Ryan and Delahunty Goals Help Secure Senior Status For Waterford Ladies

Waterford will contest next year’s All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship after they got the better of a strong Tipperary side in an hugely exciting relegation semi final play off at Callan on Saturday afternoon.

Few would have expected either of these two sides to be involved in a relegation battle this year, but unfortunately for both they did after neither side won a game in this year’s championship up to this game.

But had things worked out slightly different in different games for both sides then the year could well have had a much different look to it.

This game went right to the wire as was expected and at the end of the hour there was only one kick of the ball between the two sides, but when Maria Delahunty converted a penalty three minutes into added time, it ensured that victory was going to go to the Déise girls who over the course of the game proved to be the better of the two sides.

Tipperary stayed with Waterford for much of this game and on two occasions they lead the eventual winners, but now find themselves in a relegation play off final with Cavan, the side that they beat in the Division Two National League Final earlier this year, and if they are to join Waterford in the senior grade next year, they will have to win a competitive game for the first time this year since they won that National League title.

At the end of this game there was a massive relief on the faces of the Waterford side who knew if they lost they would face Cavan in that relegation decider after Cavan lost to Monaghan earlier in the day in the other semi final game, and it would be on the minds of some of the Waterford players that in the last number of years they have found the going very tough against opposition from Ulster in the bigger games.

Tipperary’s Gillian O’Brien opened the scoring in this game but her effort was quickly cancelled out with a brace of scores from this game’s top scorer Maria Delahunty.

While Tipperary would draw level with a point from Aisling McCarthy the Premier Counties top scorer in this game, Waterford would hit the next three scores, one of which proved vital.

Mairead Wall broke forward to put Waterford one up before the long serving Michelle Ryan bagged the first of her two goals in this game on seven minutes after which Aileen Wall followed up with a point to put Waterford five in front.

The player’s Waterford knew that they would have to keep a close eye on most in this game were the two Aisling’s (McCarthy and Moloney) and it was they that kicked the next two scores to leave Michelle Ryan’s goal between the sides at the end of the first quarter.

Maria Delahunty put over a free for Waterford before Tipperary enjoyed a purple patch as Aisling McCarthy pointed just before her shot was judged to have cross the line when Kelly Moroney misjudged the flight of the ball.

This score levelled matters and Tipperary soon went in front when Sarah Everard and Siobhan Condon split the Waterford uprights, but Waterford would finish the half strong as Aileen Wall and Katie Murray both pointed before Michelle Ryan hit her second goal of the game on twenty seven minutes which put the Déise Ladies 2-7 to 1-7 in front.

In the time that remained before the break both sides hit one score each, both coming from the respective right half forwards, Maria Delahunty first sending the umpire for a white flag and then Kate Davey which sent the sides in at the break with Waterford holding a 2-8 to 1-8 advantage.

Aisling McCarthy made it a two point game at the start of the second half, but Waterford hit the next three scores Maria Delahunty putting over a free which was followed by an Aoife Murray effort and another from Maria Delahunty.

The game then turned in Tipperary’s favour as Aisling Moloney hit a brace of points and Niamh Lonergan hit one to leave two between the sides once more in Waterford’s favour.

Maria Delahunty and Aisling McCarthy swapped scores to keep things very tight as the time ticked down on the watch of Jonathan Murphy.

Aileen Wall put a little day light between the sides when she got her third score of the game but Waterford could still not pull away from the shackles of Tipperary.

Three minutes into stoppage time however at the end of the hour Waterford secured the win and a place in next year’s championship when Maria Delahunty finished a penalty to the next after Lauren Fitzpatrick blocked an initial effort from the Abbeyside Club player with her foot which saw her sent to the line.

For Waterford it’s now back to the club championship where the main interest will be to see will the Ballymacarbry near forty year stronghold on the senior championship come to an end, but the other grades will prove to be just as competitive.

