Another big weekend on the Intercounty scene.

It may be Saint Patrick’s Weekend and people will head out to different events which are planned in the different towns and villages around the land, but for G.A.A. Supporters in the Déise County, they have a number of venues to go to if they want to see our different teams in action.

Waterford has made a great start to this years National Hurling league. Twelve months ago, with three games played Waterford had no points and things were not looking good for new manager Michael Ryan.

This year round things are much better and as we head into our third game of this years campaign, Waterford are in second place in the table on three points only denied top in the table on score difference.

Kilkenny are a side that go into this game on somewhat of a low, if such a thing happens in the marble city and county. They have lost their two opening games to Galway and Tipperary. One thing that Brian Cody and Kilkenny do not like see happening is to loose a game and to loose two on the trot must almost be an unthinkable thing in the county and you cant but feel that someone somewhere will be at the end of a trimming from Kilkenny.

Let’s hope however that it does not happen this weekend and if it is to happen lets hope for Waterford’s sake it will be against either Cork or Clare; two sides Waterford have got favourable results against.

Brian Cody will know that his charges will have to start winning soon. He like us all are only too well aware that there is only six teams in Division one ‘A’ this year as was the case last year and when you enter a loosing streak you could well be dragged into a relegation dog fight, and in a play off game anything could happen regardless of who provides the opposition.

Confidence within the Waterford panel has to be high right now. However that could be a very dangerous thing, as there is always that old saying to be taken into account, the bigger you are the longer the fall.

Michael Ryan is likely to make few if any changes to the team which played Cork last weekend. Noel Connors is still out with and injury played in the Fitzgibbon Cup, so the players one to seven are likely to remain in tact. There are doubts about Darragh Fives for this game. He retired early in the game last weekend. If he is fit, then it’s a big plus for Waterford, but if he is not, it would not be the end of the world as there are some good players that could be brought in his place. Jamie Barron and Maurice Shanahan both came on as subs last weekend and both impressed and will be looking for a starting berth against Kilkenny.

If they were to start, both are natural forwards which would mean that some surgery would have to be made to the team to fit them in.

The game with Kilkenny is fixed for Monday afternoon in Nolan Park. It remains to be seen how the fans from both sides think of such a move. When the Munster Council a few years back now fixed a championship game for the June Bank Holiday, fans showed the council exactly what they thought of the move and stayed away in their droves. Will it happen this time round, time will tell.

Waterford senior footballers are also in action this weekend. They make the long trip to Leitrim (this evening) for a Saturday afternoon game in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Leitrim manager Brian Breen during the week conceded that his side are out of contention for one of the two promotion places, but that will not stop them from wanting to pull off a win in this game.

While Waterford has lost their last two games against Limerick and London, they are not out of contention. But have to win this game. They will also be looking for other results to go their way to ensure that they stay in touch.

Against both Limerick and London, Waterford had their chances to win. Against Limerick at Fraher Field they kicked an unbelievable amount of chances wide, some of which were very score able and against London with minutes on the clock in Ruislip the side were one point up but two mistakes in the closing two or three of the game were punished, and London won by a point.

At Fraher Field on Saturday, Waterford’s Camogie team go in search of their second win in three games in the league when they take on Wexford at noon.

Last weekend Waterford had some good performers and will look for much of the same this time round.

Karen Kelly has made a return to the Waterford set up this year after taking a year out in 2012, while Aisling O’Brien is also back in the side and if she regains the number one shirt it will be a massive boost for the side as she has carried the form she showed at primary school level into adulthood and is a player of some ability.

Grainne Kenneally has played no part yet this year and is a big loss. If she was to return to the panel in the coming weeks and months then it will further strengthen a strong panel put together by manager Mark Cooney.

If stories that Trish Jackman is set to miss this game prove true, then it will be a massive blow to Waterford but have no doubt if she does miss out who ever comes in for her will be anxious to win a regular place in the team and can do so by having putting in a good hours work.

Waterford’s under 16 Camogie team take on Cork in the Munster ‘B’ final at the grounds in the Gold Coast also on Saturday. The game has a 2-30pm throw in. What a pity that this game could not be played part of a double header with the intermediate game in Fraher Field, but as the two competitions are run by different committees it is not possible.

Waterford’s Minor team take on Kerry in the Munster ‘B’ Final at Buttervant in Cork on Monday at 4-30pm while this weekend also sees Waterford’s under 14 ladies football play their second game in the championship when they play Clare in Stradbally on Saturday next 16^th March with throw in timed for 2pm. (Those planning on going to this game however are advised to check where it is played, as there is suggestions it could be moved to Fraher Field.

