Deise Ladies Push Champions All the Way

The gap between Waterford and the stronger Inter County Camogie sides is steadily closing and we saw this once more on Sunday evening when Donal O’Rourke’s side took on All-Ireland Champions Cork in Walsh Park.

While nine points separated the sides at the end of the hour in a game played out in wind and rain, in truth it was only in the final quarter of this game that the reigning champions were able to pull away from the home side.

For 45 minutes the sides were very evenly matched and in this time the sides were level on six occasions.

Waterford had turned around with a two point 0-6 to 0-4 advantage showing on the score board and in truth the home side were full value for this lead.

Waterford started this game without Trish Jackman. The Gailltir club player returned to the fold this year after studying in the UK for a number of years where she now lives and works. Her absence from this game is well documented and one where Camogie chiefs in Croke Park will have to ask serious questions of themselves.

Originally this game was to be played on Saturday afternoon but it was put back 24 hours so that Cork could accommodate two players who were part of the Cork Senior Ladies Football Panel that were also down to play Cavan on Saturday afternoon, a game that Cork were always going to win whether they had the two players Hannah Looney and Libby Coppinger in the team or not.

While it is important to note that no blame should be put on the players for the putting back of this game for up to 24 hours, there has to be some level of consistency when it comes to fixtures as Waterford’s Caoimhe McGrath had to choose what game she wanted to play only a week earlier when the Ladies Footballers were down to play Dublin and the Camogie team had a must win game against Clare at Walsh Park.

It should also be remembered that only a few years back Waterford had three duel Ladies Football and Camogie Players and Shona Curran, Grainne Kenneally and Fiona Morrissey lined out for both sides on the one day in Dublin.

Waterford were also without Annie Fitzgerald for this game as the Gailltir was nursing an injury and hopefully she will be back in contention for a place from the start when Waterford play Galway in the All-Ireland Quarter Finals in Thurles on August 3, a game that the Camogie Association have announced will have a 7-15pm start and will be the main game on the evening’s programme with Tipperary and Limerick playing before the Waterford game in the first quarter final with that game having a 5-30 throw in.

Waterford took the lead in this game when Beth Carton put over a third minute free only for Orla Cotter to cancel it out at the other end with a similar effort. The De La Salle player edged Waterford back in front again on five minutes when she again split the posts from another Waterford free but six minutes later at the other end of the field Orla Cotter levelled matters for the second time.

Cork took the lead for the first time when Orla Cronin split the posts but on the quarter of an hour mark the sides were level for the third time when Áine Lyng found the range with Waterford’s first score from play.

Libby Coppinger wasted no time in restoring a lead for Cork, but Waterford would finish the half the stronger of the two sides in front of goal as Beth Carton landed the last three scores of the half, all from placed balls to give Waterford a 0-6 to 0-4 lead at the break.

Cork started the second half lively and they knocked over the opening two scores from Orla Cronin to level matters in this game for the fifth time. Waterford however would all behind when Hannah Looney gave her side the lead with a score 45 metres from goal, but the sides were levelled up for the sixth time on 39 minutes when Áine Lyng got her second score from game.

Beth Carton in the driving rain was unlucky to have lost her footing as she took a ’45 which would give Waterford the lead but soon afterwards Cork took the lead once more and never relinquished it after that.

Cork’s first goal came on 44 minutes when Hannah Looney found Orla Cronin who tore down the middle and sent a rasping shot past Brianna O’Regan.

Libby Coppinger and Orla Cotter followed up with points for Cork, but Waterford refused to give up this game without a fight and it took a terrific save from Laura Hayes to deny Waterford substitute Clara Griffin what would have been a richly deserved goal.

But Waterford were to be dealt a killer blow of any chance of getting something from this game Niamh McCarthy crashed home a second goal for the Rebellettes in the first minute of added time.

Next up for Waterford is an All-Ireland quarter final against what will be a fancied Galway side in two weeks time in Thurles, but the performance in this game and throughout the campaign will give this Waterford panel plenty of confidence going into that game and who knows, it might be against the Tribe’s women that Waterford will pull off that big stand up and take notice win and set up an All-Ireland semi final appearance in the middle of August, a stage of the competition that both Cork and Kilkenny as group winners have already qualified for.

Waterford: Brianna O'Regan; Kate Lynch, Iona Heffernan, Sibeal Harney; Caoimhe McGrath, Shona Curran, Lorraine Bray; Emma Hannon, Orla Hickey; Aine Lyng, Fiona Morrissey, Niamh Rockett; Aisling Power, Beth Carton, Sarah Lacey.

Subs: Clara Griffin for Emma Hannon (HT), Mairead Power for Sibeal Harney (47), Aoife Landers for Aisling Power (49), Claire Whyte for Caoimhe McGrath (55), Aine Power for Sarah Lacey (57).

