Deise Seek Third Under 16 All-Ireland Title

Don’t let anyone tell you that these are not good times for Camogie in Waterford.

With a few years now some good work is being put in and it’s beginning to pay off.

In the last few years we have seen Gailltir and De La Salle put together excellent under 14 teams who have competed well at Féile na Gael.

The Barony Club in particular deserve special mention, as they won two Division Two Feile County and National titles in a row, before they won a Division One title this summer.

The county in the last few years have put together some very good under 14 Development squads and in the last three years they have returned home as their Divisional Champions.

This work is carrying forward to under 16 level. Waterford have reached the last two All-Ireland ‘B’ Finals to be played, loosing out to Cork in 2013 and beating Derry in the final.

Last year with a side made up almost entirely of players from those under 16 teams helped the County win a first ever Minor ‘B’ title last year, and this year with many of that side still available, Waterford competed well in the Minor ‘A’ Championship.

Some of the players in these teams have made their way into the counties Intermediate panel this year under Sean Fleming who worked with many of the underage teams in recent years and on September 13 will run onto Croke Park for an Intermediate All-Ireland Final against Kildare.

I know, don’t tell me, but I have left something out.

This coming Sunday morning, for the third year in a row, Waterford will travel up the country to take part in an All-Ireland ‘B’ Final.

Nenagh is the venue this year and Dublin will provide the opposition for a Waterford side who have some of last years panel still involved.

Waterford secured only their second title at this level twelve months ago but they will know that to win a third, they first have to beat what is an excellent Dublin side.

The players involved in this years panel will go into the game confident that they can beat Dublin.

They also go into the game knowing that when Waterford take to the field in Croke Park in just over two weeks time, that many of that panel will have Under 16 All-Ireland medals in their collection and those involved this year will be hoping to do in the very near future do what those that have done before them have done and become an essential part of the County Intermediate Set up, which hopefully will become the Senior set up from next year on.

Both sides go into Sunday’s game with a string of impressive results behind them.

Dublin’s run to this Sunday’s All-Ireland Final; began back in mid July when they beat Clare 3-13 to 3-7 at Ogonnelloe. This was followed up with a 1-8 to 0-9 win over Antrim at Blakestown before they lost on the road 2-8 to 0-10 against Waterford at Walsh Park. But they got back to winning ways in their final game in the league section of the competition when they beat Cork 3-13 to 1-3 again at Blakestown, a win that secured their semi final spot against last years beaten finalists Derry.

Waterford’s path to the semi finals began earlier in the month of July.

The reigning champions made their way to Blakestown in Dublin where they had a narrow 2-11 to 3-7 win over Antrim.  This was followed up with a hard fought 0-9 to 0-9 draw with Cork at the Cork Camogie Grounds, before they had another narrow 1-9 to 1-8 win over Clare at Ogonnelloe. Waterford’s final game in the league section of the competition was another close hard fought 2-8 to 0-10 win over this weekend’s opponents in Walsh Park.

In the two sides respective semi finals recently, Dublin had a 3-12 to 4-3 win over Derry at Drogheda while Waterford had a brilliant 4-13 to 0-8 win over Meath.

This may well be Dublin’s second string side but it is still one to be reckoned with.

In the likes of Zoe Couch, Chloe Mullen, Caoimhe Hughes, Aoife Farrell, Emily Browne, Laura Morgan, Emma O’Byrne, Aoife Dillon, Megan Thomas, Nicole Malcolmson, Niamh Mulroney, Rebecca Lewis, Ciara Byrne and Aisling Andrews the Dubs have some excellent players.

Waterford for their part also has some excellent players.

The Waterford management team are likely to give a vote of confidence to the side that beat Meath so comprehensively in the semi finals at Athy.

That should mean that Ciara Jackman will start between the posts, with Sinead Cunningham, team captain Taylor Healy and Clodagh Curran forming the full back line with Aisling Baumann, Colette Hogan and Clare Griffin directly in front of them.

In the middle of the field Katie Lynch and Niamh Murphy who has impressed with her shooting all year could get the nod while in attack the half forward line should consist of Faye Curley who hit four points against Meath, Anne Corcoran who hit another four points and Chloe Dempsey.

