper system or the extra defenders system that Waterford use. I firmly believe that what Derek McGrath is doing with Waterford is robbing Peter to pay Paul, by naming what is often in effect between seven and ten defenders in the starting teams he is using.

For the past four years or so, Waterford have used the same system, game in, game out, maybe with the odd exception here and there.

We are lead to believe by those who understand the ‘Sweeper System’ in hurling it is used to keep the opposition from scoring, but how successful is it. We have to remember that in the last few years while Waterford have won many games, we have also suffered some heavy defeats using a system devised we are told to keep the opposition from scoring.

Yes, Waterford have won a National League Final using it, have appeared in another, have reached an All-Ireland Final, and reached four All-Ireland Semi Finals using it, but it is my belief that the stronger hurling sides can make the system favoured by the Waterford management team, pointless by keeping the ball well aware from the player that Waterford have as the spare man, which is often Tadhg Bourke or if he is not playing Darragh Fives.

Galway showed how to make the system pointless in last year’s All-Ireland Final when they were content to shoot for points all day, and did so hitting twenty six points. Any side that hits twenty six scores in a game, be they be points or a combination of points and goals deserves to win any game.

Speaking of Tadhg Bourke and Darragh Fives, both are set to miss this weekend’s game with Tipperary and a number of games after this.

One wonders when it is only these two players that have played in the spare man position in the last few years who will be asked to play the role this weekend, as we can assume that the Waterford management team will not change the system that they favour.

With the Clashmore and Tourin Club men out, normally you would expect someone like Kevin Moran maybe to fall back and play the role, but the De La Salle Club man is also missing this weekend, so you wonder who will play the role. Maybe we might be surprised and what the majority of the Waterford supporters want to see and Derek McGrath and his selectors will go with six backs and also play six forwards, as it would take someone some time to get used to playing the role of the free man, something that cannot happen in the space of seven days on the training field.

We know that there will be changes this weekend for Waterford. There has to be because of all the injuries picked up last weekend.

Many will be hoping that Austin Gleeson might be fit to start and maybe slot into the half back line, and maybe Pauric Mahony come into the attack if Maurice Shanahan is not deemed fit to play. However it would be hoped that if the pair are not 100% fit that they are not risked and maybe do more damage to the players going forward.

With all of the players last week going off because of injury all defenders and with Kevin Moran who is also a defender you have to wonder what players will come in.

Ian Kenny would be expected to come in at full back in place of Barry Coughlan. Shane Fives would also be an option for the number three shirt with the Ballygunner man playing in one of the corners.

Darragh Lyons was not named in the match day twenty six last week and he would be an option also to play in the full back line, as would Shane McNulty who was named to start in attack last weekend.

Reports last weekend suggested that Conor Prunty last weekend was injured. If he was deemed fit to start this weekend he would be an option to play somewhere in the defence.

With Kevin Moran, Tadhg Bourke and Darragh Fives all options to play at centre back out of contention, Derek McGrath and his selectors could ask Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh a player who has played successfully in the half back line in the past to drop back and play somewhere in the half back line.

The Stradbally man has a lot of miles put onto the legs since he last played in the half back line for Waterford and while he would be giving it his all, you wonder would he be suited now to the centre back position. Maybe he could play on one of the wings with Philip Mahony moving to the centre back position.

Conor Gleeson is another player that could very successfully play in the anywhere in the backs, while Jamie Barron has played for Waterford in defence in the past.

Many might not think so, but for me Tom Devine is another player that could move from attack to defence and do an excellent job there.

For me the big Modeligo man will play his best hurling when facing the ball and therefore might be suited to playing in the half back line in any of the three positions there.

Should the Waterford management team be forced to move players like Michael Walsh and Tom Devine into defence for this and maybe the remainder of the championship, they have plenty of cover to come into attack and fill the voids left.

Players like Colin Dunford, Brian O’Halloran, Patrick Curran, Stephen Bennett, Thomas Ryan, DJ Foran, Mikey Kearney and Stephen Roche all started on the bench last week and are players that in the eyes of many are getting somewhat of a raw deal when it comes to getting chances to shine from the off who if called upon will not let Waterford down, and never have. Last Sunday for example after coming on, Thomas Ryan and Stephen Bennett were possibly Waterford’s best two forwards on the day.

This weekend’s game against Tipperary is a big one. It’s one of the biggest games that Waterford has played in recent years.

The importance of a win for Waterford cannot be highlighted enough. Another defeat for Waterford would almost certainly mean that our hopes of appearing at Croke Park on All-Ireland Final day for the second year in a row would be over.