Waterford: Kelly Moroney; Mairead Wall, Caoimhe McGrath, Rebecca Casey; Emma Murray, Megan Dunford, Michelle McGrath; Karen McGrath, Kate McGrath; Maria Delahunty, Aoife Murray, Aileen Wall; Sinead Ryan, Katie Murray, Michelle Ryan.

Subs: Kelly Ann Hogan for Mairead Wall (42), Geraldine Power for Michelle Ryan (54), Eimear Fennell for Sinead Ryan (54), Keely Corbett Barry for Aoife Murray (64).

Scorers: Maria Delahunty 1-7 (4fs, 1-0 pen), Michelle Ryan 2-0, Aileen Wall 0-3, Mairead Wall, Katie Murray, Aoife Murray 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick; Laura Dillon, Maria Curley, Brid Condon; Anna Rose Kennedy, Samantha Lambert, Niamh Lonergan; Aisling McCarthy, Siobhan Condon; Kate Davey, Aisling Moloney, Orla O'Dwyer; Sinead Everard, Mairead Morrissey, Grace O'Brien.

Subs: Lucy Spillane for Laura Dillon (9), Roisin Howard for Everard (HT), Elaine Fitzpatrick for Siobhan Condon (HT), Emma Buckley for Kate Davey (44), Aoibhe O'Shea for Grace O'Brien (53).

Scorers: Aisling McCarthy 1-6 (5fs), Aisling Moloney 0-2, Niamh Lonergan, Grace O'Brien, Kate Davey, Sarah Everard, Siobhan Condon 0-1 each.

Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).

Senior Club Camogie Championship Starts This Weekend With Some Cracking Contests In Store

Last Saturday afternoon at Pairc Ui Chaoimh there was heartbreak for the Waterford Senior Camogie team when they lost out to Tipperary in the first of this year’s All-Ireland quarter finals.

However there is little time for those that formed Donal O’Rourke’s panel to rest on their laurels as this weekend most of the panel are back in action, not this time with the county but with their respective club sides.

Regular readers of what I have to say on here will no doubt be fed up hearing how strong I think Waterford Camogie is right now. OK, we as a county might be that little bit behind the likes of Kilkenny, Cork and Galway, but we are moving in the right direction and I make no apologies for pointing this out.

If the inter county scene in Waterford is strong, so do is the club scene. In the last number of years we have seen Lismore and Gailltir dominate on the senior stage, with both winning county senior titles and Munster Intermediate championships, with the Heritage Town side even adding an All-Ireland Club title to their Roll of Honour in recent years.

This year’s senior championship proves to be one of the best in a long number of years. No longer can we say with any degree of certainty that it will be a straight dog fight between one or two sides. This year Six, yes Six teams will compete in the senior championship and any one of the six could win the title, and which ever does come out on top will have every right to say that they are champions and have the right to represent the county in the Munster Club Championship in the weeks around the late Autumn and early Winter months.

Between Saturday evening and Tuesday next all six teams will have played in this year Championship.

Two games are down to be decided on Saturday evening and the third game is to be played on Tuesday evening.

Champions from 2016 Gailltir open their campaign with a difficult assignment against De La Salle. The two sides met in the final of the League earlier this year at Ferrybank and on that occasion it was the girls from the Barony that came out on top, but they will need no telling that the same will happen this time around.

Both sides have some outstanding players in their ranks. Gailltir will be looking to the likes of Ciara Jackman in goal, Kate Lynch, Áine Lyng, Annie, Aoife and Shauna Fitzgerald, Róisín Flood, Leah Sheridan, Eilish Cullinane and Clodagh Carroll for guidance here.

De La Salle are only playing in the adult grades with a short few years and already have achieved so much, but they have yet to sample success in the senior grade be it at League or Championship level, but it is only a matter of time before they do.

Like Gailltir they have their stars in their set up. Brianna O’Regan and Beth Carton will be the best known players in their ranks but the likes of Lucy Hogan, Taylor Healy, Niamh Murphy, Colette Hogan and Abby Flynn are equally as fine players.