The full forward line could well see Saoirse English and Sally Kiely start in the corner forward positions while Kaiesha Tobin put in a player of the Match performance against Meath hitting 4-4 and should she end up on the winning team this weekend she will be one of a number of players who have won Under 16 Camogie and Ladies Football medals this summer.

No team is complete without back up and strong replacements in the modern game are a must as the game is no longer a 15 person game.

In Sadie Mai Rowe, Darina Shanley, Muireann Cuddihy, Katie Ryan, Grainne Heffernan, Heather Hayes, Lauryn Foran and Clodagh Power Waterford have some good replacements to call upon.

Normally on here, when two sides meet in close proximity I have a tendency to go for the team that lost the first day to win the second day.

Is this bad news so for Waterford?

The answer is no. I believe that this is a hungry Waterford side and they will have seen the way that Waterford’s intermediate team fought back from nine points down last week against Meath in their semi final. This Waterford side will want to show that they are just as good and will want to show that players from this side just like players from last years side are good enough to make a giant leap and join the highest ranking inter county side in the county in the next year or two.

Waterford in the group stages of the league section of the competition won three of their games by a very small margin.

The margin of victory is not always important. The important thing is the win. This present Waterford side will have gained confidence from every win achieved so far. They will know that they need just one more win to have an All-Ireland Medal in their collection of medals for the years ahead. Will they do this? I believe they will.

Waterford ladies footballers hoping for First All-Ireland appearance since 2012

Waterford will attempt to reach an All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Final on Saturday afternoon for the first time since 2012.

But first they will have to beat a strong Leitrim side in the semi finals at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

Waterford will know that to beat Leitrim they will have to be at their very best and will not go into the game that because they have beaten Leitrim already this year that they will beat them again.

Leitrim have impressed a lot this year, reaching the Division Three League Semi Final where they lost out to eventual winners Sligo and then beating the same opposition in the Connacht Final last month and again recently when they beat Clare in the quarter finals that Waterford had beaten in the Munster Final.

Just like in Waterford’s last game Pat Sullivan’s side face a side with a huge name in it and if they are to win they will have to do as they did against Sligo, without letting others maybe as a result of taking an eye of them to have a big game.

Against Sligo, Waterford knew that to win the influence of Katie Walsh, something the side successfully managed reducing her to four points all from frees.

This time out Áine Tighe is the player that Waterford will have to keep an eye most on as she could well have a big game.

In her side’s win over Clare two weeks ago the side hit 4-7 and Áine Tighe registered 3-5 of that.

However, having too many players keep a close eye on her could allow someone like Deirdre Ward, Áine Heslin, Dearbhaile Byrne, Aileen McGuire, Carla Leguen, Niamh Tighe, Emma Guckian or Ailbhe Clancy be the western’s heroine in front of the Waterford goal.

Pat Sullivan’s charges are in fantastic form all year and will know after the counties Intermediate Camogie Team reached an All-Ireland Final last weekend beating Meath at Nowlan Park that it could be their turn to be making headlines within the coming week and in doing so give the county a further boost.

Waterford strolled through to the League Final with Sligo, which was the only game Waterford lost this year (by four points) and then came through the Munster Campaign again with flying colours beating Limerick, Tipperary and Clare in the round robin stages of the competition before beating Clare again in the Munster Final and then as already pointed out beat Sligo in the first of this years quarter finals two weeks ago at Birr.

Since coming in as Waterford manager this year, Pat Sullivan and his management team have helped reshape Waterford.

Some new faces have been introduced and some faces from previous years have reintroduced and made a massive impact.

The management team have also freshened up things by moving established players around the field with success.

Team captain Linda Wall has moved from attack to defence with Mary Foley making the opposite move.

The very successful centre field pairing for many years of Elaine Power and Michelle McGrath has also been broken up.

The Tramore Club lady has moved to centre back and the Ballymacarbry player has moved to full back. Mairead McGrath has also moved from attack to defence and another established versatile star of the side Karen McGrath now plays in the centre of the field.

The Waterford management team are unlikely to make too many changes to the team for this game as they have impressed a lot in recent games.

That will mean that Katie Hannon will be between the posts with Michelle McGrath directly in front of her with the two older of the three Wall sisters involved in this panel Linda and Mairead in the corners.