I have no doubting that Waterford despite the players that are missing this weekend are good enough to beat Tipperary, but a lot depends on the system used by those charged with preparing the team.

Last Autumn I got involved in a debate while attending one of the club senior hurling championship games in Dungarvan. The question was asked ‘are Waterford good enough to win an All-Ireland (senior) Final.’

I stayed out of the debate till just before the subject changed. I said I think this current Waterford Senior Hurling Panel are good enough to win an All-Ireland sooner rather than later, but i added that what is needed is a change of voice in the dressing room. Take from that what you like. My reason for saying what I did is that a sizeable amount of players have won All-Ireland’s at Minor and Under 21 level (playing good hurling). Many of the panel have also contested Munster Finals at these age levels, and a number of also played on successful colleges teams with De La Salle and Dungarvan Colleges/Coláiste na Déise. It takes good players to win titles at these levels and good players do not become bad players over night.

I have long written off Waterford’s chances of winning anything this year. I did so when I heard that the league was not important this year, and to be relegated would not be the end of the world.

If a management team or part of it is talking about getting relegated before a ball is struck, you can’t but wonder.

Brian Cody is without doubt the greatest hurling manager in the history of the G.A.A.

You don’t hear him tell the press at the start of the year that the league or even the Leinster Championship is not important. Cody’s Cats might not win a competition every year, but they take every competition seriously.

Year after year in recent times as the big names that won so much down the years decide to call it a day, people have spoken of the end of a great era. But Kilkenny are still there, winning the league this year, with what was a new look side to many, and maybe with a side that most outside the county would know little about.

Cody also appears when he sees something not going to plan to be able to call someone from his bench, maybe one of those players that those outside of Kilkenny would know little about and send him on and make an impact. Can we say that here in Waterford in recent years, when we seem to be starting with a core group of fifteen, sixteen or seventeen players and using the same four or five subs regardless of how the game is going?

As I have said, I have long written off Waterford’s chances this year, despite thinking that we have some fine players.

Living just over two miles from the Waterford/Tipperary County Boundary, I would love nothing more than to see Waterford to beat our neighbours this coming Sunday. But sadly I cannot see it happen.

When Waterford last played Tipperary at the Gaelic Ground in Tipperary, the Premier County side ran out 5-19 to 0-13 winners. I would hope to think that Waterford would do much better this time out, but I really can’t see it happen.

The Gaelic Grounds is never a happy hunting ground for Waterford when it comes to the big games. The Déise County seldom seem to be able to get a big win there.

One has to wonder why Waterford and Tipperary has to travel to Limerick for this game. We know that it is to all purposes a home game for Waterford. Why this style championship was introduced beggars believe. Despite what we were being told towards the end of last year, Walsh Park was never going to be an option for Waterford playing home games.

I was not in Ennis last Sunday and heard from some that were there that the view standing from the terraces around the field was far from perfect, but if people found the view bad, it has to be said that it was far safer to stand on concrete steps than it would to stand on a gravel surface in Walsh Park. The surface around the ground at Walsh Park would mean that had Waterford played Tipperary there this weekend it would mean that there would be a lot of disappointed supporters of both counties who could not get into the ground.

Cork was never an option for this weekend for the staging of this game, and neither was Killarney.

As soon as the new look championship was introduced  or even began to be spoken about, Waterford County Board should have known that Waterford would have two games at home this year and that there was a possibility that one or both of these was going to be against Tipperary and Cork.

Instead of talking up Walsh Park and telling us that it was the only option for Waterford, we should be shouting as loud as we can to fixture planners that we did not have a ground up to the required standard to host home games, this year and maybe even next year, and that we should have the right to nominate a home venue, and that venue for this game with Tipperary at least should have been Kilkenny’s Nowlan Park.

There is some that will say that Munster Championship games should not be played outside of Munster, but some years back there would be some that would have made the same arguments when it comes to the Ulster Football Championship between 2004 and 2006 inclusive had the final of the competition played at Croke Park. So there is a precedent of playing championship games outside of a province before, albeit not in the Munster Hurling Championship.

 

Clare prove too strong for 14 man Waterford in Ennis

            Waterford senior hurlers could have it all to do to repeat or better what they achieved in 2017 this coming year after Derek McGrath’s side lost out to Clare in their opening fixture in this year’s new look Munster Senior Hurling Championship at Ennis’ Cusack Park.