Scorers: Beth Carton 0-5 (5fs), Aine Lyng 0-2.

Cork: Aoife Murray; Laura Hayes, Pamela Mackey, Laura Treacy; Hannah Looney, Gemma O'Connor, Chloe Sigerson; Libby Coppinger, Briege Corkery; Amy O'Connor, Orla Cronin, Orla Cotter; Linda Collins, Julia White, Lauren Homan.

Subs: Niamh McCarthy for Julia White (HT), Ciara McCarthy for Orla Cronin (49), Katelyn Hickey for Libby Coppinger (53), Cliona Healy for Linda Collins (56), Leanne O'Sullivan for Hannah Looney (60).

Scorers: Orla Cronin 1-3, Niamh McCarthy 1-0, Orla Cotter 0-3 (3fs), Libby Coppinger 0-2, Amy O'Connor, Hannah Looney 0-1 each.

Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare)

Clinical Waterford Prove Too Strong For Under Strength Monaghan

The Waterford Senior Ladies Football team will have got many to sit up and take notice on Saturday afternoon when they proved too strong for a Monaghan side who were playing on home soil in the second round of games in this year’s Round Robin Section of the All-Ireland Football Championship.

Ciaran Curran fielded 13 of the side which lost out to Dublin a week earlier, bringing in Mairead Wall into the attack and Caoimhe McGrath into the defence after the latter player missed last week’s game having opted to play Camogie when the two sides which she is involved in were down to play on the same afternoon.

While it was the home side that got off to the best start in this game going 0-3 to 0-1 in front, Waterford once they began to get on top proved to be the better of the two sides and once corner forward Eimear Fennell netted a hat-trick of goals inside a five minute spell before the end of the first quarter the outcome of this game was never going to be in doubt.

All year long the Waterford full forward line of Michelle Ryan with the Abbeyside pairing of Eimear Fennell and Maria Delahunty either side of her are in fine form and nothing changed in this game as the three players shared 4-13 of Waterford’s tally.

Waterford in this game had nine different scorers in this game, an impressive tally of scorers in any game and could have won this game by an even greater margin as they missed two chances for goals before Eimear Fennell struck her hat-trick.

Credit their opponents too however. They lined out without a number of their younger players who were due to play in Sunday’s All-Ireland Minor Semi Final against Meath and also lined out without team captain Cora Courtney because of injury. It should also be pointed out that they did create goal chances and when they did manage to get inside the Waterford full back line they found it very difficult to get past Rosie Landers who is one of a few young players in their first season playing at this level and the Ballyduff Upper player is making a bit of a name for herself with a string of fine performances.

The home side opened the scoring with points from Louise Kerley, Ciara McAnespie and Abbie McCarey with Waterford’s first score coming from Chloe Fennell.

Waterford however came bouncing back with Eimear Fennell hitting a five minute hat-trick for Ciaran Curran’s side by the end of the first quarter.

Waterford had spurned two early chances to hit goals but perseverance eventually paid off as the talented Abbeyside tallies player netted three goals in quick succession to put Waterford into a deserved 3-1 to 0-3 lead from which they never looked back.

The home side would close the gap with points from Ciara McAnespie and Louise Kerley it was not to be enough for their side however. Michelle Ryan and Chloe McBride swapped scores before Maria Delahunty put Waterford 3-3 to 0-6 up with her first score of the afternoon.

Chloe Fennell edged Waterford further in front before the home side struck for their only goal of the game when Casey Treanor netted before the break, but Waterford would go up field and hit the final score of the half, a point from Michelle Ryan which gave her side a 3-5 to 1-6 lead at the break.

Waterford produced a brilliant third quarter in this game, one where the real spade work was done to secure this win.

Maria Delahunty straight from the restart netted Waterford’s fourth goal of the game with less than 30 second played. Katie Murray, Maria Delahunty with a hat-trick of points, Michelle Ryan and Eimear Fennell from a free gave Waterford a comprehensive 4-11 to 1-6 lead and if there was any doubting how this game would end, all bets were off on 38 minutes when Aileen Wall stuck Waterford’s five major score of the game.

Michelle Ryan, Kelly Ann Hogan and Maria Delahunty from a free would follow up with points for Ciaran Curran’s side before Louise Kerley hit the home side’s first score of the second half.

Kate McGrath and Eimear McAnespie swapped scores before Shauna Coyle and Lauren McGregor did likewise. Another Ciara McAnespie point followed for the home side before Eimear Fennell slotted over two points in a row, the first from a placed ball.

Kelly Anne Hogan, another player in her debut season at this level stuck her first championship goal to give Waterford a 6-18 to 1-10 lead with time running down, and Waterford would finish this game with a Maria Delahunty effort from a free before Chloe Fennell rounded off a faultless afternoon’s work with her side’s seventh goal right at the end of this game.