Elaine Power will be at centre back and will be flanked by Megan Dunford and one from Emma Murray or Louise Ryan.

Which ever of these two that misses out on a place in defence will most likely partner Karen McGrath in the middle of the field.

In attack, Maria Delahunty who is having a brilliant year with Waterford should continue at centre forward with Sinead Ryan directly behind her.

Hannah Landers and Aileen Wall are likely to start in the half forward positions and could pose an enormous treat to the Leitrim defence.

Grainne Kenneally should start in one of the corner forward positions with Mary Foley in the other corner making up a very experienced full forward line.

And no team is made up with out back up and if needed Waterford has plenty of experience to call upon if needed which could well prove to be the winning of the game.

Players like Aoife Landers, Nora Dunphy and Michelle Ryan are vastly experienced players.

Ciara Kearney has been brought in as back up to club mate Katie Hannon on goal and if called upon will not let the side down.

Shauna Dunphy and Emer Scanlon are playing Football with some time now and again if called upon will do a job for the side while the likes of Mary Kate Morrissey, Aoife Murray, Nicola Fennell, Kate McGrath, Caoimhe McGrath and Katie Murray are all exciting prospects who have been brought into the set up this year and like other likely players held in reserve for this game, will if called upon will not let the side down in any way.

Waterford will know that this will not be an easy game to win, but one which is winnable all the same. In recent games between the two Waterford have the upper hand and that will give the side confidence going into the game.

Make no mistake, Áine Tighe is vital to Leitrim’s hopes in this game and if she is left play as she can, she will inflict damage on Waterford.

However Leitrim do not depend solely on Kiltubrid player who is likely to start on the edge of the Waterford square.

Last time out when Katie Walsh who proved to be the difference in the league final between Waterford and Sligo, had her influence reduced by the Waterford defence which helped Waterford advance to this stage of the competition.

If the Waterford defence can do the same this Saturday in Limerick, I for won will be confident that not only will I be going to Croke Park on September 13; I will be going there again two weeks later.

Waterford qualify for first All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Final

There was Drama aplenty at Nolan Park on Saturday afternoon as Waterford at the fourth time of asking qualified for a first ever All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Final where they will play Kildare at Croke Park on September 13 with the game having a 2pm throw in.

At the break, there must have been many that were saying to themselves ‘not again’ as Waterford who have lost the last three semi finals to Galway twice and Limerick last year trailed a strong defensive Meath side who lead 3-4 to 0-5.

But while Waterford tailed by eight and would go none down early in the second half it must never be forgotten that there is something special about this present Waterford panel assembled by Sean Fleming and his management team and they showed it in the second half as not once did the heads drop nor were the towels thrown in.

Right throughout the year when the need rose, different players have come to the core when it was most needed.

With little between these two fine sides, it was no great surprise to see the two respective managers make changes to their line outs before this game.

Usually in Camogie teams line out as per the handout or programme patrons get going into the games, but in this game both management sides did their utmost to upset the plans made by the other when they would have seen the respective published line ups in print.

The Leinster side began with the fifteen players named to start but made positional changes.

Meath brought Jane Dolan from the middle of the field to the edge of the Waterford square and replaced her in the middle of the field with Aoife Maguire who was selected to start at centre forward.  Edel Guy who was selected to start at Full Forward was moved to the Centre Forward position.

Sinead Hackett moved from her pre-match selected position of left corner forward to the right half forward position while Aoife Minogue switched from the right half forward to the opposite side of the field and Megan Thynne moved from left half forward to the right corner forward position and with Cheyenne O’Brien moving across to the left corner forward position from her pre-match selected position of right corner forward.

Waterford too made changes, making two changes in personnel to the team printed on the programme.

Jennie Simpson came in for Jenny McCarthy and Niamh Rockett came in for Sibeal Harney.

As a result changes positional changes were made as Trish Jackman moved from Centre Back to the middle of the field with Iona Heffernan moving to wing back in place of Jenny McCarthy. Nicola Morrissey moved from Centre Forward to the right half forward position and Niamh Rockett filled in where the Lismore player was selected.