            Nine points separated the sides at the end of the 70 minutes and in truth it did not tell any lies, even if Waterford had lost three of their starting XV by the time the ball was thrown in for the start of the second half, and lost two more key players in the second half, one of which was team captain Kevin Moran to a straight red card thirteen minutes into the second half, meaning that the De La Salle club man will not feature in at least one game depending on what he is reported for by the match day referee. Waterford’s next game is now a very much so must win game against Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick next Sunday after the Premier County came from behind to earn a draw at home to Cork today at Semple Stadium.

            Waterford lost Tadgh Bourke fifteen minutes into the first half replacing him with Shamrock’s club man Colm Roche, but worst was to follow for Waterford as they lost Noel Connors from the defence at the break after he picked up a late first half injury, Darragh Fives the only real option to replace the already injured Clashmore Club man in the role he plays three minutes into the second half and full back Barry Coughlan eleven minutes after the restart.

            Many of the Waterford supporters who have questioned the tactics of team manager Derek McGrath would have every right to do so again in this game. Yes in favour of the De La Salle Club man a manager might expect to lose one and at a maximum two defenders with injuries, but to lose four of his starting back line and also to lose Kevin Moran who plays his best hurling in the eyes of this reporter in defence, but the wisdom of filling the bench with predominately attack minded players would seriously have to be questioned.

            The attack minded players that did come on however did make an impact in this game as Thomas Ryan hit 1-1, while Shane Bennett and DJ Foran shared three points of Waterford’s tally on the day.

            The sides were level on three occasions in the opening eight minutes. Tadgh Bourke opened the scoring for Waterford but David Fitzgerald quickly levelled matters on the score board.

            Conor Gleeson and Jamie Shanahan who started this game ahead of Séadna Morey who was named earlier in the week swapped scores before Peter Duggan put the home side in front for the first time.

            Philip Mahony hit a rare score for the Déise County to level matters once more on eight minutes and seconds later Waterford were back in front when Maurice Shanahan hit the home side’s net from close range after an initial effort from Tom Devine was kept out by Donal Tuohy.

            The big Lismore man followed up by converting his first free of the game but the visitors would be dealt a blow on the quarter of an hour when Tadgh Bourke who is so important to the way that Waterford plays was forced to leave the field with an injury that could well keep him out of next Sunday’s game with Tipperary in Limerick.

            Clare’s top scorer on the day Peter Duggan who finished the game with 1-10 all of which came from placed balls slammed a penalty past Stephen O’Keeffe in the Waterford goal, and when Conor McGrath followed up with a point on seventeen minutes to level matters once more, the home side began to take a hold on the game.

            Jake Dillon and Jamie Shanahan swapped scores on nineteen minutes before Shane O’Donnell and Maurice Shanahan swapped scores in a two minute spell to keep the two sides locked together on the score sheet.

            However the home side’s next score proved crucial as John Conlon who drilled past Stephen O’Keeffe for a second goal for the home side on twenty three minutes which put them 2-6 to 1-6 in front.

            Peter Duggan put over two frees in a row and Colm Galvin got his name on the score sheet on twenty nine minutes as the home side went 2-9 to 1-6 in front.

            Peter Duggan and Tom Devine swapped scores after which Tony Kelly hit his first of the afternoon to put his side 2-11 to 1-7 in front with thirty five minutes played, but while Waterford were behind they gave themselves some hope for the second half when Maurice Shanahan and Kevin Moran put over stoppage time scores to leave Waterford trailing by five at the break.

            If been dealt a blow with the loss of Tadgh Bourke early in the first half things would get worse for Waterford as Noel Connors and Michael Walsh failed to come out for the second half.         

            Clare made a bright start to the second half as Tony Kelly landed a brace of scores and John Conlon hit one to extend the home sides advantage.

            Thomas Ryan a player always good to crack a goal when needed did so for Waterford on thirty seven minutes reducing the home side’s advantage on the score board, Waterford were dealt a blow either side of this score when they lost Darragh Fives with an injury, to be replaced by the Tallow club man, and soon afterwards lost Kevin Moran to a straight red card.

            David Reidy and Stephen Bennett swapped scores before Peter Duggan landed three more points for the home side with Conlon scoring in the middle of this run of scores to send the home side further in front.

            Maurice Shanahan broke Clare’s run of scores when he successfully converted a free but Duggan would follow up by putting over a brace of placed balls.

            Double All-Star winner Jamie Barron got on the score sheet with ten minutes remaining but Conlon and Kelly would add scores seconds apart to edge the hosts further in front.