Have no doubt about it, if there is a game to be seen in Waterford in any grade or in any sport this could be it. Throw in at the Gaultier G.A.A. Grounds near Dunmore East on Saturday evening is at 7pm for a game that is forever too close to call at this stage.

The second game down for decision on Saturday evening is the meeting of Saint Anne’s and Cappoquin in Dunhill.

Just like the Senior Final of the league already mentioned above, these two sides met in the Intermediate League Final at Ballinameela on the same evening as the Senior League Final in Ferrybank.

That game ended prematurely when Róisín Kirwan picked up a serious Injury which did not allow her to be removed from the field until professional medical expertise arrived by which time the game was stopped some time and people were leaving the ground.

On the night it looked as if the Mid County side were the better of the two sides and were in control when the game was halted.

Both sides have their quota of present and former inter county players and just like the first game mentioned down for decision this weekend, this one could well go to the wire.

Saint Anne’s will be looking to the likes of Megan Foran who helped Waterford win a Munster Minor Final last week, Labhaoise Dunbar, Claire Whyte, Saoirse Boner, Pauline Cunningham, Bronwyn Grace, Claire Murphy, Mairead Murphy, Aleisha McDonald, Becky Kavanagh and of course of one the best players this year on the National scene Niamh Rockett in this one.

The Corner-Stone ladies also have their stars. Lorraine Bray is another player who really impressed on the inter county scene this year, while they also have the likes of Tracey Kiely, Róisín Cahillane, Jenny McCarthy, Róisín Uniacke, Aisling Power, Carole McCarthy, Jess Glavin, Nicole Landers etc in the black and red shirt.

This game also has a 7pm start on Saturday evening and if there is a winner in this game, most neutrals will be fancying Saint Anne’s to start with a win in a competition where every point collected on the league table could prove vital.

The final game of the weekend see’s reining champions Lismore take on An Rinn in Lismore on Tuesday evening. (It might be advisable to check with Lismore as to what venue they will be using).

The girls from the Heritage town in the last number of years have proven to be an excellent side and there is nothing to suggest that they won’t be challenging again in 2018.

They are without Gráinne Kenneally this year after she picked up a serious injury some weeks back which will keep her out of the game for some time and her loss is a big one for the side, but they have coped without her in the past and will do so again in the future as they have some excellent players in their set up, the likes of Tanya Morrissey, Sarah Coughlan, Shauna Prendergast, Ellen and Shone Curran, Aoife Houlihan, Shauna Kiernan, Marie Russell, Sharon Williams, Nicola Morrissey, Johanna Houlihan, Ruth Geoghegan and of course Caithriona McGlone.

An Rinn currently have three players who are first choice players on the Waterford senior team in Aoife Landers, Fiona Morrissey and Deirdre Fahy and they will be absolute vital for their sides chances in this one.

But they had also some very good players in last year’s championship, the likes of Sarah Ní Mhuiriosa, Siobhan Ní Mhuirithe, Fiona Ní Bhriain, Cadhla and Lia Nic Craith and Áine Ní Chrotaigh who if they are involved this year will also be asked to pull out all the stops.

Lismore will go into this game as the only side this week that gamblers will say they are sure of collecting the points on offer, and they get the nod here to win, but if ever there is a best time to play the reigning champions it’s in the first game of the competition and that will give An Rinn confidence going into this game.

South East Rivals Clash in Relegation Play Off At Callan

            In a season that promised so much for both sides, both Waterford and Tipperary’s Senior Ladies Football sides clash in the unusual setting of Callan on Saturday afternoon where for the winner the prize will be retaining their senior status for 2019, while for the loser they will have one further game to save their senior status when they play the loser of the game between Cavan and Monaghan which is pencilled in to take place in Lannleire (between Dundalk and Drogheda off the M1) on the same day, 90 minutes before the ball in thrown in for the game in Callan.

