What’s Seldom Is Wonderful for Waterford Footballers

Don’t say you were not warned. In previewing this game I said Waterford would go into the game as the underdog, but something was telling me that they could upset the odds today at Wexford Park and Tom McGlinchey’s side duly obliged in what I had to say.  

Waterford football is often the laughing stock of many including many from within the Déise County. But football in Waterford is nowhere near as bad as most would like to tell you. In truth football in Waterford only needs a fair crack of the whip, and to get a series of games where the side have an equal chance of winning, something I have said with some time, something that can happen with the likes of Waterford playing in a second tier competition against the likes of Wexford instead of playing in a Munster Championship against the likes of Kerry and Cork (even if Waterford ran them to a point last year in Fraher Field) and even against a Tipperary side in recent years that are growing in stature thanks to some hard work and people with foresight involved in the last number of years.

Some will say that this win for Waterford was a shock result, but this is far from the truth. Waterford are on a par with Wexford, maybe are even a better side than the model county, thanks to the exploits of Stradbally, The Nire and Ballinacourty in the Munster Senior Club Football Championship in the last two decades, and therefore fully deserve their win and their place in the draw for the Round two qualifiers on Monday morning.

In that draw Waterford will be one of eight sides in bowl one along with Kildare, Armagh or Westmeath, London or Louth, Mayo or Limerick, Cavan or Wicklow, Antrim or Offaly and Tyrone, while the eight teams in bowl two will be Leitrim, Sligo, Clare, Tipperary, Monaghan, Down or Donegal, Longford or Dublin and Carlow or Laois.

 Each team in bowl one will be drawn against a team from bowl two, with the first team out having home advantage. However should a team that took part in Division’s three or four of this year’s National League be pitted against a team that took part in Division’s one or two and are second out of the hat, they will automatically have home advantage.

Waterford will not fear most sides in bowl two and would love to have home advantage regardless of who they play, but ideally they would love to have someone like Leitrim or the winner of the game against Carlow and Laois.

This win was Waterford’s first in the qualifiers dating back to 2011 and will come as a big boost to Tom McGlinchey and his management team and be seen as a just reward for the hard work they have put in with one of the smallest Inter County panels in the country over the past number of years.

Tom McGlinchey gave a vote of confidence to the side which lost out to Tipperary some weeks ago for this game while the home team made one change to the side that lost after extra time to Laois recently, bringing in David Shannon for Paul Curtis who missed the game with an injury.

Waterford were first to score in this game when Jason Curry put over a free on seven minutes. Donal Shanley responded for the home side but Conor Murray who impressed throughout for Waterford soon edged his side back in front.

But the home side in the next few minutes proved to be the better of the two sides as Ben Brossnan, John Tubritt, Donal Shanley and Eoghan Malone all hit points to edge the home side in front with thirteen minutes played.

Waterford were bursting out of defence with speed and in a five man move, Shane Ryan selected at wing back but no stranger to playing for his club at the other end of the field in the last number of years got on the end of the move to finish past Conor Swaine for what was a deserved score for Waterford.

Moments later the Nire club man could have had a second goal but he saw his effort go across the face of the goal and just wide of the upright.

Donal Shanley pointed for the home side but Waterford followed up with scores from Jason Curry, JJ Hutchinson, Kieran Power and Tommy Prendergast to put their side in control.

Brian Malone pulled a point back for the home side when he fisted over the head of Stephen Enright.

Ten minutes from the break JJ Hutchinson tore the Wexford defence to bits after some good work by Brian Looby and once the Gaultier club man had the ball he sent a rising shot to the roof of the Wexford net for what has to be one of the best goals we have seen in this year’s championship to date, giving Waterford a 2-6 to 0-7 lead.

Jason Curry added a point for the visitors but the home side would hit the last three scores of the opening half through Donal Shanley with a brace and Ben Brosnan with one to leave them trailing 2-7 to 0-10 at the break.

 Waterford began the second half with a point from Kieran Power after he was picked out by Conor Murray.

Waterford then lost Gavin Crotty to a black card and was replaced by his fellow Dungarvan Club mate Joe Allen, and he made an immediate impact when after Tommy Prendergast burst through the home side’s defence he set up the Dungarvan man who blasted a tremendous low shot past Swaine in the Wexford goal to give Waterford a 2-8 to 0-11 lead ten minutes into the second half, the home sides first score of that second half coming from John Tubritt between the time the Dungarvan man entered the game and the time he finished to the net.