            Waterford would hit a purple patch in the last eight minutes of normal time of this game as Stephen Bennett, Thomas Ryan, DJ Foran, Jake Dillon and Maurice Shanahan hit points all in a row to reduce the home side’s lead but it was goals that Waterford needed at this stage.

            Colm Galvin and Tony Kelly landed scores early in added time at the end of the seventy to which Maurice Shanahan responded with his seven score of the afternoon, with Clare were not finished yet and four minutes into stoppage time Tony Kelly finished a good afternoon’s work for the home side with the final score of the afternoon.

Clare: Donal Tuohy; Patrick O'Connor, Conor Cleary, Jack Browne; David Fitzgerald, David McInerney, Jamie Shanahan; Colm Galvin, Cathal Malone; Peter Duggan, Tony Kelly, David Reidy; Conor McGrath, John Conlon, Shane O'Donnell. Subs: Podge Collins for Conor McGrath (61), Séadna Morey for Cathal Malone (64), Niall Deasy for David Reidy (66), Michael O'Neill for Shane O'Donnell (68), Darragh Corry for John Conlon (69)

Scorers: Peter Duggan (1-10, 0-9 frees, 0-1 ‘65, 1-0 pen); Tony Kelly (0-6); John Conlon (1-2); Colm Galvin, Jamie Shanahan (0-2 each); David Fitzgerald, Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy, Conor McGrath (0-1 each).

            Waterford: Stephen O'Keeffe; Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan, Noel Connors; Tadhg Bourke, Darragh Fives, Philip Mahony; Jamie Barron, Conor Gleeson; Kevin Moran, Tom Devine, Jake Dillon; Maurice Shanahan, Michael Walsh, Shane McNulty. Subs: Colm Roche for Tadhg Bourke (15), DJ Foran for Michael Walsh (half-time), Stephen Bennett for Noel Connors (half-time), Thomas Ryan for Darragh Fives (38), Ian Kenny for Barry Coughlan (45)

Scorers: Maurice Shanahan (1-6, 0-6 frees); Thomas Ryan (1-1); Stephen Bennett, Jake Dillon (0-2 each); Tadhg Bourke, Philip Mahony, Jamie Barron, Conor Gleeson, Tom Devine, DJ Foran (0-1 each).

Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow).

Waterford to Begin with a Win

Clare despite a defeat to Cork in the opening round of this year’s new look Munster Senior Hurling Championship have name an unchanged team to play Waterford in the second round of this year’s Championship at Ennis tomorrow (Sunday).

In the build up to this weekend’s game there was plenty of speculation that there would be changes in the Clare side to play Waterford, and who knows maybe that those that feel the Clare Management team would make changes could be proven right.

Positional changes were made to the starting XV for Clare at the new look Pairc Uí Chaoimh last weekend before the game to the team which appeared in the programme and if it is the XV that will appear in the programme on Sunday that takes to the field, we can expect that changes will once more take place.

The Clare management team have once again named Donal Tuohy in goal, with Patrick O’Connor, Conor Cleary and Jack Browne in front of him. The half back line named sees David Fitzgerald, David McInerney and Séadna Morey named while in the middle of the field the management team have named Colm Galvin and former hurler of the year Tony Kelly.

In attack Cathal Malone John Conlon and David Ready are named in the half forward line while the inside forward line sees Conor McGrath, Peter Duggan and Shane O’Donnell all named.

Many in Clare had expected Jamie Shanahan who has come through from successful underage teams to start in this game having come on late in the day at Pairc Ui Chaoimh last weekend.

There is many that feel that there is some weaknesses in the Clare defence and it struggled at times last weekend against Cork. Séadna Morey and David Fitzgerald were understood to have gone into last weekend’s game carrying injuries and it will be interesting to see if they can withstand the pressures of playing a second huge championship game in a week.

The Waterford team which will take to the field on Sunday will show a number of changes to the side which lost out to Galway in last year’s All-Ireland Final.

Pauric Mahony and Austin Gleeson will both miss the game because of injury, but Derek McGrath will be able to call upon Conor Gleeson who missed last year’s All-Ireland final because of suspension is back in the side as is Tom Devine who dropped out of the panel last year after Waterford exited the National League and the inclusion of both will add plenty of strength to the side. Also missing from last year’s All-Ireland Final defeat are brothers Shane and Kieran Bennett who like Tom Devine last year dropped out of the panel earlier this year after the league.

Stephen O’Keeffe is once again named in goal with Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan and Noel Connors named in the full back line with Tadhg Bourke, Darragh Fives and Philip Mahony named in the half back line.

In the middle of the field there is an all Fourmilewater pairing as Jamie Barron is partnered by Conor Gleeson.