Tony was one of natures true gentlemen.

Just weeks after Waterford G.A.A. mourned the death of one of its favourite scribes – John A. (Johnny) Murphy; the G.A.A. fraternity in Waterford are now mourning the death of another of its scribes, following the death of former Waterford Hurling manager Tony Mansfield.

The popular Abbeyside/Ballinacourty club man died at the Cork Hospital yesterday evening following an illness.

Tony was a great favourite with all that had the pleasure of knowing him. He was one of nature’s true gentlemen. When the need arose he could be a very serious person, the type of person you could talk to about something but he was also the type of person who when a situation arose enjoyed a bit of banter.

Tony was a hurler of note and was part of the Waterford Senior Hurling panel that won the 1963 Munster Final against Tipperary and which went on to contest the All-Ireland against Kilkenny.

After hanging up his inter county playing boots Tony got involved in coaching and managing teams. He was appointed the Waterford under 21 hurling team for the 1974 championship, and lead Waterford to Munster Final glory beating Clare in the final. In the All-Ireland semi final Waterford recorded a comprehensive 3-18 to 1-2 win over Antrim, but in the All-Ireland final against Kilkenny, Waterford had to settle for second best going under 3-8 to 3-7.

In 1992, the Abbeyside/Ballinacourty Club man was back at the helm at under 21 level.

He again guided Waterford to Munster Glory again beating Clare 0-17 to 1-12 at Thurles. In the semi finals Antrim again provided the opposition, with Waterford winning 4-17 to 2-8 at Parnell Park. Leinster opposition again were Waterford’s opponents in All-Ireland, this time Offaly. The game was played at Nolan Park in Kilkenny and resulted in a 4-4 to 0-16 draw with Waterford coming through 0-12 to 2-3 at the same venue in the replay, a result which helped make him possibly Waterford’s most successful manager winning one All-Ireland and two Munster Finals.

Success at underage level meant that it was a foregone conclusion that he would later be appointed as the county senior hurling team manager, a position he held twice.

Coincidently, both of his stints came following some of the darkest days in Waterford’s history and on both occasions he helped things to be turned around.

In the mid 1980’s he was appointed as senior manager for the first time and early in his reign lead Waterford to a National Hurling League semi final in the 1986/87 season, a remarkable result when you consider that a few years previous, Waterford were playing and loosing to the likes of Roscommon and Mayo.

In 1989 he was manager of the side that drew Cork in the Munster semi final and then beat them in a the replay, making him one of a small number of managers that could claim to have managed a side that beat Cork after a replay, but in the Munster Final Waterford had to settle for second best against Tipperary, with Waterford finishing the game with thirteen men. Tipperary went on to win the All-Ireland in ’89, their first since 1971.

In the mid 90’s Tony was again brought back as the County’s Senior Hurling team manager, and began to build a team with the players he had managed to win the All-Ireland under 21 final a few years previous and also with the minors that reached the All-Ireland final also in ’92.

It was not just at inter county level that Tony proved as success as a manager. He was involved with various Abbeyside/Ballinacourty teams that won county finals from under 14 to under 21 and while he was best known as a hurling man, his greatest achievements at club level came in football when he managed Ballinacourty to capture three county senior titles from the late 1970’s and in 1985 he managed/coached the Colligan Rockies to win Western and County intermediate hurling titles.

In was not just at coaching that Tony proved a success within the G.A.A.

He was the first secretary of the newly amalgamated Abbeyside/Ballinacourty Club in the 1960’s and for a long number of years up to his death filled the roll of Chairman of the club, a position he took great pride in and enjoyed seeing the under 5’s 6’s and 7’s turning up for their first training session at the club grounds as he did when he say the clubs senior teams compete and win titles in recent years. He was also the type of chairman that liked to oversee all that was happening within the club, and when it came to administration, he liked to do things the right way and to do things as well as possible.

He was also a referee of note for many years with the Western and County Boards, taking charge of the 1979 County Senior Hurling final. One of his last games as a knight of the whistle was the 1983 County Intermediate Hurling final in 1983 when Saint Mary’s beat Ballygunner at Walsh Park.

However, to most Tony will be best remembered within the G.A.A. for his weekly reports in the Dungarvan Observer.

For more years that most would care to remember, Tony would pen his weekly Gaelic Jottings column, as well as numerous match reports and previews of games to be played in the West of the county and at a county and inter county basis.