Waterford: Rosie Landers; Caoimhe McGrath, Emma Murray, Kate McGrath; Róisín Tobin, Karen McGrath, Aisling Mullaney; Katie Murray, Chloe Fennell; Aileen Wall, Kelly Anne Hogan, Mairead Wall; Eimear Fennell, Michelle Ryan, Maria Delahunty.

Subs: Brigita Valuntaite for Aisling Mullaney (42), Lauren McGregor for Róisín Tobin (45), Emma Gildea for Mairead Wall (55), Kelly Moroney for Rosie Landers (55), Denise Curran for Michelle Ryan (60).

Scorers: Eimear Fennell 3-4 (2f), Maria Delahunty 1-5 (0-2f), Chloe Fennell 1-2, Michelle Ryan 0-4, Kelly Anne Hogan 1-1, Aileen Wall 1-0, Katie Murray, Kate McGrath, Lauren McGregor 0-1 each

Monaghan: Bridín Tierney; Karla Lambe, Sarah Boyd, Rebecca Hughes; Aoife McAnespie, Hannah McSkane, Niamh Kerr; Abbie McCarey, Eimear McAnespie; Shauna Coyle, Noeleen McGuirk, Chloe McBride; Eva Woods, Louise Kerley, Ciara McAnespie.

Subs: Casey Treanor for Noeleen McGuirk (27), Gráinne McNally for Rebecca Hughes (29), Lisa Flynn for Lambe (47), Rebecca Hughes for Coyle (58), Noeleen McGuirk for Eva Woods (59).

Scorers: Casey Treanor 1-0, Louise Kerley (1f) Ciara McAnespie 0-3 each, Abbie McCarey 0-2, Chloe McBride, Shauna Coyle 0-1 each.

Referee: Gerry Carmody (Mayo).

What’s good for the Goose Is good for the Gander:

Idioms are a type of figurative language, which means they are not always meant to be taken literally. Idioms express a particular sentiment, but they do not literally mean what the individual words themselves mean.

An idiom is a saying that is specific to a language. For example, an idiom in English does not translate to an idiom in Spanish.

Common English Idioms include:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, meaning that what looks beautiful to one person may not look beautiful to another.

 Don’t Count your chickens before they hatch, meaning do not count on something before you have get it in your hands.

No crying over spilt milk meaning don’t be upset about something that cannot be changed or don’t be upset about something that is really a small matter.

Curiosity killed the Cat, meaning being too curious or inquisitive can be dangerous.

A penny for your thoughts, meaning what are you thinking about?

Don’t beat around the bush meaning someone is avoiding the topic.

You can’t judge a book by its cover meaning do not assume you know someone by how the or she appears.

I suppose you could say in summary that an Idiom is a figure of speech, a phrase that should not be taken literally used to express a particular sentiment or something that is specific to a particular language, group or region.

Another Idiom and one that I often use is ‘What’s good for the goose is good for the gander’ meaning that what is good for one person or group should be good for another.

It was former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson that once famously said ‘A week is a long time in politics’ meaning that a lot can happen to those in public office in a short space of time.

This is something that could be applied to each and every one of us. How often has life changed for the better or worse in a short space of time, and it need not be a week like what Harold Wilson suggested.

A week can be a long time in politics and what is good for the goose is good for the gander could often apply to sports teams or to individuals that participate in different sports.

Both of the figures of speech referred to in the last paragraph could certainly apply to Waterford this week.

Let me say here that I have not spoken face to face to anybody involved with the Waterford Coaching set up in the last week. I did speak to one player briefly in a shop, but fewer than a dozen words were shared and no mention was made of this weekend’s All-Ireland Championship game was made nor was any mention of any sport. I also am not speaking here for the Waterford Camogie Board. They have made their views known and I am fully in agreement with what they have to say.

In the last number of year’s different counties have had players who have said that they wanted to play both Camogie and Ladies Football for their county. Some players have done this very successfully. In the men’s game Duel players were often to be seen in the past, but in recent years they have become like hens teeth. The G.A.A. at headquarters are in a way to be blamed for their not being many if any duel GAA players in recent years as they have scheduled hurling and football games on the same day and often at the same time.

In Ladies Football and Camogie there has been some players who have opted to play both games and managers of different inter county panels have to be congratulated in making it possible for allowing players willing to make a commitment to both games to do so.

This year Waterford has one duel player in Caoimhe McGrath. The hugely talented Abbeyside woman has proven to be key to Donal O’Rourke’s and Ciaran Curran’s sides and both men and their management teams deserve huge praise for allowing a player that wants to play both codes to do so.