In attack, Kevin Moran, Tom Devine and Jake Dillon are named in the half forward line, while the inside forward lines sees Maurice Shanahan, Michael Walsh who is set to play his seventy first championship game for Waterford and Shane McNulty named.

While Waterford would be expected to start with the team named by Derek McGrath and his selectors because the Waterford management team have not played mind games and made any late changes in recent years to the team named, baring there was a late injury, we can expect plenty of positional changes in the Waterford side.

This will be the thirty first championship meeting of the two sides and in the head to head meetings between the two Clare lead fifteen wins to eleven for Waterford with four draws between the sides down the years, but in the last five championship meetings between the two sides Waterford lead three wins to two, with Waterford winning when the sides met in 2010, 2012 and 2016, with Clare winning in 2008 (Justin McCarthy’s last game in charge as Waterford manager) and again in 2013 when Clare went on to win the All-Ireland final after a replay against Cork.

This will be the second meeting of the sides this year as the two sides clashed in the last round of games in the round robin section of the National League and on that occasion Waterford came out on top winning 1-23 to 1-20 at Walsh Park with Patrick Curran who is not named for this game hitting an impressive 1-13 for the home side.

So who will win this game? Clare last week in their defeat to Cork did mange to create some goal chances, but they will not need telling that goals are hard to get against a Waterford side who plays down the last number of years with extra defenders or a sweeper system, call it what you like.

But while they might find it hard to create goal scoring changes against this Waterford side, they will know that the system used by Derek McGrath can be nullified to an extend if you shoot with accuracy from distance and be willing to take your points, something Galway did in last year’s All-Ireland Final when they raised twenty six white umpire flags over the seventy plus minutes.

There is some that are arguing that home advantage is going to be a big factor in this year’s championship, and if this is correct then Waterford are at an immediate disadvantage having to travel to Ennis, to Limerick twice and to Cork as Walsh Park was not deemed suitable to play Munster Championship games in, in its present state, something that the majority of the Waterford supporters would have realised since the new style championship came to be, even if we were told for a while that games would be played at the Keane’s Road venue.

But I don’t think that home advantage is all that it is talked up to be. A team will win any game regardless of where it is played if they are good enough to do so. But in saying this Waterford down the years in the big games have always found it difficult to play in Limerick, and may do so again this year, so it is important that Waterford come out of Ennis and Cork with wins under their belts if they are worst to win a place in the All-Ireland quarter finals.

In the Leinster Championship while Dublin might be a little behind Kilkenny, Galway and Wexford in the rankings, even though they have not won either of their two games played to date, they have put it up to Kilkenny playing at Parnell Park where they lead for much of the game and again last weekend when they played Wexford at Wexford Park.

Maybe Waterford in fact are better off playing as far away from Walsh Park as is possible.

Waterford have often played some of their best hurling on wide pitches and as anyone who has visited Walsh Park down the years it is one of the tightest pitches in the country with no real room available to widen the field. In fact the field was even made tighter in recent years when the sideline was moved further out from the stand side of the field than it used to be.

Former Waterford player John Mullane who now provides analysis for RTE Radio 1 and who is a fan with many who listens to the games covered by the station each week recently told listeners to the programme that he too don’t think Walsh Park suits this Waterford team and told how they like to play hurling in the bigger, wider open fields.

With Pauric Mahony not in the team and Patrick Curran not named in the starting XV for Waterford, Maurice Shanahan will be expected to be on free taking duties for Waterford on the day, and he will not leave the side down on the day.

Last year when the big Lismore man played a big part for Waterford was coming on for the last twenty or twenty five minutes. In the All-Ireland Final last year when he came on for Shane Bennett after he picked up an early injury he did not have the same impact as he did in other games and it remains to see how he will go from the start this time around. Maybe in last year’s final he might be gearing himself up for his big last twenty or twenty five minutes and when he was called on earlier than expected maybe the psychic was not as it would be if he got his usual roll, but I have no doubt this time around knowing he will be starting this game he will be well tuned in from the off.

After watching Cork beat Clare last weekend I was very confident that Waterford would inflict a second defeat on the Banner men this weekend.

While I am still confident that Waterford will win in Ennis, I am not as confident as I was having seen the Waterford team named.

Please don’t get me wrong, none of the XV named to start nor any of the subs that might be used on the day will let Waterford down.

I would love to have seen Waterford with six forwards on the field of play at all times in a bid to exploit the fractures there is in the Clare defence, but this is not what we have seen from the side in recent years, and looking at the Waterford side named for this weekend, we are unlikely to see it here.