To do this was not an easy task, but over the years, Tony had build up a network of people who he could telephone and get details of games that he was not in attendance at. The reverse also happened, as he would give a comprehensive report of games he had attended that his fellow reporters were unable to attend.

He was a mind of information. You could ask him details of something that would have happened in the past and Tony was able to relay in detail the details of what you were looking to know.

He was hugely popular with all that he had dealings with. In the press box at a game when a sub went on and those reporting on the game had a feeling that the look of the player did not correspond with the name on the team sheet or programme Tony would head out of the press box to the area where the subs were located and when he came back not only was he able to confirm who the player was, but also he had an amount of information on the player.

Most that sit in the press box for games agreed that following Johnny Murphy’s death last month that the press box will never be the same again. With Tony now gone as well, there is a now be even quieter.

Go ndeine Dia trocaire ar a anam dilis.

Hectic weekend for G.A.A. Supporters in the Déise

The chances are that if you are reading this you have an interest in the G.A.A. in Waterford and if not in Waterford in particular, you have an interest in the G.A.A. in general.

We might be still in early March, but this coming weekend for the G.A.A. in Waterford promises to be a busy weekend.

The Intermediate Camogie team make the trip to the west of Ireland to play Galway in the National League, two of our colleges teams make the trip to Dr Cullen Park in Carlow in to play All-Ireland semi finals, our senior footballers make the trip across the Irish Sea to play London in the National League and to round the weekend off our senior hurlers take on Cork in the National Hurling League at Fraher Field.

The most recent meeting of Waterford and Galway came last August when the two sides met in the All-Ireland semi finals where Galway came out on top on a 1-14 to 0-13 scoreline.

Galway went on to play a very strong Derry side in the All-Ireland final which ended in stalemate and at the second time of asking the Northerners came out on top.

This it has to be pointed out is Galway’s second string team but none the less it is expected to be a very formidable outfit.

In last years game between the two Dee Burke, Emma Kilkenny, Róisín Callanan and Rachel Monaghan amongst others stood out for the Tribes ladies and if they have not been promoted to the sides first string team, they could well be key to them again this year.

Last time out in the league Waterford suffered a defeat away to Meath. The panel of players on the day shows that just thirteen were in the panel that played Galway in the championship last year.

Waterford’s mist famous player Trish Jackman will be crucial to the side this year but are by no means a one person team as the likes of duel players Fiona Morrissey and Shona Curran are also players of note as are the likes of Vicky Falconer, Jenny McCarthy, Zoe O’Donoghue, Jennie Simpson and Niamh Rockett while Karen Kelly and Aisling who were part of the Waterford team that played in the 2011 All-Ireland Final and were back in the panel against Meath having missed much if not all of 2012.

The game against last years beaten All-Ireland finalist is not going to be an easy one for Waterford. However, the team has to travel with some confidence. Just four points separated the sides last year, and while Waterford could well show to have a number of the changes from the team that day, they despite the possible changes to the team could well prove to be somewhat stronger.

The game at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe has a 2-30pm start and for those that travel to the game it will be preceded by the meeting of Galway and Clare in a division one game.

On Saturday afternoon Saint Augustine’s College take on Adare Community School in the All-Ireland ‘C’ Football Colleges semi finals.

Saint Augustine’s reached this stage of the competition following an excellent 2-14 to 0-5 victory over St Michael’s from Listowel in the Munster Final.

The Louth side only qualified for this game during the week when they beat Lucan CBS in the Leinster Final.

While they have had little time to recover from this game they are a side that will have to be watched very carefully.

In the middle of the field Kevin Traynor could well prove to be a difficult player to keep an eye on and has a habit of getting his name on the score sheet, while their full forward line of Ryan Burns, Martin Duffy and Ryan Rooney could well prove to be very dangerous if given the chance.

Saint Augustine’s will fancy their chances of winning this game. They have some fine footballers, especially in Tadhg Bourke who was very impressive in the senior football championship with Clashmore last year. Laurence Power, Tom Devine and Seamus Keating are also players that are more than capable of holding their own and will be crucial to their sides hopes.

The game between St Augustine’s and Ardee Community School has a 1-30pm start and will be followed at 3pm with the meeting of Dungarvan CBS and Heywood Community School from Laois in the All-Ireland Senior ‘B’ Hurling semi final.

At times it is all to easy to criticise board officers and fixture planners. When they get something right it is only right to praise them. Who ever had the idea of playing these two games at the one venue well and truly had their head on their shoulders.