Meath had a great start to this game as Jane Dolan fired over the first of her seven scores in this game with a point inside fifty seconds and it was quickly followed up with a similar effort from Aoife Minogue.

Waterford pulled a point back from a Trish Jackman free, but Meath soon extended their lead when a long range Kristina Troy free fell short and when it fell in the Waterford square Jane Dolan was on hand to hand-pass past Deirdre Brennan for the first goal of the game to give Meath a 1-2 to 0-1 advantage with eight minutes played.

A brace of Trish Jackman points, one from a free, the other from play brought Waterford to within two of Meath and the advantage that Meath had on the scoreboard was halved before the end of the first quarter when Jennie Simpson fired over.

However despites Waterford’s fightback after Meath’s great start, it was the Leinster side that had the better of the second quarter as they hit 2-2 with Waterford responding with a single point.

The Royal County side hit a second goal on twenty-three minutes when Megan Thynne flicked to the very impressive Jane Dolan and she made no mistake in beating Deirdre Brennan.

Seconds later, the Leinster side added a third goal when an Edel Guy long range effort fell short but was not cleared as the Waterford defence would have liked and Megan Thynne went from score provider to scorer getter as she followed up on the loose ball and finished to the net to give her side a seven point advantage.

In the time that remained Jane Dolan who was causing Waterford lots of problems added two further points with Trish Jackman landing one, to leave the eventual winners trailing 3-4 to 0-5 at the break.

Meath started the second half by opening up a nine point advantage when Aoife Maguire hit her first of the game, but Waterford was soon to take control.

At the break the Waterford selectors replaced Nicola Morrissey with Becky Kavanagh and Shona Curran came in for Dungarvan’s Dawn Power.

Niamh Rockett hit Waterford’s first score of the second half with a point and it was soon followed up with efforts from Shona Curran who made a huge impact after her interdiction and then Lorraine Bray to leave Waterford trailing 3-5 to 0-8.

Sinead Hackett pulled a point back for Meath to break Waterford’s flow of scores but it was only a short rest-bite for Meath as Waterford began to show their experience.

Shona Curran hit Waterford’s first goal on forty-one minutes after she blasted low and hard past Emily Mangan after she was set up by Aisling Power, the captain of Waterford’s All-Ireland winning team from 2014.

Just as Megan Thynne did in the first half, the Cappoquin player would go from goal provider to goal getter four minutes later as she drilled low and hard past Emily Mangan in a crowed Meath goal area to leave just one between the sides at the end of the third quarter.

Trish Jackman levelled soon afterwards and what was turning out to be a good afternoon for Waterford got even better on forty-nine minutes when teenage sensation Beth Carton hit Waterford’s third goal of the game, the best of the three as the De La Salle player ran in from the sideline and beat Emily Mangan with a low shot.

Aoife Maguire and Beth Carton swapped scores to keep Waterford three up with time ticking down.

There was gasp’s from the Waterford Support inside the ground when it was announced on the hour mark that there would be four added minutes to be played.

Meath in added time put lots of pressure on the Waterford defence.

Jane Dolan hit two late points for Meath to leave just one between the sides and when referee Jenny Byrne continued to let the play run past the four announced minutes, the Waterford support inside the ground moved to the edges of their seats.

Meath continued to put pressure on the Waterford backs but Waterford brought all fifteen players behind the ball and it paid off as the Waterford defence held tough to win by one and to set Waterford up for a first ever Intermediate Camogie All-Ireland Final appearance.

In the final Waterford will play Kildare who had a 1-12 to 0-11 win over Cork in the second semi final to be played at Nolan Park on Saturday afternoon.

A goal just before the break from Emer Reilly proved to be the crucial score in that game as it gave her side a four point advantage in what was a very close opening thirty minutes.

Waterford: Deirdre Brennan; Kate McMahon, Claire Whyte, Vikki Falconer; Charlotte Raher, Jennie Simpson, Iona Heffernan; Trish Jackman, Lorraine Bray; Nicola Morrissey, Niamh Rockett, Beth Carton; Aisling Power, Catriona McGlone, Dawn Power. Subs: Becky Kavanagh for Nicola Morrissey, Shona Curran for Dawn Power, Valerie O’Brien for Jennie Simpson, Jennie Simpson for Aisling Power.

