It’s only the second full week of 2015, but
the year is well underway for the Waterford Ladies Football County Board. The
Jim Kennedy Cup, the Munster Council’s early season competition, to give sides
a chance to get in some worthwhile match practice ahead of the National Leagues
which begin in early February, a competition that Waterford have done well in
over the last few years, winning the Tournament and the plate final in the last
two years is underway, and no doubt Waterford’s Intermediate team who this year
are under the care of Pat Sullivan will be hoping that Waterford’s good run in
the competition continues and that it in turn will be the catalyst to what will
be an excellent year for Waterford.
The preview begins with a look how Waterford
reached a National Football League final. Part 2 deals with the underage inter
county scene. Part three looks at the club scene in Waterford while the final
part sees a return to the inter county scene and to look at how the
Intermediate’s won a sixth successive Munster title.
Looking back on 2014, it was again a good
year for Waterford on the club and the Inter County Scene.
As we will see later, the Counties
Intermediate Team captured a six successive Munster Championship they also
reached a league final, while the counties underage teams also performed well.
On the club scene, Ballymacarbry retained the
county senior championship; Comeragh Rangers did well in the Munster Senior
Shield Competition while on the provincial scene there were also favourable
results for Clashmore along the way.
At the end of the 2013 Waterford were
somewhat unfortunate to loose their place in the second division of the
National League.
Pat O’Brien’s charges were always going to be
there or there about when it came to who would move up a division for the 2015
league. But it would not be easy. Armagh, the side that beat Waterford in the
2012 All-Ireland Intermediate Final and who are playing senior since 2013 were
in the division. So too were Tipperary who were beaten in the 2013 All-Ireland
Intermediate Final at the hands of Monaghan, while Leitrim and Wexford amongst
others would also be fancying their chances. Offaly in 2013 appeared in the
Division four league final, the Leinster Junior Championship final and the
All-Ireland Junior Final and many were interested as to how they would fare
playing against stronger opposition.
Waterford began the league with a
comprehensive win over Offaly at the
Gold Coast complex outside Dungarvan.
This was a game that Waterford were always on
top in. the side were 2-4 to 0-1 up after just 13 minutes, the goals coming
from Margaret Revins and Aileen Wall.
Offaly faired much better for the remainder
of the first half, turning around at the break trailing 2-6 to 1-5.
Waterford continued to control proceedings in
the second half and when Margaret Revins hit her second goal of the game on 44
minutes it ended the game as a contest.
With Waterford in control, some of the
brightest prospects within the county which include the likes of Liz Devine,
Amy Whelan, Shauna Dunphy and Olivia Hennebry were all sent on to gain some
extra experience, while another young prospect Megan O’Connor started the
game.
Game two saw Waterford head to Grantstown
Park in Wexford and returned home
with another excellent win.
Goals from Hannah Landers, another of the
brilliant young prospects coming through in Waterford, albeit the Ballyduff
Upper Club player is around a few years now hit the first of Waterford’s five
goals on seven minutes. Old Parish’s Margaret Revins hit a brace of goals on
thirteen and fifteen minutes which helped Waterford to a 3-8 to 1-5 lead at the
break.
four minutes into the second half a free from
Michelle Ryan went all the way to the Wexford net from 40 metres, and the route
was complete shortly afterwards when Linda Wall struck Waterford’s fifth goal.
Again Pat O’Brien was able to give youth its
chance in this game as Liz Devine had her first league start for Waterford
while Aisling Hahessey and Lauren McGregor were introduced as subs as was
Grainne Costello for a spell between the posts.
Game three was a much tougher game as
expected for Waterford when they faced Tipperary
at Fraher Field.
This was a game that ebbed and flowed. It was
Tipperary that settled quickest with a Lorraine O’Shea goal inside ninety
seconds, but after Waterford settled, they were rewarded for their efforts when
Hannah Landers finished to the Tipperary net after fourteen minutes to put
Waterford in front for the first time, but Tipperary bounced back and at the
break they lead 1-5 to 1-4.
The Second half proved to be just as tight.
Lorraine O’Shea and Linda Wall swapped scores before Michelle Ryan levelled
matters on the score board. A brace of Mairead Morrissey points followed for
Tipperary only for one to be cancelled out with a Linda Wall effort.
Eleven minutes from time the same player did
well to notice a loose Hannah Landers free from a free kick and the Ballyduff
Upper player rifled an unstoppable shot to the net to give Waterford a two
point lead.