Of the six forwards named for Sunday, I would regard both Kevin Moran and Stephen McNulty as defenders. Waterford’s captain is likely to drop back into the middle of the field with Conor Gleeson dropping back into the back line and maybe doing a man marking job on the Clare attacker seen as the most likely threat to Waterford, a job that the Fourmilewater man has done with success in the past and will do again in the future. I would even regard Tom Devine named in the half forward line as a player that plays better in his own half of the field and the same could be said of Michael Walsh, but these two players are very versatile players.

But if Derek and his selectors do decide to go with six forwards at any and withdraw some of their more defensive mind players then they have plenty of options open to them being able to call on players like Patrick Curran, Stephen Bennett, Thomas Ryan, Colin Dunford, Brian O’Halloran and DJ Foran to name but a few, all players who know where the goals are and more over players who know how to rattle the opposition sides net.

Clare go into this game on the back of a Championship outing last weekend, even if it resulted in a defeat to Cork and that game should stand to them here. Waterford while they have played a number of sides in the Leinster Championship in challenge games in recent weeks, they are without a competitive game since losing a relegation play off to Cork in the National League at the end March.

Waterford did have a disappointing league ending in relegation from the top flight of National League hurling for the second time since Derek McGrath took over the team.

The league might not be the be-all and end-all to most counties in recent years, something borne out by the fact that in the last four years on three occasions teams from Division 1B won the competition, and this year they might not have taken it all that series either as they might not have wanted to show their hand too early with the championship having a new look this year.

For me, I am sticking with the prediction I made earlier this week and say that Waterford will win this game. I would have loved to see and think that Waterford will go with six forwards but can’t see it happen with the team named for Waterford, but as pointed out already if Waterford do want to play with more attack minded players, the options are available from the bench to Derek McGrath and his selectors.

Gailltir Win Denny Buckley Cup For First Time

            Gailltir won a first County Senior Camogie League Title on Saturday evening last when they beat De La Salle at the Ferrybank G.A.A. Club Grounds.

            Both of these sides have made great strides in the last few years, producing some of the best underage Camogie Players in the county at this present moment, and it was no real surprise to see both of these clubs with some of those players already alluded to included in their match day squad reach this year’s final.

             While this proved to be Gailltir’s day, on another day De La Salle could just as easily came out on top, and possibly would have in this game but for the form of Ciara Jackman in goal for the Barony Ladies.

            Right now Waterford is blessed to have a number of top quality goalkeepers when it comes to Camogie across all grades within the game.

            In the senior grade alone, Déise Manager Donal O’Rourke will have a tough call to make ahead of the championship to decide who his number one is.

            In the eyes of many De La Salle shot stopper Brianna O’Regan is one of the best goalkeepers not just in Waterford, but across the who country. But she is being pushed hard for the number one shirt within the county by Ciara Jackman.

            The De La Salle and Gailltir Club players in the National League and in the Munster Championship shared the goalkeeping duties and it’s fair to say that neither put a foot wrong in the games which they played.

            It remains to be seen if they will share the duties in the championship which starts next month or whether one will become the number one throughout the competition and the other provide back up.

            One thing is for sure that the Gailltir player in this game did her chances of staking a more regular starting place in the county team no end of good with a string of top quality saves that any goalkeeper would be proud off.

            This final proved to be an entertaining one from first whistle to last. Over the course of the hour the two sides proved to be equally matched in all sections of the field, and in the end the old adage that goals win games proved to be once more through, as two first half goals from Annie Fitzgerald one of the rising stars of the game within the county proved to be the difference between the sides.

            It was Gailltir that got off to the best start in this game. Aoife Fitzgerald opened the scoring for her side when she converted a free. Róisín Flood followed up with a similar score from play and when Annie Fitzgerald bellowed the De La Salle net it looked as if this was going to be a one sided game.

            Áine Lyng helped extend her side’s lead before De La Salle got their first score of the game, a point from play off the stick of Abby Flynn, another young player to keep an eye on in the years to come within the game of Camogie.

            Beth Carton followed up with a point from a free for the Gracedieu based outfit and when the same two players in the same order pointed again there was just two points between the sides and the game was there for the side which showed the most hunger to win.

            Aoife Fitzgerald landed a brace of points for the eventual winners before Annie Fitzgerald got her second score of the game to give her side a 1-6 to 0-4 cushion.