One of these sides may be in Dungarvan, the other in Abbeyside and the rivalry between the two is well noted. However on this occasion, all rivalry will be forgotten and both will travel with their supporters as a united bunch along with their supporters and will be roaring on each other in both games.

There does appear to be a lot of jealousy towards Dungarvan CBS and Dungarvan Colleges this year. There is a rule of thought that Dungarvan Colleges should not have been allowed to play in this years Dr Harty Cup and that Dungarvan CBS and St Augustine’s should be fielding on their own.

It should be pointed out that compared to other schools they are small and even grouped together, their pick would fall somewhat short of what other schools that took part in the competition would have had.

Of the Dungarvan Colleges set up, its fair to say that Dungarvan CBS are the stronger part of the make up, and on their own in the Division two competition have got people to sit up and take notice. But are they good enough to be in Division one as some suggests.

In the Munster Final they drew with St Joseph’s from Tulla, and needed a strong showing in extra time before they won through.

Since then, they have played opposition from Cahir in the All-Ireland Quarter Final at Kirwan Park in Touraneena, where the game proved to be a total miss match.

They were able to take the likes of Patrick Curran, Michael Harney and Ryan Donnelly off well before the end of the game, and start without the services of Darragh Lyons and Colin Dunford and still win more than comfortably.

This time out the Laois side are expected to provide stiffer opposition. They had a 0-13 to 0-7 victory over Colaiste Eoin in the Leinster Final recently.

The midlander’s are expected to field some very good players. Kevin Bergin in the middle of the field could well prove to be vital while in the full forward line Darragh Cripps and Eoghan Fennelly will have to be watched very carefully.

Dungarvan CBS this time out are expected to be without Colin Dunford who picked up a serious injury in the Dr Harty Cup Final against Our Lady’s from Templemore, however Darragh Lyons could well be back in the starting line up.

Up the middle, Dungarvan CBS are expected to be very strong. Full back Kevin Daly plays centre back for Dungarvan Colleges, while in front of him Kieran Barron, Kealan Looby and Jack O’Donnell will form a strong half back line. In the middle of the field Christy Breathnach and Cormac Curran who impressed in the All-Ireland quarter finals will be expected to continue where they left off while in attack Ryan Donnelly and Michael Harney would be expected to be vital in the half forwards while Darragh Lyons, Aaron Donnelly and Patrick Curran could prove if selected to be a lethal full forward line.

Waterford Senior Footballers will be hoping that they get back to winning ways in the league this weekend when they take on what should be a strong London side at Ruislip.

Every team it could be argued is entitled to one bad result so hopefully for Waterford their defeat to Limerick was just that.

On the night Waterford had a very bad night in front of goal kicking a higher than average amount of wides over the course of seventy minutes, while just two players got on the score board.

Nothing official has been said yet, but it is expected that changes will be made to the Waterford team.

Gary Hurney who came into the team after twenty minutes the last day having completed a suspension picked up in the 2012 campaign, and made a telling contribution hitting five of Waterford’s six points.

He is reported to be in the starting line up this coming weekend but it remains to be seen who drops out.

The Exiles while they have won no game to date in this year’s competition have proven to be no push overs. While clubs and counties up and down the country have lost players because of the economic times that we live in, London to a degree has benefited as many have opted to head to London and its environs in search of any work that may be available instead of the likes of Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United States that most are moving to, and having moved across the Irish sea they have switched their elegance to them, rather than to head over and back the Irish sea to get their quota of games.

In Ciarian McAllion, Padraig McGoldrick and Eoin O’Neill amongst others they have some quality players and will cause trouble for most defences.

To date in the league, Waterford have proven to be tough to break down at the back and when the team to play London is officially announced this evening there wont be any changes unless they are forced upon Niall Carew and his selectors.

In the middle of the field Waterford is again doing ok but up front there does appear to be some problems despite the fact that there are some quality players to choose from.

The problem may well be the system deployed by the management team who seem to favour a defensive type of game and when this happens it means that there is fewer players available to score when the ball is hit into the oppositions half of the field.

Make no mistake, Waterford have it in them to collect another brace of points in London. If the forwards are to play as they can, then a points should be Waterford’s but a repeat of the game against Limerick last week and our chances of winning promotion from Division Four in a few weeks could well be over with three games still to play.

With due respect to the other Waterford sides in action this weekend it is the senior hurlers that are likely to attract most support and interest.