I will admit I don’t know what way they work with training, but it works. When it comes to games all year things also have worked well. While the Camogie and Ladies Football sides have had games the same weekends a number of times this year, it has often happened that when this happens one game is fixed for a Saturday and the other on a Sunday and this has allowed Caoimhe to tog out twice in a white and blue shirt in 24 hours which takes great commitment.

Last weekend the Abbeyside woman had to make a big call. Would she line out at 3-30 in Port Laoise with the Waterford Ladies Footballers against All-Ireland Champions Dublin, a game that Waterford were while always in with a chance of winning, always knew that to win was always going to be a difficult task. Or would she line out at 5pm in Walsh Park against Clare in a must win game in the round robin section of the championship, where if Waterford won they would reach the knockout stages of the competition for the second year in a row. For this Donal O’Rourke would have to put out his best XV and that would have included Caoimhe McGrath. Realistically for the footballers a win over Monaghan this weekend was more likely that last weekend against Dublin so it was no surprise taking into consideration the importance of beating Clare that she opted to play Camogie.

When the fixtures were released earlier this year Waterford would have known that they were to be out again on Saturday of this weekend meaning that Caoimhe McGrath would once again have to make a choice as to what game she would have played, something I am sure she would have done having spoken to both of her managers and maybe spoken about it with some close friends. Certainly she would have thought long and hard about which game she would play.

Players on both teams would have worked around work commitments so that they were off this Saturday and available to whichever side they were involved with.

Every Tuesday I receive an email from the Camogie association letting me know what All-Ireland Fixtures are down for decision over the coming days, with venues, times and who is to referee the game attached to each fixture. The email is sent out again on a Wednesday with any changes that need to be made to the original list made.

When I received the email on Tuesday I noticed that Waterford’s game was moved to Sunday and a venue was to be arranged. At the time hand’s up, I did not think anything about it. Then I went on Facebook and noticed on well known Photographer Noel Browne’s page a posting that he had put up informing those on his friends list that the game was moved to accommodate duel players involved with Cork.

I always have great time for Cork sides and always will, I believe that they have some great fans and have sat amongst them many times down the years at games where there would be ‘great craic’ regardless of who was playing and the outcome of the game. Not everyone will agree with me, but I for one will always like the real Cork fans. There might be some obnoxious rebel fans, but the same can be said of any side, including of Waterford.

 I admire anyone that gets involved in administration at any level. Having done so myself in the past at juvenile level, I know how much of a difficult task it can be. I don’t know who in the Cork camp it was that went to the Camogie Association to ask for a rescheduling of the game against Waterford this weekend as they had two players who were involved with the Cork Senior Ladies Football Team who were to play tomorrow as well. To be honest if I was over a team and had even one player who was playing two codes I would be trying to get one of the games rescheduled, but in doing so I would be doing it expecting to hear the news I did not want to hear and the game I would be trying to reschedule would go ahead as planned.

I would however have lost some respect for those involved with the Camogie Association in Croke Park for agreeing to a rescheduling of the game.

I would love to think that those involved in the Camogie Association in Croke Park take an interest in Ladies Football and vice versa. I would love to think that those involved in scheduling games would sit down over a cup of tea or coffee on a regular basis and ensure that there is some joined up thinking when it comes to fixtures.

I don’t know did the Waterford Ladies Football County Board try and get last week’s game with Dublin rescheduled knowing the importance the Camogie game was and that Caoimhe McGrath would or could be required to play both games as she has done all year.

Both the Ladies Football Association and the Camogie Association should have known that there were players in a number of counties that play both codes and if players were forced to make a call as to what code they would play last weekend when there were fixture clashes, the same should apply this weekend when there were fixture clashes.

As I said I don’t blame the Cork County Board’s trying to get one of their games rescheduled this coming weekend. I know I would have done the same if I was involved in a management team.

For the Cork Camogie team this weekend there is little to play for. Regardless of how the game finishes they are involved in the knockout stages of the championship. If Cork were to avoid defeat in Walsh Park they will top the group and go straight to the All-Ireland Semi Final’s as group winners, and even if they were to lose and Tipperary were to win their game this weekend, Cork are likely to go through to the All-Ireland semi finals as group winners by virtue of the having the best score difference as in such a case Cork, Waterford and Tipperary would all finish level on points.

Cork Lady Footballers this weekend are up against a Cavan side they should not just be beating, but beating well with the players that the Cork side have in their panel, and even if there was a shock in the game against Cavan they would have a second chance of reaching the All-Ireland quarter finals when they play Armagh next weekend, a game which on paper should be tougher than that against Cavan, but the Orchard County side lost to Cavan last weekend.

If Waterford’s Caoimhe McGrath had to pick which game she wanted to play this weekend, Cork’s Hannah Looney and Libby Coppinger should have to make the same call this weekend. After all what’s good for the goose should be good for the gander.