Claire Carroll hit back for Tipperary but
Michelle McGrath put two between the sides once more before Mairead Morrissey
hit her fourth of the game for Tipperary with four minutes to play.
Waterford in the time that remained playing
with a numerical disadvantage after a sin-binning were able to hold out for a
narrow win.
It was business as usual in round four as
Waterford recorded another comfortable win, this time against Longford.
Halfway through the first half Waterford
playing against the wind were 1-4 to 0-0 in front as Michelle Ryan raised two
white flags, and Hannah Landers and Linda Wall one each before Michelle Ryan
hit the first of Waterford’s six goals.
Hannah Landers who was outstanding for
Waterford throughout the league hit Waterford’s second goal of the game three
minutes before the break which gave Waterford a 2-8 to 0-3 at half time.
Hannah Landers hit her second goal of the
game on thirteen minutes. Two minutes later Waterford had their fourth goal of
the game when Aileen Wall finished to the net, after she was set up by Hannah
Landers.
Aileen Wall hit her second and Waterford’s
fifth goal of the game when she brilliantly chipped the ball over the head of
the Longford goalkeeper and eight minutes from time Waterford were awarded a
penalty after Hannah Landers was fouled and from the resulting one on one kick
Michelle Ryan made no mistake.
Waterford’s first defeat in the league came
when they made the long trip to Sligo IT to play Sligo.
The home side from the off proved to be the
sharper of the sides opening the scoring after forty-five seconds.
Some sloppy play allowed Sligo to hit the
games first goal on nine minutes, but Waterford responded with three points in
a row from Aileen Wall, Elaine Power and another Aileen Wall effort to bring
Waterford to within one of the home side at the end of the first quarter.
Sligo however would respond with five points
in a row before Michelle Ryan landed a brace of points to leave Waterford
trailing 1-8 to 0-7 at the break.
Sligo continued to dominate the second half.
An Aimee Jordan goal from a penalty gave Waterford hope, but the home side hit
six points in a row after it which helped them to a 1-15 to 1-9 victory.
Waterford got back to winning ways in the
following game, beating Leitrim at
Fraher Field.
At the break Waterford lead 3-1 to 1-6
Margaret Revins scored a brace and Liz Devine hit the third.
In the second half both sides continued to
serve up an entertaining encounter. Margaret Revins completed her hat-trick and
Michelle Ryan and Shauna Dunphy had green flags waved to help Waterford to 6-8
to 3-8 win.
Waterford suffered a second defeat in the
league when they went under to Armagh at
Ardmore.
Waterford started brightly, opening the
scoring with a well taken goal from Linda Wall after only 36 seconds. However,
Armagh wasted no time in getting on top as Caroline O’Hanlon, Lauren McConville
and Finnuala McKenna shared four points to send Armagh into the lead. Michelle Ryan levelled matters with a free
which was followed with three points in a row for the visitors and then a
Siobhan Mackle scored the first of her three goals which helped Armagh into a
1-7 to 1-2 lead at the break.
Even though Waterford had the wind at
their backs in the second half, Armagh were always on top. Siobhan Mackle hit
her second goal two minutes after the restart and Aoife McCoy hit one ten
minutes later. Further goals from Marian McGuinness, Caroline O’Hanlon and
Siobhan Mackle again helped Armagh to a 6-11 to 1-5 win.
In the League semi final, Waterford
took on Leitrim at Birr.
When the sides clashed at Fraher Field
earlier in the league the home side ran out winners with three clear goals to
spare, but Waterford knew heading into this game the gulf between the sides was
not that wide.
Played at Birr, it was Leitrim that set
their stall out from an early stage, hitting three points in the first six
minutes. It could well be much worse for Waterford at this stage, but a timely
intervention from Karen McGrath and a super save from Aimee Jordan kept
Waterford in the game.
Michelle Ryan hit Waterford’s first
score. Both Aileen Wall and Michelle Ryan hit the crossbar before Michelle Ryan
got her and Waterford’s second Score of the afternoon.
Elaine Power hit Waterford’s third
score of the afternoon but it was followed with a Michelle Heslin point for
Leitrim.
Róisín Fowley got her name on the score
sheet when she scored a goal after 22 minutes. Linda Wall hit three points in a
row for Waterford before Áine Tighe and Michelle Ryan swapped points before
Áine Tighe scored again which gave her side a 1-6 to 0-7 lead at the break.