Last time out, against all the odds in the eyes of most, Waterford beat a fancied Clare side in Ennis even if it look a late free to do so.

Cork last time out looked very impressive in beating Tipperary at Pairc Uí Rinn. How good were Cork on the night or how poor Tipperary were is the major question. The answer could well lie in the fact that Jimmy Barry Murphy and his selectors have failed to give a vote of confidence to the team that beat Tipperary, or is it a case that they are merely giving some more of their panel the opportunity to show what they can do ahead of bigger games later in the year.

Down the years there has been some good games played out between the two sides. There has also been some epics. It would be asking a lot for this latest game to be the latter but it is expected that it would well fit into the former’s category.

Both sides are almost unrecognisable from the sides that played in the epic games over the past few years and many of the players on either side have hung up their inter county gear.

However, those that have come in to replace them are all quality players. They have grown up watching the likes of Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Donal Óg Cusack, Joe Deane, Sean Óg Ó hAilpin, John Mullane, Dan Shanahan, Paul Flynn and Fergal Hartley star in some of these battles and know what is expected of them.

Facing the opposing team’s colours will not phase those that will play this Sunday. They have played against each other on many occasions from under 14 level upwards and will know each other well. Not only will they know each other from playing against each other but with each other.

With so many people now in College, many of the players will have been involved in the recent Fitzgibbon Cup. WIT, UCC, CIT, UL and LIT are amongst the sides with a large amount of inter county players and will have played with and against players that they would normally play with and against. They will know many of their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.

On Sunday, supporters of both teams will get to see many of the stars of the future. A win for both sides is a must. Which ever side does come out on top will have one leg in the semi finals of the league, while the looser on Sunday will have to ensure that they get at least two points from their remaining three games to avoid a potential banana skin relegation play off game in a few weeks time.

Five Waterford teams will be in action this weekend. Five wins for the five sides would be brilliant, but would be asking a lot. If Waterford were to win three or more of the games, it would be brilliant.

Waterford and Limerick footballers put unbeaten starts on the line

Waterford and Limerick put their unbeaten start to this year’s Allianz National Football League on the table this Saturday evening when the two clash under the lights at Fraher Field.

Over the past few years, the sides have met on a number of occasions and a bit of a pattern has began to be seen in the final outcomes of the games.

Since 2010 in the league section of the competition, victory has gone to Waterford on three occasions, but when the sides have met in the bigger games (the championship and in the 2010 league final at Croke Park) victory has gone to the Shannon-siders.

Confidence within both camps will be high going into the game. Limerick have come through games with Leitrim and Offaly while Waterford have beaten fancied sides in Clare and Tipperary and last weekend they beat Wexford in a challenge game.

With Carlow breeding down the necks of both also having won their two opening games, neither of the two sides will want to loose this game, meaning the end result could well be a very entertaining battle.

In their opening round victory over Leitrim, Limerick fielded without Ger Collins and Ian Ryan, but were able to welcome them back against Offaly in round two.

They have also fielded without Seanie Buckley, Damien Quaid and Andrew Lane in the opening two rounds of games but are set to welcome them back for the visit to Dungarvan. John Galvin having suffered his share of injuries over the past twelve months plus has also played no part in the league yet this year but is reported to be back in training and when he comes back into the team it will be a massive boost to the side. Stephen Lucey, Stephen Kelly, John Cooke and Jim O’Donovan are also absentees for the Shannon-siders and no doubt that Waterford will be hoping that they will all not be considered to play any part in this weekend’s game.  

Waterford under the guidance of new manager Niall Carew has impressed. They were unlucky to have gone out of the McGrath Cup after extra time at the semi final stages against Tipperary after the Premier Men scored somewhat of a lucky goal to win the game, and in the games against Clare and Tipperary in the league they have also impressed in winning games that few would have given them any chance of winning.

In their league games they have played without team captain Gary Hurney who is without doubt one of the countries finest footballers, as a result of a suspension he picked up towards the end of the 2012 National Football League.

His suspension is now up and most would have predicted that he would have started this weekend but an injury picked up while playing for Munster against Ulster in the Interprovincial series has meant that he has not been named in the starting line up.

The severity of the Injury is not known to most, but if he is able to come in and play some part for Waterford, especially in the second half if the game is close the value of his presence would be immeasurable.

With some big games to come for both sides and in particular for Waterford who have games against Offaly, Carlow, Leitrim and a tricky tie against London to follow, the importance of a win against Limerick cannot be highlighted enough.