The Camogie Association in my view has left themselves down this weekend. They should have kept the fixture list as what was planned at the start of the year. failure to do so means that there is players possibly on both the Cork and Waterford sides out of pocket this weekend, players who may be due to work on Sunday now having to get it off, or players like Waterford’s Trish Jackman who had plans to fly back to the UK on Sunday where she now lives and works.

The Camogie Association this evening said that they are “continuing to liaise” with Waterford, after a statement was released in relation to notice of a major fixture this weekend. The question has to be asked without knowing what is happening in the back ground that the public don’t know about is what can be done at this stage. Will an announcement be made saying that the game goes ahead as planned on Saturday afternoon. Will they reimburse players out of pocket by switching the game to Sunday and leave the game go ahead as announced this weekend? What exactly to the Camogie Association mean when they say ‘liaise’.

 

 

Statement by Waterford County Camogie Board:

"We, the Waterford Senior Camogie panel, are together voicing our frustrations and highlighting the issues we have encountered during the 2019 All Ireland Championship season. We seek to engage with the National Camogie Association to ensure these do not occur again. Rule 33.2 allows for All Ireland Championship match fixtures to be changed with only 5 days' notice.

"The Camogie Association changed the date of our senior All Ireland championship fixture versus Cork due to be played on the 20th July, in accordance with Rule 33.2. The late notice has affected our players. Members of our senior camogie panel work weekends, to finance their college education and fund their sport participation. Late notice impacts upon working hours, causing financial loss. We have a panel member commuting from England to represent her county. For her to play the original fixture date she took holiday leave from work, the late change results in her being unavailable for selection. Players shape their family lives around dedicating time to their sport. Issues on communication in relation to this were confounded by players becoming aware of the fixture change through social media.

"Unfortunately, five days’ notice is within the rules but is not the same for players to give notice to employers, airlines and life logistics. Allowing the change of date of an All Ireland Senior Camogie championship match with 5 days’ notice disrespects the effort of players training since October of last year and who organise their lives based on championship fixture dates set in January. 

"We stand with our ladies’ football colleagues and agree no player should be in a situation where they have to choose between representing their county at Camogie or ladies football, which has occurred for players around the country this year, including our own panel member. Our grievance is with the five days’ notice rule for a fixture change and not addressing the clash of fixtures earlier in the year.

"So far this year, we experienced lack of adequate medical support at a championship match resulting in game abandonment and come this Sunday we will have fielded for championship matches 6 weeks in a row. Change needs to happen within the Camogie Association to ensure players are recognized (sic) as athletes.

"We, as a panel, have written to the National Camogie Association to meet with us to ensure these situations do not arise again and action is taken. We call on engagement between the National Camogie Association and the WGPA and on our fellow players to act with us for changes within our sport to allow our game and players flourish.

"We fully support the 20/20 vision, of "If she can’t see it, she can’t be it", we want to inspire young girls to participate in sport and also to speak up, united, to fight to be treated respectfully as athlete."

Big Weekend for Two Waterford Senior Inter County Teams

Saturday afternoon into early on the same evening is going to be an important few hours for two of the counties senior teams as they face important championship games that could well make or break their years, even with one game each to play after this weekend.

Ciaran Curran’s Waterford Senior Ladies Football team are up against All-Ireland Champions Dublin in what will be a very difficult All-Ireland Championship opener at Portlaoise, closer to home after that game has finished Donal O’Rourke’s Waterford Senior Camogie team take on Clare in a must win game at Walsh Park.

For the ladies footballers, this is the first of two games that they will play in the round robin part of this year’s championship. The championship sees 12 teams split into four groups with the four provincial champions kept apart in four groups of three teams. The four provincial runners up are also involved and the groups are designed so that two teams that played each other in a provincial final cannot play each other at this stage of the competition, while the third team in each group consists of four sides from Munster and Ulster which failed to reach a provincial final. In both Leinster and Connacht just two teams competed in both championships.

In Camogie 11 teams are competing in the senior championship, split into two groups, Group One consisting of five teams and six in Group Two, the group which Waterford play in. In both groups each team play each other once either at home or away, and at the end of five rounds of games the top team in both groups gets a passage to the All-Ireland Semi Finals with the second and third placed teams in the two groups crossing over to play each other in the quarter finals.

  Ciaran Curran’s side will not need any telling of the task which they face in Portlaoise, against the reigning All-Ireland Champions who recently won an eight Leinster Final in a row, beating Westmeath (4-11 to 1-7) for the fifth year in a row.

Pundits were saying going into that game that the gap between Dublin and Westmeath was closing, but even without the brilliant Sinead Ahearne who exited this game after just 11 minutes with an injury they still had enough firepower to win the game by 13 points.