Scorers: Patricia Jackman 0-5 (3fs), Beth Carton, Shona Curran 1-1 each, Aisling Power 1-0, Lorraine Bray, Jennie Simpson, Niamh Rockett 0-1 each.

Meath: Emily Mangan; Emma Coffey, Claire Coffey, Grace Coleman; Áine Keogh, Kristina Troy, Louise Donoghue; Aoife Maguire, Katie Hackett; Sinead Hackett, Edel Guy, Aoife Minogue; Megan Thynne, Jane Dolan, Cheyenne O’Brien. Subs: Amy Gaffney for Edel Guy, Marie Keogh for Emma Coffey, Fia O’Brien for Amy Gaffney, Aoife Thompson for Megan Thynne.

Scorers: Jane Dolan 2-5 (2fs), Megan Thynne 1-0, Aoife Minogue 0-3 (2fs), Sinead Hackett 0-1.

Referee: Jenny Byrne (Dublin)

Tony Forristal and Sonny Walsh Tournament 2015

Tony Forristal Tournament Fixtures 2015

Group 1 at Mount Sion G.A.A. Club
10:00am	Clare	V	Antrim
11:40am	Clare	V	Dublin
1:20pm	Antrim	V	Dublin
Group 2 at Mount Sion G.A.A. Club
10:50am	Limerick	V	Waterford
12-30pm	Limerick	V	Galway
2-10pm	Waterford	V	Galway
Group 3 at Saint Saviours G.A.A. Club - Ballybeg
10:00am	Cork	V	Tipperary
11:40am	Offaly	V	Cork
1:20pm	Tipperary	V	Offaly
Group 3 at Saint Saviours G.A.A. Club - Ballybeg
10:50am	Laois	V	Kilkenny
12-30pm	Laois	V	Wexford
2-10pm	Kilkenny	V	Wexford
Sonny Walsh Touranment Fixtures 2015
Group 1 at De La Salle G.A.A. Club Gracedieu
10:00am	Waterford	V	Limerick
10:50am	Kerry	V	Cork
12:20pm	Waterford	V	Kery
1:10pm	Limerick	V	Cork
2:40pm	Waterford	V	Cork
3:40pm	Limerick	V	Kery
Group 2 at Erin's Own G.A.A. Club Poleberry
10:00am	Kilkenny	V	Dublin
11:40am	Clare	V	Dublin
1:20pm	Kilkenny	V	Clare
Group 3 at Walsh Park
10:00am	Wexford	V	Tipperary
11:40am	Galway	V	Tipperary
1:20pm	Wexford	V	Galway

Waterford Look for All-Ireland Final Spot by beating Meath at Nolan Park

The Waterford Intermediate Camogie Team will take to the field at Nolan Park on Saturday afternoon next in the first of this years All-Ireland Semi Finals against Meath and they will be hoping that the outcome will be the same as what the Under 16’s achieved last Sunday when they accounted for the Royal’s at Athy at the same stage of their competition.

Both Counties have made great progress in the past few years and are clearly heading in the right direction which can only be good for the game, and a model for those that are trying to achieve what both of these sides have in the last few years on the Inter County front.

Meath reached the Junior ‘A’ All-Ireland Final in 2007 where they lost out to Laois on a 1-15 to 1-9 score line but made up for that defeat 12 months later when they beat Roscommon 0-10 to 1-5 and in 2012 they won the Junior Premier final beating Down 1-11 to 1-9, the second year in a row that the Ulster side were beaten in the final.

Success has also come the way of the Royal’s on the underage front.

in 2011, 2014 and this year Minor titles have been won and they will be hoping that the players in these success will be able to transfer the form they showed in winning these titles to the adult scene in the next few years.

Success has also been achieved at Under 16 level, reaching the All-Ireland Final in 2010 where they lost out to Carlow and in 2013 when they beat Laois in the final of the ‘C’ Competition.

In the National Leagues Meath have also proven successful winning the Division four title in 2008 when they beat Roscommon in the decider. Laois proved a little too strong fro them in the 2010 Division three final, but it would be their day 12 months later as they overcame the challenge of Kildare in the final and a further 12 months on they reached the Division two final where they lost out to Derry.