It could be expected that if a team was to loose three or more points over the course of seven games it could well mean that they miss out on promotion and the chance of a rear appearance to play at Croke Park.

With little or nothing separating the sides, in the event that teams do drop points, it is vital that teams win games by a big as margin as is possible. With Kilkenny not involved in the league this year there is no perceived easy two points to be won this year and the chance to rack up an impressive score for tally on the league table.

After the win over Tipperary there was a lot of goodwill towards Waterford’s footballers on the different social network sites. It would be nice to see as many as possible attend this weekends game and prove to be a sixteenth man at a venue that Waterford usually does well at.

When Waterford played Clare at Fraher Field in the 2010 National Football League, it was estimated that between two to three thousand people attended the game. While it would be asking a lot for a similar amount to attend a game on a Saturday evening under lights, if large local support did turn up then it could make a difference.

Limerick may go into this game as the favourites to retain their unbeaten record in tact, and will provide a serious test to Waterford; the home side are more than capable of getting the result that will keep them on top of the league table.

 

Fitzgibbon Cup down to the final four

Galway promises to be a hive of activity this coming weekend as thousands of hurlers and supporters descent upon the city and its environs for the annual Fitzgibbon Cup Weekend.

The Fitzgibbon Cup this year promises to be an interesting one, as the four teams that that have reached the semi finals have very little between them and all four are more than capable of talking the silverware home with them after Saturday’s Final.

For one of the competing sides it promises to be an exciting one as standing to be corrected on this, not only have Mary Immaculate College from Limerick won the competition before, nor have they reached the final, this is the first time that they have reached the finals weekend.

At the other end of the scale, University College Cork, who are the holders of the competition have won it a record forty times, while University College Dublin has won it thirty times and Waterford Institute of Technology have won it on eight occasions some of its earlier successes coming under the name of the colleges former name Waterford Regional Technical College.

The semi finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup are scheduled to take place at Carnmore on Friday afternoon.

The first game sees Mary Immaculate College take on Waterford Institute of Technology at 12-45.

Both sides have very serious panels and both will fancy their chances of reaching Saturday’s finals.

In the competition up to know, both sides have played some good hurling and if they can bring the form shown in the last few weeks into this game, those that show up to see the game could well be in for an entertaining game.

The Limerick College side began their campaign with an 0-18 a piece draw against NUI Galway and had another share of the spoils in the second round of games when they drew 1-13 a piece against University College Cork. In the third series of games in the league section of competition they had a very good win over GMIT on a scoreline of 2-14 to 1-8.

Last time out in the quarter finals, they once more impressed beating Dublin Institute of Technology 1-18 to 0-15.

The Limerick sides leading scorer by some distance is their full forward John Conlon who has hit thirty-four points in four games, most of which have come from frees. If the Waterford students were to show indiscipline in the clash between the two, it can be taken that the Conlon will punish the side.

However they are not over depending on him for scores as they have a very dangerous full forward line which also contains Waterford’s Brian O’Halloran and Cork’s Luke O’Farrell who have between them hit 2-7, while Colm Galvin and Declan Hannon have featured steadily in the scoring stakes for Eamon Cregan’s charges, hitting thirteen points between them in four games.

The Suir Side Students have a solid look about them this year. Since their first success in the competition in 1992 they have proven to be regular attenders at this stage of the competition and have had former Tipperary hurler Colm Bonner involved in many of their successes either as a player or as a coach.

Having given much of his time to the Wexford Senior Hurlers in recent years, he is back at the helm once more with the Cork Road Students and has guided them to the finals weekend having played some impressive hurling.

There is plenty of experience within the team. Waterford goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe will start between the posts. Having missed last weekends National League opener against Clare, Liam Lawlor is expected to be fit to start this game at full back where he could well be flanked by fellow inter county corner back Noel Connor’s and Ballygunner’s second Stephen O’Keeffe.

Outside of them Wayne Hutchinson would be expected to start at Centre back, Luke Harney and Stephen Roche should start in the middle of the field while in attach Harry Kehoe, Michael Sheedy, Eoin Murphy, Martin O’Neill, Jake Dillon and Gavin O’Brien have started all three game played to date (against IT Carlow, Cork IT and Limerick IT), but don’t be too surprized if one was to miss out and Pauric Mahony was to fill in.

One interesting (maybe) tit-bit on this game is that Timmy Hammersley who has played with Waterford Institute of Technology in recent years is assisting Eamon Cregan and will know the strengths and weaknesses of many of the Waterford players.