Wexford were not going to lie down and roll over and they were rewarded for their efforts when Donal Shanley with a brace of points and John Tubritt pointed to reduce the Waterford lead, even if Conor Murray did manage to get on the score sheet once more in between the brace of scores from the Saint Fintan’s Club man.

The Rathgormack pair of Jason Curry and Conor Murray extended Waterford’s lead with Shanley pointing in between, before JJ Hutchinson and a brace of scores from Jason Curry gave Waterford a 3-14 to 0-15 lead with time ticking down.

Waterford failed to score for the rest of the game and in those last few minutes and in the six added minutes added by Cormac Reilly the home side piled on the pressure.

Shanley pointed again to reduce the Waterford lead marginally but the next score, a goal from Naomhan Rossiter made life a little nervier for Waterford who now lead by four.

The home side did kick one further score, another free off the boot of their top scorer on the day, but in the end it proved to be but a mere consolation score.

Waterford: Stephen Enright; Aidan Trihy, Stephen Prendergast, James McGrath; Brian Looby, Michael Curry, Shane Ryan; Tommy Prendergast, Kieran Power; Gavin Crotty, Dylan Guiry, Conor Murray; Jason Curry, JJ Hutchinson, Jack Mullaney. Subs: Joe Allen for Gavin Crotty (BC 41), Thomas O’Gorman for Kieran Power (51), Conor McCarthy for Conor Murray (73), Mark Cummins for Stephen Prendergast (BC 75).

Scorers: Jason Curry 0-6 (5fs), JJ Hutchinson 1-2, Shane Ryan. Joe Allen 1-0 each, Conor Murray 0-3, Kieran Power 0-2, Tommy Prendergast 0-1.

Wexford: Conor Swaine; Michael Furlong, Eoin Porter, Conor Carty; Shane Doyle, Naomhan Rossiter, Tiernan Rossiter; Brian Malone, Eoghan Nolan; James Stafford, Ben Brosnan, Glen Malone; David Shannon, Donal Shanley, John Tubritt.

 Subs: Robert Frayne for Shane Doyle (H-T), Martin O’Connor for David Shannon (H-T), Nick Doyle for Eoghan Nolan (42), Barry O’Connor for Tiernan Rossiter (48), Craig McCabe for Ben Brosnan (57), Donnchadh Holmes for James Stafford (63).

Scorers: Donal Shanley 0-9 (7fs), John Tubritt 0-3, Naomhan Rossiter 1-0, Ben Brosnan 0-3, Brian Malone, Eoghan Nolan 0-1 each.

Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath)

Waterford Footballers Can Upset the Odds

In the last number of months especially in hurling we have heard a great deal about home advantage and the role it plays when it comes to deciding the outcome of games.  If home advantage is as important as some make it out to be, then there is little point for some teams to travel to games, as simply the home team are going to win.

Personally I think that the home advantage thing is over hyped. Maybe in soccer it might give you some little advantage but in Gaelic Games that advantage does not really exist. Once the two teams cross that white line the field is the same, there is fifteen players on the opposition sides team and the object of the game is the same despite the tactics that have come into play in recent years used by almost all teams, to win, you have to outscore the opposition.

When Tom McGlinchey takes his Waterford football team to Wexford Park for a 2pm throw in against Wexford in the All-Ireland qualifiers, the fact that they had to travel to the game will not be on their minds. It is just another game, albeit one the side has to win to stay in the championship, and just another venue, and the side will be believing that they can win.

It’s no secret that in the last number of years the Waterford footballers have face many different challenges, not being able to get the best fifteen footballers in the county on the field of play is possibly the biggest, but fair play to be it Tom McGlinchey the current manager of the team or those that have come before him, they have played the game with the cards they were dealt with and have not complained about what they have being dealt with.

Waterford would have high hopes of getting out of Division four in this year’s league, but as we know now it was not to be. This year’s league ended in a disgraceful manner and G.A.A. Chiefs in their suits sitting around the tables and desks in Croke Park making all the decisions have to hang their heads in shame, for the way they treated not just the Waterford footballers, but indeed the footballers of a number of counties playing in the lower rungs of the National Football League ladder.

As we all know now, the fixture makers in Croke Park decided in their wisdom or lack thereof to declare Waterford’s league game with Leitrim null and void, as they did with a number of other fixtures that fell foul of the weather conditions in what was an awful winter weather wise.

Can you imagine what would be said in the written and spoken national media if a senior football league game between Kerry and Dublin, or Mayo and Donegal was declared null and void because the game could not be played because of the weather.