Regular readers here will know that I have often put Waterford’s revival in Camogie down to the day in 2003 when Lismore’s Laura Buckley captained the under 16’s to win the All-Ireland Final against Armagh at Portlaoise, as from that day it has proven to be onwards and upwards for the game in Waterford.

Even if there were some disappointments for Waterford along the way, the players have always come out the other side and have gone on to achieve other things.

When Waterford ran out on the Croke Park Sod for the 2009 All-Ireland Junior Premier Final some of the players who were involved six years earlier were involved. Defeat was Waterford’s lot that day against Offaly but the side were back in Croke Park again 12 months later to face Antrim in the final, a game that ended in a 1-9 to 1-9 draw but defeat would be Waterford’s lot in the replay.

However, Waterford did make it third time lucky in 2011 when they beat Down 2-11 to 1-13 with again some of the victorious under 16 panel from 2016 involved, and some of that panel will be involved again this Saturday.

Like Meath, Waterford has had some great days on the underage scene.

Waterford lost out in the Minor finals of 2008 and 2009 against Offaly and Limerick respectfully but a first minor (under 18) title was won last year when the side had a 4-6 to 0-2 win over Derry in the final.

As already mentioned above, Waterford’s Camogie revival began the day they beat Armagh in 2003. Since then Waterford have appeared in four other finals at under 16 level.

In 2007 the final ended on a score of Derry 2-7 Waterford 3-4 but in the replay the Ulster side proved too strong winning the game comfortably.

Waterford were back in the final in 2009 where they lost out in a South East derby against Wexford on a 2-11 to 1-12 score line and in 2013 it was defeat again for Waterford in a derby game loosing 4-8 to 2-10 against Cork at Mallow.

However, Waterford made up for that defeat last year when they won a second title at this age level beating Derry in the final.

And for good measure, Waterford will next weekend appear in a third final in a row when they take on Dublin in what will be a very difficult game.

This is the fourth year in a row that Waterford has reached this stage of the competition, having lost to Galway in 2012 and 2013 and last year they lost out to Limerick. In the last two years Waterford has lost out to the side that have gone on to win the All-Ireland Final.

The sides have already met once this year in the League back in March.

Waterford travelled to Rathoath for that game and emerged victors on a 2-14 to 1-13 score line.

The Royal’s that day had a number of players in fine scoring form.

The ever dangerous Aoife Maguire finished as their top scorer with 1-3 while Jane Dolan another player that could cause Waterford heartache hit four points and Sinead Hackett hit three. Kristina Troy, Cheyanne O’Brien and Megan Thynne also got on the score sheet that day.

For Waterford in that game Trish Jackman finished as top scorer, hitting 1-9, 1-7 of which came from placed balls, while Beth Carton, Nicola Morrissey and Dawn Power shared the remainder of the scores.

Meath come into this Saturday’s final in fine form.

They won three of their four games in the group section of the competition, their only loss coming in the game against Cork in the opening round of fixtures. They also reached this years Leinster Intermediate Final where they lost out 1-13 to 1-9 against Kilkenny, a side that Waterford have beaten twice this year in League and Championship.

Meath, like Waterford have a settled look to their team this year.

Barring some unforeseen or unreported circumstances, Emily Mangan will start between the posts with Claire Coffey at full back with Grace Coleman in one corner and Emma McGill and Emma Coffey fighting it out for a start in the other corner.

Kristina Troy will be at centre back whole Áine and Marie Keogh could well be either side of her.

In the middle of the field, Jane Dolan and Katie Hackett have built up a formidable formation and if the Royals were to win, it could be from here that a lot of the spade work could be done.

Another potentially danger to Waterford Aoife Maguire will start in the centre forward position and will have Aoife Minogue and Megan Thynne either side of her, while the inside forward line could well consist of Edel Guy in the middle with Sinead Hackett and Cheyenne O’Brien in the corners.

Meath’s big hitters on the scoreboard could well prove to be Jane Dolan and Aoife Minogue but it could prove costly for Waterford to put all their eggs in the one basket and put all their focus on stopping them as it could allow the likes of Katie and Sinead Hackett, Megan Thynne, Kristina Troy, Fia O’Brien and Edel Guy to have big games when it comes to scoring.