The second semi final sees the holders University College Cork take on University College Dublin also at Carnmore with the game having a 2-30 start.

Like the earlier semi final this game promises to be an exciting affair that could well go to the wire.

On both sides there is an array of inter county experience. For the Dublin side Noel McGrath (Tipperary) as well as Wexford’s Jack Tennyson should feature, but it remains to be seen if the Kilkenny trio of Walter Walsh, John Tennyson and Cillian Buckley will play any part. While for the holders, Cork’s Conor Lehane and William Egan as well as the Waterford duo of Darragh Fives and Brian O’Sullivan are expected to play major parts.

To reach this stage of the competition the Rebel Students have recorded wins over GMIT and NUI Galway in the group stages of the competition and also had a draw against Mary Immaculate College while last time out in the quarter finals in a repeat of last years final they had a 1-13 to 1-11 victory over Cork Institute of Technology.

To reach this stage of the completion University College Dublin have beaten Limerick Institute of Technology and Dublin City University in the group stages of the competition and in the quarter finals had a 1-16 to 0-17 win over University of Limerick.

The sides clashed at the quarter final stages of the competition last year with the Cork side on home soil winning out 1-22 to 2-13.

UCC have a number of players that were involved last year including Darren McCarthy, Stephen Maher, Killian Murphy, James Barry, Darragh Fives, William Egan, Dan McCormack and Brian O’Sullivan who all either played or were subs that day.

The side from the capital are not short of experience. Nicky English is a very astute coach and his experience on the line will be vital. So too will be that of Oisin Gough, Shane Norton, James Gannon, Noel McGrath, Donal Fox and Garreth Sinnott on the field of play.

Tipperary’s Noel McGrath has hit twenty six points for his side this year, most of which have come from frees. He will be vital to his side’s chances and when presented with a chance he will punish the opposition.

An interesting (Maybe) tit bit from this game is that in their games played to date, UCD have hit nineteen points in game to date (2-13 in one game and 1-16 in the other two games, while UCC have stuck 1-13 in three of their four games played to date in this years competition. Is this statistic telling us something?

Waterford Institute of Technology and University College Dublin go into the game as the favourites. Last time out the favourites to win the four games in the quarter finals came through. Will it happen this time?

For what it is worth, I don’t think the two favourites will advance to Saturday’s final. While I see Waterford Institute of Technology having a small margin to spare over Mary Immaculate College, I see the holders if they can prove to be disciplined and therefore restricting the amount of chances that Noel McGrath will have striking at the posts I see them advancing to Saturday’s final setting up a Cork and Waterford final in Pearce Stadium which is to be shown live on TG4 on Saturday afternoon. If it does happen this way, could we have another Cork/Waterford final that could well prove to be one of the classics that we have become accustomed to when Cork and Waterford clash on the senior inter county scene over the past decade and a half.

Waterford begin with a win

Few gave Waterford any chance of winning their opening round game of this year’s Allianz National Hurling League against Clare on Sunday.

John Fogarty in today’s Irish Examiners opened his report by stating that ‘Jubilant Waterford manager Michael Ryan couldn’t help putting it to the press that they had got it wrong in their assessment of his team’s chances in Cusack Park yesterday’, adding ‘First question from me,” he asked jokingly of the congregated journalists. “Did any of ye get a prediction right?”

I was not one of those to meet Michael Ryan after the game, but if I did, I might have responded by asking him if he read what I had to say on a posting on my blog early on Friday afternoon. Here is how I finished up my preview of the game.

With many completely writing off Waterford’s year before it has started, I for one would not be too surprised to see the team return from Ennis with a brace of points in the bag, but it won’t be easy

The game may be played in late February and no cups were handed out for it, but this was a game that Waterford needed to win and they did not disappoint.

There were few fears for the side at the back but at the other end of the field things were slightly different.

A number of key players were missing from the attack, but the six players picked to fill the positions from ten to fifteen did not disappoint.

Brian O’Halloran brought his Fitzgibbon Cup form into this game and ended it with four points, a just reward for his contribution. Jake Dillon took his scores well and Seamus Prendergast seemed to revel in his role as the side’s most senior player, while Brian O’Sullivan also impressed.

In their own end of the field, Stephen O’Keeffe made some good saves. The half back line of Jamie Nagle, Michael Walsh and Kevin Moran were solid with Moran and more over Nagle partially impressive and that full back line of Stephen Daniels, Shane Fives and Noel Connors also impressing.