It’s fair to say that there would be many pages devoted on the matter in the national papers and the phone in shows on Radio and TV would have many hours of coverage. Because the games declared null and void were in the lower leagues, what we got from the National Papers was a few column inches and from the spoken media a sentence or two, just confirming what had happened. It was like as if football in Waterford and other counties like Waterford who had their remaining games declared null and void did not matter. Was this because what would be taken at the gates in all of these games grouped together would not match what would be taken at one game in Division One. If this is the case then the meaning of G.A.A. is in fact the Grab All Association as some tell us.

When the draws were made for this stage of the competition recently on Morning Ireland, it’s possibly fair to say that this is one of the fixtures that Waterford would like to have got. Yes I know Waterford might have liked to have had the game played within the county, but remember home advantage is not all it is believed to be at times, as it can put extra pressure on the players to put in a more polished performance in front of what would be a larger support if the game was played within the county. I am also a believer of if you are good enough to win, you will, regardless of where the game is played.

Wexford played a division higher than Waterford in the National League and at the end of it, they found themselves relegated to play in division four next year.

Waterford as already pointed out would have had hopes of getting out of division four this year, but it was not to be.

Because Wexford played in a division higher than Waterford in the league, many would be expecting the Model County to advance from this game. The two sides last met in the 2016 National League and on that occasion while Waterford played well, they had to settle for second best, going under 1-9 to 0-10.

The two sides are playing this weekend because of defeats in the first round of their provincial championship.

Waterford lost out to Tipperary by nine points in Thurles, while Wexford lost after extra time to Laois.

It is going on this game, and Waterford’s clash with the same county in the National League that we can compare where both sides are at.

Yes, Waterford did lose to the side from the Midlands in Portlaoise in the league, but for much of the game Waterford really put it up to the home side.

Wexford on the other hand recently opened up a big lead in their championship game and lost it, before exploding in extra time, so maybe this game could well prove to be a close one, and don’t be surprised if we hear that the game needed a further twenty minutes to discover which of the two sides were to advance to the draw for the next round.

It’s no secret that I think that in football we should have two tiers of a football championship, maybe even three, just as we have five in hurling. I don’t expect many to agree with me, but I for one am not going to change my view on that any time soon, and speaking to others recently who follow the different championships they are thinking along my lines. I also don’t expect that those that can push for a second and even a third tier competition to be brought in will, in case they upset those that hold the real power and maybe in doing so maybe damage their prospects of sitting on different committees or even winning an elected more high profile position.

Right now I would have Tipperary in the top tier of a two tier competition and therefore there would be many even some within the Waterford set up who deep down would have believed that their chances of getting something from the game in Thurles recently would have been fairly remote.

But because Waterford would be on par with the level Waterford are at I firmly believe that Waterford will absolutely believe that they can win this weekend in Wexford.

Waterford should be able to field a stronger team this weekend than which they fielded against Tipperary.

Thomas O’Gorman comes back into contention after he missed the last game because of his honeymoon, while it is believed that Jack Mullaney is also back in contention having missed the Tipperary game with an injury.

For the other positions Waterford would be expected to field along familiar lines, which would see Stephen Enright start between the posts, Brian Looby, Aidan Trihy, Stephen Prendergast and James McGrath vying for the other positions in the defence.

In the middle of the field we could well see Tommy Prendergast and Kieran Power link up, while in attack the likes of Gavin Crotty, Shane Ryan who could well drop back to play as an extra defender, Conor Murray, Jason Curry, JJ Hutchinson and Joey Veale could all be in contention for starting places.

Waterford will go into this game as the outsiders, but something is tell me that they could well end up the happier of the two sides on Saturday afternoon and so advance to the second round of the qualifiers, where they would be hoping to avoid some of the bigger guns in the draw.

Huge Clash for Waterford Hurlers

There is something special about the Munster Senior Hurling Championship. Down the years some great games have been played, and many supporters off all teams have great stories to tell, not just of what happened on the field of play, but maybe what might have happened before or after a game on the walk up to away from the different grounds, maybe in one of the nearby clubs or maybe while eating them ham sandwiches and drinking tea where cars are pulled up before heading to the ground or before leaving for the journey home.

Up to fairly recent times when a team were beaten after one game that was it for the year. There were no more championship games for the rest of the year to attend unless you got to get your hands on Munster Final or even better still All-Ireland Final tickets.

There were those that argued that it was hard on players who would have trained hard all winter and spring and that they deserved a second bite of the apple in an attempt to be playing at Croke Park in early September.