Whether Dublin will be able to call on Sinead Ahearne for this game remains to be seen. If she is not fit to play a part it will come as a blow to her side, but they know from beating Westmeath recently that they have more than enough fire power within their camp.

Players like Oonagh Whyte, Niamh McEvoy, Nicole Owens, Noelle Healy, Sinead McGoldrick, Ciara Trant, Siobhan McGrath, Lauren Magee and Lyndsey Davey are al vastly experienced players that they will be able to call upon in different sectors of the field.

Waterford under Ciaran Curran this year have impressed as he has continued on the work started by another Dungarvan club man Pat Sullivan with many of the players in this Waterford panel.

Waterford this year did brilliant to beat a fancied Kerry side in the Division Two National League Final. The side from the Kingdom were relegated from Division One last year and many would have made them favourites to go straight back up at the first time of asking.

They beat the same opposition in the first round of the Munster Championship and while they lost their second game to Cork by a big margin, the side played much better in the Munster Final against the same opposition at Fraher Field, and while defeat again was Waterford’s lot, the side were well in contention at the break, but would have to face into a strong wind in the second thirty minutes.

Waterford this year have mixed some young players coming through from successful underage teams with some more experienced heads playing at this level and so far everything seems to be gelling nice for the team.

Rosie Landers has hardly put a foot wrong since she took over the number one shirt and Kelly Ann Hogan in attack is proving to be one of the finds of the year at this level.

The experience can be found in the likes of the Murray and Wall sisters, Caoimhe McGrath, Maria Delahunty, Eimear Fennell, Michelle Ryan, Róisín Tobin and team captain Karen McGrath.

 These two sides last met at the quarter final stages of the championship in 2017 at Nowlan Park and on that occasion the Sky Blues ran out 2-15 to 1-7 winners.

Expect this game to be much closer. Waterford is an improving side at this level, and we have seen that they can hold their own against most sides. When this side gets more experience playing against top sides they will not be too far off the level required to be winning All-Irelands.

In Camogie a win for Waterford over Clare at Walsh Park will give Donal O’Rourke’s side a place in the All-Ireland quarter finals for the second year in a row.

The two sides are having somewhat contrasting years in the championship up to this point. Clare have recorded just the one win, that a one point win against Clare at Navan recently, while they have lost heavily to both Cork and Tipperary.

Waterford looked as if they were going to get their championship off to a brilliant start when they lead a fancied Tipperary side by four points with the hour almost up but a serious injury to a Tipperary player meant that game was not finished on the day and when it was re-fixed at Nowlan Park recently, Tipperary ran out winners on a 4-11 to 2-14 score line, but either side of that defeat for Waterford Donal O’Rourke’s side took maximum points off both Dublin and Meath, and they will be fancying their chances to record a third win this coming weekend.

Clare began the championship this year without players the like of Chloe Morey, Marie McGrath, Aoife Keane and Orlaith Duggan, but in recent weeks they are starting to get some of their more experienced players back into the side and they look a stronger side as a result.

Both Chloe Morey and Orlaith Duggan were involved in last weeks lost to Tipperary and that game will have helped improve their fitness.

But they do not rely just upon those two players as they are strong in many areas, with the spine of their team particularly strong with the likes of Sarah Loughnane in goal. Claire Hehir at full back, Alannah Ryan at centre back, Amy Barrett and Roisin Begley in the middle of the field, Andrea O’Keeffe at centre forward and the likes of Fiona Lafferty, Mairead Scanlon and Eimear Kelly battling it out with Chloe Morey in the full forward line.

Waterford in the championship has a very settled look to the team. Last time out against Meath Donal O’Rourke and his management team left Trish Jackman out of the side possibly with this weekend’s must win game in mind while players like Beth Carton, Iona Heffernan and Annie Fitzgerald were replaced again with this game very much in mind haven won that game from an early stage.

Waterford will be fielding a strong as possible team in a bid to get the win they need and not to have to go into their final group game against Cork to secure the win they need there.

Whether Caoimhe McGrath who is rock solid all year will be involved here remains to be seen. Caoimhe is also involved with the Ladies Footballers and it is a pity that the two games are scheduled to go almost head to head which forces a player who is interested in playing both codes has to make a choice, possibly in consultation with the two managers. Surly the time has come for both Associations at National Level to come together to structure fixtures in such a way where players that want to play both codes can do so.

Brianna O’Regan is likely to start in goal, Iona Heffernan will be at full back, Trish Jackman is likely to come into the half back line, Lorraine Bray and Áine Lyng will be in the half back line or centre field, while in attack Sarah Lacey, Niamh Rockett and Beth Carton are almost certain to start, while other positions are likely to be filled by the likes of Kate Lynch, Mairead Power, Shone Curran, Fiona Morrissey, Ashling Power, Claire Whyte, Clodagh Carroll and Aoife Landers to name but a few.