The second half began with the Wall
sisters showing how good they are. They combined well starting with an
interception from Mairéad the ball was worked with speed up field to her Aileen
and Linda before the latter put a wonderful shot past Michelle Guckian in the
Leitrim goal.
The second half proved to be an even
enough affair. Leitrim did manage to go three points up at one stage, but they
were never able to put any further day light between the teams and with the
ability Waterford have to hit goals, if Leitrim were to win, they needed to go
further in front.
With ten minutes to play Michelle Ryan
put Waterford in front but it was soon cancelled out by an effort from Áine
Tighe three minutes later.
With four minutes to play, a crucial score
went in the way of Waterford. Indecision in the Leitrim defence was capitalised
on by Shauna Dunphy when she hammered to the net to give Waterford the lead.
Aileen Wall would then try her luck at
having a green flag waved but her shot was deflected over the crossbar. Sarah
McLoughlin put over a point for Leitrim to leave three between the sides but in
injury time Waterford secured their passage to the final when Michelle Ryan
reacted quickest to an effort that came off the post and she showed her coolness
and experience to shoot to the net on the rebound. Shauna Dunphy would kick an
even later point which gave her side a 3-14 to 1-13 win.
In the final, there was heartbreak for
Waterford as they lost a second major final to Armagh, going under 1-14 to 1-5
at Parnell Park.
The final result however did little
justice to the effort put in by Waterford.
The game was won and lost in a twelve
minute spell either side of the break when the winners hit 1-7 without reply,
1-3 of which came in the last eight minutes of the first half, the goal coming
about following an interception as Waterford attempted to play the ball out of
defence, the other four points in this tally coming in the first opening
minutes of the second half.
Both sides finished the game with 13
players, but it must be pointed out that this game was far from a dirty game.
Kelly Mallon did receive a straight red
on 53 minutes, while Sarah Marley as well as Shona Curran and Grainne Kennelly
had their afternoon’s work come to an end early after they were sin binned
inside the last ten minutes of the game.
The GAA in recent years have followed
examples used in other sports to try and improve what it has (some might say
otherwise) but they could take a close look at a sister organisation as to how to
cut out cynical fouling in Gaelic Football, going down the Ladies Football
route instead of the way it has by introducing black cards.
Maybe if a side had a man sitting with
the subs for ten minutes as a result of a cynical foul and no player was to come
on for that ten minutes, maybe it would clean up the game big time and get
coaches to come up with some appealing tactics as to how to stop a player from
getting in on goal.
Few gave Waterford a chance in this
game. While nine points separated the sides at the end, it could have been much
different, had Waterford not hit eight wides in the opening thirty minutes and
mid way through the second half Michelle Ryan was unlucky not to see her
penalty effort hit the Armagh net.
Michelle Ryan opened the scoring with a
point on ten minutes, but Lauren McConville, Mags McAlinden and Fionnuala
McKenna in a four minute spell shared three points to give Armagh the lead.
Liz Devine pulled a point back for
Waterford but it was to prove to be the sides last in the first half.
Waterford however did create chances
but lady luck was now with the side.
Grainne Kenneally and Aileen Wall helped
create chances but they came to nothing on the score board. Hannah Landers also
had a chance but her shot was saved by Caoimhe Morgan and from the rebound
Shona Curran shot just wide.
Meanwhile at the other end Kelly Mallon
and Fionnuala McKenna landed points to put some clear daylight between the
sides.
A minute from the end of normal time in
the first half lady luck again deserted Waterford as Lauren McConville
dispossessed Mary Foley and then played a one-two with Mags McAlinden before
beating Aimee Jordan. And just before the break Siobhan Mackle put the ball
between the uprights to give her side a 1-6 to 0-2 lead as the sides headed to
the dressing rooms.
Lauren McConville, Fionnuala McKenna
with a brace and Aoife McCoy helped Armagh go 1-10 to 0-3 in front in the
second half before the impressive Shauna Dunphy having come in for Liz Devine
six minutes into the second half hit a goal for Waterford.
Waterford did continue to work hard for
the remainder of the game, but they were not able to hit the scores that they
deserved. Armagh held out for a 1-14 to 1-5 win, making up for the defeat of
twelve months earlier in the final, something Waterford will be hoping to
repeat this year.