And so in their wisdom G.A.A. Chiefs decided that teams that were beaten in a provincial game up to an including a Provincial Final should be given a second bite of that apple, and ‘The Back Door’ system was introduced.

For Waterford this weekend it’s going back to those days pre mid 1990’s when there was no second chances. Its win for the Waterford hurlers this weekend in Limerick or Waterford’s Championship year is over for another year, when maybe one era comes to an end and maybe another one to begin with new faces and new voices for the players to look at and listen to in the dressing rooms going into the future.

Limerick possibly were given the best draw in this year’s new look championship, playing in the first round of games, getting a bye in the second round, playing on the Saturday evening in the third round of games, giving them that little extra time to recover before playing again in the fourth round of game on familiar environs in this weekend.

Results have really gone their way as well. Beating Tipperary in the first round of games was a massive result for them. There would be some that would have predicted that Limerick, Cork and Tipperary would be the sides that advance to the All-Ireland Series out of Munster this year and when the latter two took points off each other in the second round of games it gave the Shannonsider’s an excellent chance of being the side that would go straight to a Munster Final if they could get something from their remaining games, and last weekend playing the whole of the second half with a numerical disadvantage and having lost Declan Hannon with illness getting a draw in Pairc Ui Chaoimh was an excellent result, especially when you consider that Clare did not play in round three and Waterford and Tipperary also had to share the spoils.

They are many that feel that Limerick are the team to watch in the next few years and I for one am not going to argue with them.

In the Munster Colleges Championship they have put together some good teams. They have won and contested Munster Minor Championships and they have won Munster and All-Ireland Under 21 championships.

Yes i know, success at underage level and on the colleges scene does not mean that success will follow at adult level, but it is a massive help as it shows the work is being put in and if the right people are in charge going forward and there is men at women with vision making plans going forward then there is every chance that success at adult level will follow.

A lot has being said about Waterford and injury worries in this years championship.

To lose one player with injury in a championship game is often seen to be tough, but for Waterford to lose so many players against Clare in their opening round of games was absolutely unbelievable.

 But as we saw last weekend when Waterford despite all the odds fought hard to get a draw (some might say only in the referee’s notebook) all the injuries might have been a blessing in disguise.

I have not seen Waterford play in the flesh this year, but have spoken to a number of people that have and they are all saying the one thing. They are all telling me that the way Waterford are playing they are going nowhere and I have spoken to people who are watching Waterford sides for more years than some of us had hot dinners and they have given up going to see Waterford playing for one reason, they do not like to see what they are seeing.

Watching the recent Limerick and Cork game on TV i tweeted something along the lines ‘wouldn’t it be great to see Waterford play the way the two sides were playing in Pairc Ui Chaoimh’, adding something like they are able if they were allowed to.

Heading into the game with Tipperary last week I was dreading what i might see happen on my TV Screen. Memories of recent Munster Final losses against the same opposition under Davy Fitzgerald in Cork and under Derek McGrath in Limerick came flooding back to me.

To me in the last few years Waterford had become a one trick pony, playing the same system regardless of who the opposition were.

Anyone that knows me and knows what I have to say in the last few years will know that I am no fan of the sweeper system so favoured by Derek McGrath. Maybe it is a case of so many others who don’t like it, I don’t understand it, so one day I am hoping that someone who does will explain it to me.

While Waterford is using the system to me only two players have played the role of the sweeper, Tadhg Bourke or Darragh Fives. Had Kevin Moran being available for selection on Sunday last I have a feeling that he would have been asked to play the free man role, but he wasn’t because of suspension, and therefore Waterford had to give up playing that system as it would be very hard to expect anyone to familiarise themselves playing that role in one week in training.

  What we saw last week when Waterford went man on man against Tipperary was a Waterford side play its best hurling in a number of years, and forgetting ‘that goal’ Waterford were unlucky not to have got something from the game with Tipperary.

It would be great to think that Waterford will go one on one again this coming weekend then there is every chance that Waterford can end this home advantage thing that many are taking about and take something this game.

Last weekend we saw five of the forwards that started the game get their name on the score sheet and if the same was to happen this coming weekend then you would have to favour Waterford.

Despite the injuries that Waterford has there is still plenty of potential in this Waterford team. Players like DJ Foran, Thomas Ryan, Patrick Curran and Tom Devine, players who might normally get anywhere near sixty let alone seventy minutes to shine all did so last week and will be eager to do so again this weekend if selected.