This is a game that Pat Sullivan’s side will know that they have to win. Since the breakup of the great Waterford team that achieved so much under the guidance of Michael Ryan and his assistant Bridget Grant (nee McGrath) Waterford have not always faired the best while playing against opposition from Ulster, losing the Intermediate All-Ireland Finals in 2010 and 2012 to Donegal and Armagh respectfully, and have also lost league finals and league semi finals to Armagh and Cavan in recent years.

While the championship has not proven to be the best to both of these sides this year, early in the year it looked as if it was going to be a great year for both sides, maybe with Waterford bettering the quarter final exit in the championship that they achieved last year, while Tipperary were back playing in the top grade for the first time in a long number of years, but to date both sides have yet to win in the championship as Tipperary lost out to Tipperary in the Munster Semi Final while Waterford lost to Kerry in the same competition at the same stage.

In the All-Ireland Championship which was played between twelve sides broken down into four groups of three, Tipperary lost out to Kerry and Donegal while Waterford lost out to Westmeath and Galway.

In the National League the two sides played in Division Two. Tipperary had a flying start to the competition winning their first six games, while Waterford lost their first game to Tyrone but then put five wins back to back.

The two sides were to meet in round five of the competition, but because of the weather conditions this spring, that game was called off on safety grounds and it was pencilled in at the end of the round robin section of the competition, meaning that it was last year’s Division Three winners in the league and Intermediate Champions that went into the game at the WIT Arena holding a three point advantage.

The night before that game the Premier County Ladies were presented with their medals which they won last year at a function in Cahir and it was therefore no real surprise to see Waterford record a six straight win, which meant that Waterford topped the group when the two sides finished level on points (18 from a possible 21) by virtue of winning the head to head between the two sides.

While Tipperary might argue that the game was re-fixed at the wrong time for them, credit must go to the Waterford team for the way they went out completing the job the way they did.

For both to reach the semi finals was a fantastic achievement. Waterford last year finished seventh of the eight teams and most would have said to finish higher up the table would be seen as some sort of progress while Tipperary in the eyes of many would be happy only to retain their status in Division two after coming up from Division three just like Waterford the previous year.

In the semi finals Waterford were pitted with Cavan while Tipperary were paired with Armagh. We often see in Ladies Football that for whatever reason when two sides clash for the second time in a short space of time the result is often reversed.

Sadly for Waterford this was the case as the Ulster side proved that little bit too strong, advancing to the final where they took on Tipperary who overcame the challenge of Armagh and in the final they proved too strong for the Ulster side in the competition for the second time this year.

Waterford will need no telling how strong Seamus Roynane’s side will be this weekend. The sides have played against each other a number of times in recent years and little separated the two sides when they do clash.

The Waterford defence will know that they can afford to give little away in front of their own goal mouth as the Tipperary girls have a number of players who will punish any side when given the chance.

Aisling Maloney is without doubt their key forward. She hit 1-4 in her sides defeat to Kerry and better that tally kicking nine points against Donegal.

But they don’t rely solely on the Cahir club player as in the likes of Gillian O’Brien, Aisling McCarthy, Niamh Lonergan, Mairead Morrissey, Orla O’Dwyer and Caoimhe Condon some excellent players.

 At the other end of the field Tipperary also have some very strong players. Lauren Fitzpatrick will be well known to many of this Waterford side through playing her club football with Ballymacarbry.

In front of her Laura Dillon, Maria Curley, Brid Condon, Anna-Rose Kennedy, Samantha Lambert and Siobhan Condon should feature while Aisling McCarthy could well be in the middle of the field where she could be partnered by the already mentioned Orla O’Dwyer.

Pat Sullivan and his management team are unlikely to make any major changes to the side which we have seen playing in the championship up to now.

In the absence of Gráinne Kenneally who looked to have become the Waterford regular goalkeeper up to the time of sustaining a serious injury after the Munster Championship defeat to Kerry, Kelly Moroney could well have the number one on her back.