Waterford are having a great number of years when it comes to Camogie and surly its only a matter of time before they win what their target it. The League final win over Laois earlier this year will have shown the side that they can win on the big day and will have given the side a taste for more success.

Like Meath, Waterford has a very settled side.

Deirdre Brennan will be between the posts. Kate McMahon and Vikki Falconer could well start in the corners with the full back position a arm wrestle between Claire Whyte and Jennie Simpson.

Trish Jackman could well be selected at centre back with Charlotte Raher and Jenny Simpson flanking her.

Iona Heffernan and Lorraine Bray could well start in the middle of the field. The pair have built up a great partnership and could fight out a great battle in that sector of the field with Jane Dolan and Katie Hackett with the winning pair likely to be on the winning team.

Team captain Catriona McGlone could well start in front of the Meath goal and could have teenagers Aisling and Dawn Power on the corners.

Nicola Morrissey will start at centre forward and Beth Carton will be at number 12, leaving just the number 10 shirt to fill.

Sibeal Harney, Niamh Rockett, Molly Curran, Claire Murphy, Elizabeth McGrath and Becky Kavanagh will all be fighting it out for the shirt, but another option could be to place Lorraine Bray there, moving Trish Jackman to the middle of the field, placing Claire Whyte at Full back and Jennie Simpson at centre back.

But maybe Waterford manager Sean Fleming and his management team have something else up there sleeves for this game.

Both Shona Curran and Valerie O’Brien having spent some time in America lately will come into the equation for a place in the team.

Shona Curran could come in at full forward with maybe Catriona McGlone filling a place on the wing, or even in the middle of the field, while Valerie O’Brien who was part of the league final winning team will also be considered maybe at Centre Forward with Nicola Morrissey moving to the number ten position or even coming directly into the number ten shirt. And even if the pair were not to start, what subs they would be to bring in if the game was tight.

Camogie in Waterford is on the up with great work being carried out on the club scene and again within the inter county scene by a small group of dedicated troopers.

All year long, I have had a gut feeling that it will be Waterford’s year and am not going to change now.  

Its Waterford for me on Saturday at Nolan Park, but it has to be said that in the recent past, Meath have caused Waterford heartache and are capable of doing so again.

Déise Ladies March On

Waterford became the first team to reach the last four of this year’s TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Championship semi final when they overcame the challenge of Division Three league champions Sligo at Birr.

As a result of this win, Pat Sullivan and his charges are just sixty minutes for a first return to Croke Park since 2012 where they lost out to a very strong Armagh side in that years Intermediate Final.

This was expected to be a tough battle for both sides, but in the end it resulted in a comprehensive win for Waterford, one they were full value for.

Waterford were always on top in this game, but did receive an early scare in the first quarter of the game when Denise McGrath put the ball in the Waterford net when Waterford were a point up, but County Laois referee Niall McCormack and his officials quickly ruled the score out for an infringement within the Waterford square.

Anybody that have read what I have to say with the past few years will know that when it comes to the Black Card in men’s football, I think the whole thing is an utter joke. To remove one man off the field for what is often a rough foul and to replace him with another player for me serves no purpose. The only thing it does do however is maybe reduce the amount of subs you can in the game.

I have said on more that one occasion that G.A.A. Officials should seriously look at how players are dealt with in Ladies Football. When a player in Ladies Football is deemed to have committed a cynical foul she is ordered to the sideline or the stand for ten minutes and her team is forced to play the next ten minutes with a numerical disadvantage, and if the player is ordered off before the break, the clock stops during the interval and restarts when the game starts.

Should the same happen in the men’s game? I would say 100% yes, but I know of not one official who would purpose at Club Level or County Board Level for it to happen and for them to gain enough support for it to make it to be discussed at Congress.

In the league final between the two sides, Waterford twice had the same player very harshly yellow carded meaning Waterford twice at the end of either half had to play with a player less.

In this game it was the league champions that had to play an important portion of this game with a numerical disadvantage Stephanie O’Reilly one of their most crucial players had to sit out most of the last quarter of the game, in which time Waterford kicked the scores that ensured that victory was going to be theirs.

Waterford in this game never tailed.