Games between Waterford and Clare in recent years have proven to be close affairs and this one is expected to be no different. Waterford are good enough to win this one, but they won’t mind by what margin so long as they bring their points total from six to nine on the league table.

Waterford Edge Closer To Knockout Qualification

Waterford are within touching distance of reaching the knockout stages of the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship for the second year in a row after Donal O’Rourke’s side recorded a comprehensive win over Meath at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday afternoon last.

Donal O’Rourke’s sides ability to hit the back of the net in this game proved to be a major difference between the sides as they scored four in the opening half and turned around holding a 4-6 to 0-6 advantage on the scoreboard after Waterford put in a brilliant shift in the opening quarter in particular, but the home side did manage to draw closer in the second quarter.

With next Saturday’s home game with Clare now a very much win at all costs scenario when the sides clash at Walsh Park on Saturday with the game won from an early stage, the Waterford management team opted to take a number of key players off here, saving them having to play the full sixty minutes with next Saturday’s game in mind.

Waterford had a great start to this game with Fiona Morrissey, Niamh Rockett and Beth Carton putting over very early scores. The home side however would hit back with a Jane Dolan free and an effort from open play by Aoife Maguire to leave just the one between the sides with eight minutes on the clock.

Beth Carton hit the first of Waterford’s goals on nine minutes which put the visitors five in front and from there, there was no turning back.

The De La Salle player added a point from a free on 11 minutes before Annie Fitzgerald, one of the rising stars of the game within the Déise County netted a second goal for Waterford two minutes later which put sent the visitors into a commanding 2-4 to 0-2 lead.

Jane Dolan from a free reduced Waterford’s lead marginally on 16 minutes but with the next attack Waterford netted a third goal in this game as Gailltir’s Annie Fitzgerald got for herself her second of the afternoon.

The home side for the next ten minutes had the better of the exchanges when it came to scoring as Jane Dolan nailed two placed balls with Grace Coleman hitting one in between which left the home side trailing 3-4 to 0-6 with four minutes of the first half remaining.

Waterford however would finish the half strong as Sarah Lacey whose grandfather helped Waterford win the 1959 All-Ireland Final and who is making a name for herself in her first year playing senior inter county Camogie having from through from successful underage teams split the posts on 27 minutes and moments later Beth Carton netted her second and Waterford’s fourth goal of the game. The same player just before the break split the post to give Waterford a four clear goal cushion at the break.

The home side began the second half with Jane Dolan firing over three minutes after the restart and moments later Waterford had a chance to stretch their lead when Fiona Morrissey won a penalty, but Beth Carton saw her effort from 20 metres was stopped on the line.

Fiona Morrissey extended the Waterford lead with a point before Niamh Rockett who is playing the captain’s part to perfection this year netted Waterford’s fifth goal after 37 minutes.

After Beth Carton was replaced Niamh Rockett took over free taking duties and she split the posts with eight minutes remaining, but the home side would have finish slightly the better of the two as Jane Dolan and Megan Thyme split the posts before Niamh Rockett again split the posts from the 45 metre line with the hour played. Meath however would hit one more score from Aoife Minogue.

Waterford: Brianna O’Regan; Kate Lynch, Iona Heffernan, Mairead Power; Caoimhe McGrath, Shona Curran, Lorraine Bray; Áine Lyng, Claire Whyte; Niamh Rockett, Fiona Morrissey, Ashling Power; Beth Carton, Annie Fitzgerald, Sarah Lacey.

Subs: Aoife Landers for Iona Heffernan, Áine Power for Annie Fitzgerald, Clodagh Carroll for Beth Carton.

Scorers: Beth Carton 2-3 (0-1F), Annie Fitzgerald 2-0, Niamh Rockett 1-3 (0-1f, 0-1 ’45), Fiona Morrissey 0-2, Sarah Lacey 0-1.

Meath: Maggie Randle; Sophia Payne, Claire Coffey, Maeve Clince; Áine Keogh, Cheyenne O’Brien, Louise Donoghue; Aoife Minogue, Aedin Slattery; Lisa Foley, Grace Coleman, Áine McNerney; Megan Thynne, Kane Dolan, Kristina Troy.

Scorers: Jane Foley 0-6 (0-4F, 0-1 ’45), Megan Thynne, Aoife Minogue 0-2 each, Grace Colman 0-1.

Referee: Fintan McNamara (Clare).  

Waterford Pull Off Unexpected Win

Waterford’s under 20 (Previously under 20) football team ended a 13 year wait without a championship win at Fraher Field on Tuesday evening last, when they accounted for a Clare side that many had fancied to advance to a Munster Semi Final against Cork.

Manager Gavin Whelan and his selection team had only a short few weeks to prepare their side for this game, for which they deserve great credit, as they scoured the city and county for the best players eligible to play in this grade and who were willing to make themselves available for selection.