Mairead Wall, Rebecca Casey, Caoimhe McGrath, Michelle McGrath, Megan Dunford, Kate McGrath and Katie Murray would be expected to fight out the positions in the back line for Waterford provided there are no injuries in these players, while Karen McGrath and Emma Murray could well start in the middle of the field.

In attack there is plenty of options open to the Waterford management team. So far this year they have left some of their big guns out of the starting fifteen and bring them on often in the second half as fresh legs when opposition legs particularly in defence begin to tire.

Whether that same tactic will be used again this time remains to be seen or if Waterford will start with as strong a forward line as is possible.

 At full strength Waterford could well have the likes of Michelle and Sinead Ryan, Maria Delahunty, Eimear Fennell, Aoife Murray all causing trouble for the opposing backs, while the likes of Kate Hahessy, Keeley Corbett Barry, Kelly Anne Hogan etc could also be asked to do a job for the side.

This is a game that Waterford will not want to lose. It’s always nice to have bragging rights over your neighbours, and Waterford would love this to happen, but it’s not just for bragging rights Waterford would love to win here, remember a defeat here for one side will mean a relegation play off final against Ulster opposition and as pointed out Waterford in the real big games, even if they beat Cavan in last year’s championship tend to find the going tough against Ulster opposition, and a win here would mean that is something the side would not have to worry about.

Expect this game to really go to the wire. Maybe sixty minutes might not be enough to separate these two sides that on any given day little separate the two sides. Waterford at this level are slightly the more experienced side of the two, and i expect this experience to count for something in Callan on Saturday.

Defeat for Waterford in All-Ireland Quarter Final but Expect This Side to Be Back Better Than Ever In 2019

There was no joy for Waterford in the first of this year’s All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Quarter Finals on Saturday afternoon when Tipperary proved that little bit stronger at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

While Waterford will be somewhat disappointed with the final result, it is important that each and every one of the players and management team hold their heads very high as they had a year that few would have expected this time last year, reaching the quarter finals of the championship for the very first time and earlier this year missing out on the knockout stages of the National League on score difference over Limerick who drew with Donal O’Rourke’s side in the last game in the round robin section of the competition.

With many of the panel still in their mid to late teens and early twenties, should this panel remain in place to compete again in 2019 and maybe add some of the best minors who helped Waterford win a first ever Munster ‘A’ Minor Title last Wednesday night over All-Ireland Champions Cork in Fermoy, then nobody will be taking this group of players lightly going forward and if they were to get the better of the girls in white and blue, they will really have to be at their very best.

All year round and more over in the championship some strange decisions by the match officials on a given day have gone against Waterford and it could be argued that the same happened in this game.

Waterford’s first score of the game for example came from a twenty metre free for a foul committed on a brilliant Niamh Rockett inside the large box. While Beth Carton made no mistake in putting the sliotar over the Tipperary crossbar had the free puck being a penalty you would have to fancy the De La Salle sharpshooter to bellow the Tipperary net against a three woman wall on the goal line but with extra bodies able to guard the net for a conventional free she took the saver option and took the minor score that was available to her.

With five minutes of the hour remaining Waterford won a free at distance from the Tipperary goal, which Áine Lyng the most experienced member of this panel having won an Under 16 All-Ireland medal back in 2003 against Armagh at Port Laoise, dropped in around the danger zone for Tipperary. The ball was batten down to an area where there was a number of Waterford forwards lurking, but before they could do anything with the ball, the Antrim referee blew his whistle awarding the defending team at the time a free out for what seemed to be a dubious infringement within the square.

At the time there was only three points between the sides and had maybe a goal being registered it surly would have spurred Waterford onto a victory and a place in the semi finals for the first time.

Tipperary were quickest out of the traps in this game. Twice in the first half there was seven points between the sides on the scoreboard, but at the break only four were between the sides after the eventual winners twice pointed in added time at the end of the thirty.

Grace O’Brien and Ciardha Maher hit scores in the opening three minutes before Waterford opened their account with a Beth Carton free on six minutes, a free that could just as easily be a penalty for Waterford as Niamh Rockett was knocked to the ground inside the large box.