The very impressive Maria Delahunty opened the scoring with a free only for Katie Walsh to cancel it out with a free for the Connacht side.

When the sides met at Parnell Park in the League Final back in May, it was Katie Walsh that was the difference between the two sides as she hit 2-4 of her sides 2-12 on the day.

Here however she was never given the same room and while she did finish as her side’s top scorer on the day, all of her four points was from frees.

the Impressive Maria Delahunty would put Waterford back in front soon afterwards with another point from a free, but soon afterwards it looked as disaster had stuck for Waterford when Denise McGrath finished to the Waterford net but her effort was ruled out for an infringement within the Waterford square.

Maria Delahunty put Waterford two in front with another free and the hugely impressive Abbeyside player who was part of the Waterford set up when the county won the first of its seven in a row of Munster Final’s at this grade back in 2010 put over a fourth free to give Waterford a three point advantage.

Waterford went six up when the side won a penalty after Ballyduff’s Gráinne Kennelly was fouled and her club mate Katie Hannon was brought up the entire length of the field to go one on one with Noelle Gormley from twelve metres and she made no mistake in putting the ball past the Saint Nathy’s player.

The first score of the game from play came when Sinead McTiernan split the Waterford posts but Waterford hit back with an effort from Linda Wall before the break. The brilliant long serving Ballymacarbry player is playing a lot in defence for Waterford this year but she has shown more than once this year that in the white and blue shirt she has lost none of her attacking abilities as she kicked her sides first from play in this game to give Waterford a 1-5 to 0-2 cushion at the break.

Waterford began the second half with a two quick points from Maria Delahunty and Sinead Ryan to stretch their sides lead to eight, but Sligo hit their best patch of the game soon afterwards as Katie Walsh put over a brace of points and Stephanie O’Reilly also got her name on the score sheet but the latter would have her time on the field cut soon afterwards as she was sin binned by the Co Laois Referee.

Maria Delahunty and Rachel Monaghan swapped scores for their respective sides before Michelle Ryan on for Mary Foley and Emma Hansbury who missed the two previous games with Waterford also got their names on the score sheet.

Further points for Maria Delahunty and Michelle Ryan followed for Waterford before Katie Walsh hit her fourth of the game and her sides last of the game to leave six between the sides with time running down.

Waterford in the time that remained had points from Aileen Wall, Maria Delahunty, Sinead Ryan and another from the brilliant Maria Delahunty to run out winners by ten points on a 1-15 to 0-8 score line.

Waterford now play Leitrim in the semi finals after the Connacht champions overcame the challenge of Clare on a 4-7 to 1-12 score line in the second game to be played at Birr on Saturday afternoon.

In the other two quarter finals next weekend Kildare play Wexford at 1-30pm at Crettyard, while last years beaten finalists Fermanagh play Offaly at Mullahoran.

Waterford: Katie Hannon; Mairead Wall, Michelle McGrath, Linda Wall; Megan Dunford, Elaine Power, Emma Murray; Karen McGrath, Louise Ryan; Hannah Landers, Maria Delahunty, Aileen Wall; Gráinne Kenneally, Sinead Ryan, Mary Foley. Subs: Michelle Ryan for Mary Foley, Caoimhe McGrath for Hannah Landers, Kate McGrath for Louise Ryan, Mary Kate Morrissey for Gráinne Kenneally.

Scorers: Maria Delahunty 0-9 (7f), Hannah Landers 1-0 (Pen), Sinead Ryan, Michelle Ryan 0-2 each, Linda Wall, Aileen Wall 0-1 each.

Sligo: Noelle Gormley; Orla McGowan, Gráinne O’Loughlin, Jacqui Mulligan; Colley Casey, Elsie Codd, Ruth Goodwin; Sinead McTiernan, Bernice Byrne; Denise McGrath, Stephanie O’Reilly, Elaine O’Reilly; Rachel Monaghan, Katie Walsh, Emma Hansbury. Sub: Lisa Casey for Rachel Monaghan.

Scorers: Katie Walsh 0-4 (4f), Sinead McTiernan, Stephanie O’Reilly, Rachel Monaghan, Emma Hansbury 0-1 each.

Referee: Niall McCormack (Laois).