This was a game that could have gone either way. The sides were level on eleven occasions and with the seventy minutes played it looked as if that was how the game would end as the sides were locked at 2-14 to 1-17 and if the game did end that way few could have complained.

Waterford got off to a dream start in this game. After hitting some poor wide’s Clashmore’s Brian O’Halloran opened the scoring on six minutes, but Clare hit back with a brace of Colin Ryan frees to lead 0-2 to 0-1 after twelve minutes.

Pauric Mahony drew the side’s level for the second time a minute later when he put over a free and moments later Seamus Prendergast had the sliotar in the Clare net having beaten Kelly in the home sides’ goal from close range.

Brian O’Halloran rifled over his second on eighteen minutes just before the Clare net rattled for the second time, this time Jake Dillon beating Kelly with an excellent ground stoke.

Colin Ryan put over a brace of points inside two minutes before Tony Kelly found the net having been set up by John Conlon to leave three between the sides.

The closing twelve minutes of the half proved to be an even contest as Pauric Mahony and Fergal Lynch first swapped scores before Seamus Prendergast and Seadna Morey did like wise.

Tony Kelly hit the last score of the opening half four minutes from the interval to leave one between the sides at the interval despite Waterford’s great start to the game.

The second half proved to be as equally a close as thirty five minutes hurling as the first half was.

Jake Dillon opened the second half scoring inside twenty seconds of the restart, but a brace of Colin Ryan points quickly had the sides all square.

Brian O’Halloran, Seadna Morey, Shane O’Donnell and Brian O’Halloran all swapped scores inside four minutes to keep the sides on level terms.

Colin Ryan put over a sixty five and half time substitute Darragh Fives swapped scores before Tony Kelly and Brian O’Sullivan sis like wise.

Clare went back in front thanks to a Colin Ryan effort, but it was a short lived lead as Pauric Mahony quickly had the sides’ level once more.

Colin Ryan edged Clare in front (1-15 to 2-11) but a brace of points from Jake Dillon who took over from the substituted Pauric Mahony had Waterford in front with just over five minutes of the seventy to play.

The game continued to ebb and flow as Colm Gavin and Jake Dillon swapped scores to keep Waterford one point in front with just over two minutes to play, but it was not to be for very long as Tony Kelly pointed for Clare in the last minute of normal time to draw the sides’ level for the eleventh time.

Referee John Sexton indicated to the fourth and sideline officials that at least two extra minutes would be played at the end of the seventy, a figure which could well have proven to be longer as there were some lengthy stoppages in the second period.

After 120 seconds the sides were still level but the Cork man did not blow his full time whistle.

Two and a half minutes past the end of the normal seventy, the Cork man blew Brendan Bugler for a high tackle on Brian O’Sullivan. Knowing that there could not be much time remaining Jake Dillon remained cool under pressure and from inside fifty metres and almost dead straight in front of the goal he made no mistake in sending the ball over the cross bar to help register a crucially important win for Waterford.

With big games to come against Cork, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Galway, the importance of this win cannot be underestimated. Hopefully, in the next few weeks Waterford will be able to get some of the players that missed out on the game against Clare back into the side. If we can, then while Waterford may not win the All-Ireland, the year may not end as disappointing as some are predicting with some while now.

WATERFORD: S O’Keeffe; S Daniels, S Fives, N Connors; J Nagle, M Walsh, K Moran; S O’Sullivan, D Twomey; B O’Halloran, S Prendergast, P Mahony; G O’Brien, J Dillon, B O’Sullivan. Subs: D Fives for Twomey (h-t); J Barron for O’Brien (43); R Barry for Mahony (57).

Scorers: J Dillon 1-5 (0-3f); S Prendergast 1-1; B O’Halloran 0-4; P Mahony 0-3 (all frees); D Fives, B O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

CLARE: P Kelly; D O’Donovan, J McInerney, D McInerney; B Bugler, P Donnellan, P O’Connor; C Ryan, S Morey; F Lynch, T Kelly, E Barrett; J Conlan, S O’Donnell, P Collins. Subs: N O’Connell for O’Connor, C Galvin for Barrett (both h-t); A Cunningham for Collins (54); S Collins for Lynch (58); J Clancy for Cunningham (64).

Scorers: C Ryan 0-9 (5f, 1 65); T Kelly 1-3; S Morey 0-2; F Lynch, S O’Donnell, C Galvin 0-1 each.
Referee J Sexton (Cork).