Laura Loughnane, Cáit Devane from a free, Orla O’Dwyer, a brace of scores from Cáit Devane and one from Caoimhe Maher put Tipperary 0-8 to 0-1 in front with twenty minutes showing on the clock.

Beth Carton hit her and Waterford’s second score of the game, again from a placed ball this time a ’45 to cut Tipperary’s margin on 21 minutes but it was followed with a point from Ciardha Maher.

Waterford’s best period score-wise came in a seven minute spell just short of the half hour mark.

The brilliant Niamh Rockett put over a brilliant score from under the stand playing into the city end of the ground before Beth Carton put over a free to leave five between the sides.

On the half hour mark Waterford won a sideline on the northern side of the ground which was struck by Aoife Landers. Orla Hickey and Deirdre Fahey got touches before the ball fell to Beth Carton who hit a high dropping ball in around the Tipperary square which caught out Caoimhe Burke and fell into the back of the net.

In added time Tipperary landed scores from Grace O’Brien and Orla O’Dwyer which gave them a 0-11 to 1-4 advantage showing on the scoreboard as the sides headed to the dressing rooms.

Waterford began the second half brightly as Lorraine Bray and Niamh Rockett put over points to cut the Tipperary lead once more to two points.

Orla O’Dwyer who impressed throughout for the winners made it a three point game on35 minutes, which was back down to two four minutes later when Beth Carton again split the posts.

Sadly for Waterford despite creating chances Donal O’Rourke’s side failed to score in the last twenty one minutes of this game.

While Waterford failed to score after Carton’s fifth score of the game at the other end of the field a more experienced Tipperary side did not have things all their own way as the likes of Ciara Jackman, Áine Lyng and Sibheal Harney were having excellent games in the white and blue shirt, with the other players also playing a part.

Ciardha Maher pointed for Tipperary on 48 minutes but they were not able to break free of Waterford.

Two minutes later Beth Carton tried to lob Caoimhe Burke in the Tipperary goal but narrowly failed to pull off the shot.

Two minutes into stoppage time Tipperary secured their win when they won a free on the half way line out by the stand on the Southern Stand which looked to be sailing over the Waterford crossbar but dipped and went just over the hurley of Ciara Jackman and fell into the Waterford net. And seconds later the same player made no mistake in a much more central position again shooting from a free on the Waterford 65 metre line.

TIPPERARY: Caoimhe Burke; Julie Anne Burke, Gemma Grace, Clodagh Quirke; Caroline Mullaney, Karen Kennedy, Mary Ryan; Laura Loughnane, Ereena Fryday; Ciardha Maher, Caoimhe Maher, Orla O’Dwyer; Grace O’Brien, Cáit Deane, Róisín Cahill.

            Subs: Sarah Fryday for Róisín Cahill (ht), Miriam Camption for Caoimhe Maher (39), Casey Hennessey for Laura Loughnane (48), Eibhlis McDonnell for Grace O’Brien (60+2)

Scorers: Cáit Devane 1-4(1-3fs); Ciardha Maher, Orla O’Dwyer 0-3 each; Grace O’Brien 0-2; Caoimhe Maher, Laura Loughnane 0-1 each

WATERFORD: Ciara Jackman; Kate Lynch, Iona Heffernan, Sibheal Harney; Aoife Landers, Áine Lyng, Shona Kiernan; Lorraine Bray, Deirdre Fahey; Niamh Rockett, Annie Fitzgerald, Fiona Morrissey; Kaeisha Tobin, Beth Carton, Orla Hickey.

 Subs: Aisling Power for Fiona Morrissey (30) Claire Whyte for Aoife Landers (ht), Mairead Power for Shauna Kiernan (ht), Kate McMahon for Orla Hickey (44)

Scorers: Beth Carton 1-4(3fs, 1 45); Niamh Rockett 0-2; Lorraine Bray 0-1

Referee: Owen Elliott (Antrim)