            Two successful Beth Carton frees brought the game back to a one score game, but Gailltir would end the half the stronger of the two sides as Ciara O’Sullivan, Clodagh Carroll and Annie Fitzgerald all picked off points to put their side six points in front, but they were not finished yet as the latter player mentioned above finished to the net for her second goal of the game to give her side a comfortable 2-9 to 0-6 lead at the break.

            Gailltir began the second half where they left off in the first half as Annie Fitzgerald once more found the range to help extend her sides lead to ten.

            But you write off this De La Salle side at your pearl and they came storming back thanks to three successful frees off the stick of Beth Carton and Niamh Murphy another inter county player that has come from the De La Salle stable, got on the score sheet leaving Fitzgerald’s goals the difference between the sides.

            Another Beth Carton free helped to reduce Gailltir’s lead by one, out points from Annie Fitzgerald, Aoife Fitzgerald and Kate Lynch quickly followed for Gailltir to once more open up a handsome lead.

            Beth Carton would strike two more points, one from a free and the other from open play, but time was ticking down and they were finding it hard to get the goals that they really needed in this game.

            Aoife Fitzgerald had the distension of hitting both the last as well as the first score in this game, earning her side a comfortable win.

            This as pointed out already was Gailltir’s day. There can be no disputing that their greater experience at this level on the day counted as they were able to call on the experience winning the County Senior Championship and the Munster Intermediate Club Championship in 2016 to get them over the line.

            But have no doubt about it. De La Salle are a coming team and their day will come when they win honours at senior level within the county and beyond.

            This is only their fourth year playing in the adult grades and in that time they have achieved so much and the experience in doing so will stand to them going into the future.

            One thing is for sure. If we are to go on the County Senior League this year, in a couple of week’s time when the Club Championship begins supporters of the game in Camogie are in for something special.

            All clubs are actively promoting the game and their club on social media, and hopefully they will be making even more use of this terrific tool to promote the game and their clubs even more in the future. It would be great to think that we will get constant feed as to what is happening within the game and the clubs going forward and that when the club championship comes up, the players of all clubs are well supported.

            Gailltir: Ciara Jackman; Hannah Flynn, Emma Flynn, Margo Heffernan; Emily Mahony, Kate Lynch, Leah Sheridan; Aine Lyng, Shauna Fitzgerald; Clodagh Carroll, Eilish Cullinane, Roisin Flood; Annie Fitzgerald, Aoife Fitzgerald, Ciara O’Sullivan.

Subs: Emma Flynn for Aine O’Keeffe, Emer Walshe for Eilish Cullinane, Bella Daniels for Leah Sheridan.

Scorers: Annie Fitzgerald 2-04, Aoife Fitzgerald 0-05 (0-3 Frees), Kate Lynch, Aine Lyng (F), Clodagh Carroll, Ciara O Sullivan, Roisin Flood 0-1 each

De La Salle: Brianna O Regan; Lucy Hogan, Taylor Healy, Jean Dooley; Niamh Murphy, Colette Hogan, Ciara Twomey; Courtney Healy, Chloe Dempsey; Megan O’Connor, Beth Carton, Hayley Cox; Majella Tebay, Abby Flynn, Holly Ryan.  

Scorers: Beth Carton 0-10 (9 Frees), Abby Flynn 0-2, Niamh Murphy 0-1

Referee: Liz Dempsey

Intermediate League Final Ends Prematurely Following Serious Injury

Saint Anne’s and Cappoquin will have to do it all over again after their County Intermediate Camogie League Final was abandoned ten minutes into the second half at the Ballinameela Community Field on Saturday evening.

The mid county side had just gone into a five point lead and were beginning to look the better of the two sides when Saint Anne’s wing forward Róisín Kirwan one of two players on the Saint Anne’s side went down with a serious injury shortly after the same player had put over the score of the game from under the stand about 60 metres out from the Cappoquin goal.

Those with medical knowledge quickly made their way to the Saint Anne’s player and an ambulance was summoned to the ground, but when it had not arrived thirty minutes after she had gone down referee Stephen McCarthy was left with no option but to bring proceeding to a premature end after the majority of players on both sides had left the field to go to the dressing rooms in a bid to keep warm should the game have restarted having pucked a sliotar around amongst themselves for some time before leaving the field.

Full marks must go to all who came to the assistance of the Saint Anne’s player on the night, showing the great respect there is between players and clubs when something serious happens even if they are great rivals.

A number of people were seen to go to their cars for blankets and coats as the evening began to get cold in a bid to keep the injured players as warm and comfortable as possible until such time that an ambulance was able to arrive.