While it was a late point from Tom Barron that won this game for Waterford as the Nire club man split the posts with two minutes remaining on the clock, at which time the game looked as if the attendance of 363 would have to sit through another 20 minutes to find a winner, the hero of this game as far as Waterford were concerned was Saint Saviour’s club man Darragh Corcoran.

The youngster from a famous football family hit 1-7 for the home side over the course of the hour, 1-3 of which came from open play. Those that saw Corcoran play would have done so for the county the first time, having never played underage football for the county before Tuesday evening last, proof if ever it was needed that not all inter county players come through from the various underage development squads, and his story shows that there is always hope for players with aspirations of playing for the county.

The sides were locked together 1-6 on the scoreboard at the break with the Saint Saviours man accounting for all but one point of Waterford’s tally of scores up to this point.

Early on it did not look good for Waterford, and the early signs were that Waterford who lost out last year to Kerry in the same grade by whopping 30 points a similar beating could be on the cards again this time.

The visitors had the ball in the Waterford net after just 18 seconds as Cillian Rouine and Sean O’Brien combined for Rouine to fire past Jack Coffey in the Waterford goal.

Waterford however refused to throw in the towel despite the worst possible start and with the next attack win a free which resulted in Jayme O’Sullivan receiving a black card and from the free kick at goal Corcoran made no mistake, and when Billy Power followed up with a point the early Clare lead was whittled down to one.

Clare however restored a three point lead by the seventh minute thanks to efforts from Diarmuid O’Donnell and Seamus Casey. Waterford would hit three wides in a row and Ronan Callinan in the Clare goal was forced to make an excellent save from Stephen Curry as Waterford began to pile on the pressure.

Waterford levelled matters with 12 minutes played when Man of the Match Darragh Corcoran lopped Callinan and then edged his side in front with another point.

Diarmuid O’Donnell levelled matters once more but Corcoran at the other end of the field was proving to be a handful as he hit the next three points to give Waterford a richly deserved 1-6 to 1-3 lead with six minutes of normal time in the first half remaining.

Clare however would finish the half stronger as they kicked the last three points of the opening half, two from O’Donnell and one from Seamus Casey to go in level at the break despite the early lead which they took.

Waterford missed two chances to open their second half account but when the ball went to the other end of the field Diarmuid O’Donnell gave the visitors the lead. Jack Coffey made an excellent save from Cian Shannon before Darragh O’Keeffe levelled matters for the fourth time in this game eight minutes after the restart.

O’Donnell and Corcoran swapped scores for their respective sides with the game entering its final quarter. The Clare contingent inside the ground thought that Dermot Coughlan had a strong shout for a penalty when he appeared to be brought down by Reece Stringer but referee Sean Lonergan waved away any calls from the visitors.

Eleven minutes of the final quarter was played when the next score came as Corcoran put over an effort from the 45 metre line to edge Waterford in front, but Coughlan was showing what Corcoran could do at one end he could do at the other as he split the posts from close range to level matters once more.

Waterford however would end this game advancing to a Munster semi final against Cork as Tom Barron a younger brother of All-Star hurler Jamie split the post with a fantastic effort after he was picked out by Sean Whelan Barrett after Waterford worked a free up field after Coughlan was pulled up for over carrying the ball.

Waterford: Jack Coffey; Reece Power, Reece Stringer, Liam Fennell; Mark Twomey, Tom Barron, Sam Fitzgerald; Dan Booth, Brian Lynch; Sean Whelan-Barrett, Stephen Curry, Billy Power; Darragh O’Keeffe, Larry Walsh, Darragh Corcoran.

Subs: James Walsh for Larry Walsh (39), Dean Beresford for Darragh O’Keeffe (52).

Scorers: Darragh Corcoran 1-7 (4fs), Tom Barron, Billy Power, Darragh O’Keeffe 0-1 each.

Clare: Ronan Callinan; Dara Conneely, Jayme O’Sullivan, Iken Uguaru; Tiernan Hogan, Sean Rouine, Colm McNeilis; Danny Griffin, Dan Keating; Cian McDonough, Cillian Rouine, Sean O’Brien; Colm O’Brien, Diarmuid O’Donnell, Seamus Casey.

Subs: Conor DeLoughrey for Jayme O’Sullivan (BC 3), Dermot Coughlan for Sean O’Brien (20), Cian Shannon for Cian McDonough (HT), Philip Talty for Dan Keating (39), Connor Downes for Seamus Casey (51), Morgan Garry for Colm O’Brien (56).

Scorers: Diarmuid O’Donnell 0-5 (4fs), Cillian Rouine 1-0, Seamus Casey (1f), Dermot Coughlan (1f) 0-2 each.

Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary)