New Era for Waterford Hurling to Begin With Win in Thurles

          Enough has been said of the Waterford Senior Hurlers last year without too much more being said here, but a person cannot begin a preview of Waterford’s National Hurling League opener without making some reference to 2018.

          When the National League fixtures were announced late last year playing in Division 1B most Waterford supporters were delighted to get Offaly in the first game, and even more delighted that the game was a home game for Waterford as sometimes when Waterford sides have gone to Tullamore in recent years we have a tendency of making things harder for ourselves than things should be.

          Shortly after the fixtures came out there was some loud whispers going around the county which did not appear in print for some time till it was confirmed that Waterford were going to lose home advantage for the league opener for breaking a training ban last April when it had been agreed that no Inter County training would take place during a month which was given over to club activities.

          Waterford were one of a small number of counties which lost their appeal against going training or whatever name other counties put on it and it public Knowledge shortly afterwards that Waterford would have to play Offaly at Semple Stadium, a ground that Waterford will or at least should know inside out and upside down.

          Offaly were once a side that were a match for anyone. In the 1980’s and indeed for much of the 1990’s they won their share of titles both in Leinster and on All-Ireland Final Day, but these days they do not hold the same fear for the stronger counties within the game in which we have to include Waterford.

In recent years they have flirted with relegation from Division 1B of the league more often than they were to joining the likes of Waterford, Galway and Clare who have won the league from Division 1B and in the championship they are doing just enough to remain in the Liam McCarthy grade of championship hurling.

This year under new management, we will see a different Waterford from what we saw in recent years, certainly in the league as Padraic Fanning will have to plan without the services of Ballygunner Club players as they have an All-Ireland Club semi final to look forward to.

That however coupled with a small number of retirements from last year’s panel plus some injuries means that we will see some unfamiliar names at this level of hurling feature in this game.

With Stephen O’Keeffe involved with Ballygunner and Ian O’Regan retiring Billy Nolan for now could be the number one choice to start in goals.

In front of him Barry Coughlan has also called time on his inter county career and his place could well be taken by Conor Prunty a player highly regarded by many within the county with team captain Noel Connors and Shane Fives either side of him.

Hopefully 2019 will see the end of the sweeper system so much hated to be seen by many hurling supporters and Waterford will go for a plain two lines of three at the back.

With a full strength squad to pick from my three in this line would be Conor Gleeson, Tadhg Bourke and Austin Gleeson. But we can’t see the three line out in this game as Conor Gleeson is injured and some are saying that Austin Gleeson is not fully match fit.

This could mean that the Clashmore man will start at centre back with maybe Bunmahon’s Micheál Harney on one side of him with either Kieran Bennett or Shane McNulty on the other.

In the middle of the field former team captain Kevin Moran would be expected to start there but alongside who? Jamie Barron is reported to be out of contention with an injury so that means that the second spot could well go to Colin Dunford or Mark O’Brien with some saying Brian O’Halloran not being ruled out of contention.

Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh after committing to another year in the white and blue could well start at centre forward where he could be flanked by Shane Bennett and DJ Foran in what could be a formidable line.

Stephen Bennett could well start on the edge of the Offaly square and reports suggest that he is going great in training which is welcome news.

Alongside him the management team could well go for two speed merchants in Thomas Ryan and Brian O’Halloran. An inside forward line of Ryan, Bennett and O’Halloran would surely have most full back lines fearing the worst.

Others that could well get a run out in Thurles on Sunday afternoon could well be Lismore’s Jack Prendergast, Ballyduff Upper’s Mikey Kearney and Tallow’s Jordan Henley.

There is some that will argue that it would not be best for Waterford to peak too early in the year. They might be right, but it is important that Waterford put a winning run together in the league from the off this year, winning promotion back to Division 1A for next year and remaining involved in the league as close as possible to the championship.

We hear a lot from some supporters about the importance of home advantage in games and loosing home advantage might be somewhat of a flow for Waterford. But playing in Thurles is no real disadvantage to Waterford. If the side were sent to Nowlan Park, Nenagh, Portlaoise or Carlow to play this game Waterford would be less used to the surrounds.

Even without the Ballygunner players involved in the league for the first few games this year you can’t but feel Waterford should begin with a win in this one.