The injury maybe shows the need for every sporting venue in every sport should have a fully operational stretcher for when an injury does happen.

No fault could be made of those from the host club who had their facilities in pristine condition for the double header on Saturday evening, but maybe had a stretcher being available with the assistance of those most qualified to do so, the injured player could have been lifted to the dressing rooms or some other room within the centre within the grounds and kept warmer than she would have been lying on the ground which would have been cold even though we had some very warm days in the lead up to this final.

There was uncertainty around the start of this final which was delayed some minutes as mentors debated as to whether the game should be 13 or 15 a side.

In recent years the finals are played at 15 a side and 15 a side this game started.

Scores in the opening half were hard won, but when they did come they often came like London Buses with two or three coming in quick succession.

At Half time in this game it was the Mid County side that were four points in front as both sides opted to stay out on the field at the break on opposite sides of the field.

For Saint Anne’s inter county player Niamh Rockett was having a huge game for her side up to the time it was prematurely called off.

She was causing the Cappoquin defence all sorts of problems and were often left to decide if they would let her run at them and pop the sliotar over the crossbar which former inter county goalkeeper Tracey Kiely was standing under or to foul her and leave her to pop the ball high over the head from a placed ball.

At the other end of the field Aisling Power was also impressive for Cappoquin while another of their inter county players Lorraine Bray was impressing in the middle of the field and was playing a lot of ball.

The first score of this game came on six minutes and went in the way of Saint Anne’s thanks to a fine effort from Róisín Kirwan (8).

Cappoquin hit back with an effort from Aisling Power, one of the smallest players on the field on the night, but does not let the physic that she lacks compares to others stop her, as we have seen over the last number of years playing for club and county.

Niamh Rockett and Elaine McCarthy swapped scores within a minute of each other just before the end of the opening quarter mark of this game, to keep the sides locked together in what was proving to be a tight contest.

Ten minutes elapsed before the next score was hit by either side and as was the case up to this stage, when one came another quickly followed. Niamh Rockett edged Saint Anne’s in front on twenty five minutes but her effort was quickly cancelled out in the next attack thanks to an effort from Aisling Power.

Saint Anne’s however would hit a purple patch before the break and they hit the next four scores to open up a lead which they were full for.

Niamh Rockett put over a brace of scores before Rachel McDonald pointed on twenty nine minutes. Niamh Rockett pointed again in the first minute of added time from a placed ball which gave her side a 0-7 to 0-3 lead.

There was still time to be played at the end of the thirty and in it both sides added one further score each.

Lorraine Bray was first to score with a delightful effort and with the last attack of the half Aleisha McDonald struck the last score of an entertaining first half of Camogie.

Inter county players Niamh Rockett and Aisling Power swapped early second half scores to keep the mid county side four in front.

Aisling Power pointed again from a free for the Cornerstone Ladies on thirty six minutes to leave three between the sides.

If the Cornerstone ladies could hit the next score they would be right in contention to win this game, but it was the mid county side that played struck not once but twice.

Niamh Rockett hit her seventh of the game and fifth from a placed ball on thirty eight minutes, and moments later Rachel Kirwan (11) would hit the score of the game from sixty metres out to give her side a five point lead.

Sadly however for Kirwan and for those present just seconds later as Kirwan ran to a loose ball she fell to the ground with a serious injury. Referee Stephen McCarthy rightly stopped the game so that medical attention could be rendered to the injured player. An Ambulance was sent for after the extent of her injury was deterred and when it had not arrived thirty minutes later the game was rightly abandoned.  

Saint Anne’s: Megan Foran; Aisling Allen, Labhaoise Dunbar, Claire Whyte; Saoirse Bonner, Pauline Cunningham, Bronwyn Grace; Róisín Kirwan, Clare Murphy; Róisín Kirwan, Niamh Rockett, Rachel McDonald; Mairead Murphy, Becky Kavanagh, Aleisha McDonald.

Scorers: Aisling Power 0-4 (2f), Lorraine Bray, Elaine McCarthy 0-1 each.

Cappoquin: Tracey Kiely; Ally Landers, Róisín Cahillane, Tina Coffey; Carole McCarthy, Jenny McCarthy, Charlotte Connors; Lorraine Bray, Róisín Uniacke; Jess Glavin, Jemma Burke, Elaine McCarthy; Nicole Landers, Laura Greene, Aisling Power.

Scorers: Niamh Rockett 0-7 (5F), Roisin Kirwan, Rachel McDonald, Aleisha McDonald, Róisín Kirwan 0-1 each.

Referee: Stephen McCarthy.