Heading into this weekend’s round of games, Limerick right now are on a high, and they will want to get another good result playing in front of their home support, something they will know that if they get and then take the points when they make the short journey to Ennis to play Clare they should be in the Munster Final in a few weeks times.

But things don’t always turn out like this. Confidence must be high in the Waterford panel after getting a good result last weekend and there has to be determination there to make up for what happened last weekend as well.

If Waterford can play the same way in which they played last weekend, with six backs and six forwards on the field of play at all times, then I believe that Waterford can win this game, but if we are to return to our old ways and decide to play with extra defenders, then Waterford’s championship for another year will be over.

 

 

Some of What Is Said About G.A.A. Match Officials Is Uncalled For

            The then future President of the United States of America Donald J Trump in one of his tweets posted at 10-07am on the 13 of August 2014 said “A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new” and credited it to Albert Einstein.

            In the last few days this is something I have thought about a lot. We have all seen that photo, you know the one, the one snapped behind the goal at the Ennis end of the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday last just over eight minutes from the end of normal time in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship game between Waterford and Tipperary, the one where Waterford centre back Austin Gleeson is reaching into the air, grabbing the sliotar from under the Waterford crossbar.

            We all know now that Jason Forde was credited with scoring a goal from a long distance free, a goal which still and moving pictures on the day appear to indicate that the ball never crossed the line, or at least it never crossed the line in full, something that must happen for a score to be legitimate.

            Since then County Galway referee Alan Kelly and the two selectors that stood at the Ennis Road end of the ground have received a great deal of negative comments from both Waterford supporters and from hurling supporters around the country.

            Hurling is one of the fast sports in the world. There might be some indoor sports where the ball or whatever other objects is used to play the game might be considered faster, but there is hardly another field sport that is faster.

            In hurling the ball can travel from one end of the field to the other almost at the speed of the blink of an eye. Because of the speed the game can be played, it is inevitable that mistakes will happen. Mistakes will be made by players. Mistakes will be made by those on the line. And mistakes will be made by the match officials.

            On Sunday last a mistake was made that cost Waterford a victory over Tipperary. To me to put blame on Alan Kelly or his officials for Waterford losing the game is wrong, and those that are pointing the finger of blame at the officials should be asking questions of themselves.

            I have seen on social media, in the written media and heard on the spoken media people come out with a lot of what I for one can only be called crap talk.

            I would love to know how many of those that have given out about the performances of the officials have ever put a referee’s whistle between their lips and taken charge of a game. How many when asked by a referee to stand behind or beside the goals and fill the duties of an umpire, or ran the line as a linesman or linesperson.

            I am not talking here about games of inter county level. I am not even talking about grades from Under 16 or minor upwards on a local level. To have done so in a primary school game or an under 12 game would do. Have you ever refereed or officiated in a game of these levels. I am sure the majority who are reading this have never do so.

            In the adult grades the pace of the game can be very fast. Even at under 12 or at Primary school’s level if you have one or two good players playing on a reduced size field, the ball can still travel at some pace, and inevitably when it does, regardless of what grade of official referee you are, mistakes are going to be made.

             Calls have been made in the last forty eight hours that top referee’s be appointed as umpires on match days, just as what happens with linesmen and fourth and sideline officials. Other calls have been made whereby umpires be specially trained by the G.A.A. and that they be sent around the country to be umpires when big days happen.

            Here is a question for those that are making such calls. Will appointing such people cut out human errors that happen every so often in games. I really have my doubts they would. Even if we were to have four former inter county referees standing at the posts with white jackets on them for big games, mistakes will happen every so often, just as what happened last Sunday in Limerick.

            Referee’s work as a team with their umpires. Many of them are together for many years, attending numerous games together. A referee will have four regular umpires and maybe one or two standby available to him for the odd occasion when for whatever reason one of them cannot attend a game.

            We all recognise the top referee’s in both hurling and football, and some of us may be forgiven for thinking just because we see them Sunday after Sunday at games we attend or watch on the television, be it live or on the highlights shown on the Sunday Game on a Sunday evening, that they only do big games for the G.A.A. with their four umpires who are often close relations or club members of the referee.

            What we might often realise is that that same referee might have refereed a game on the Friday evening and/or the Saturday before the game we see him do on the television on a Sunday, and depending on how far he might have to travel home from the venue we see him at, he might also referee a game in his home county.

            Not all of these games might be high profile within his own county, by high profile I mean senior hurling or football. It might be a junior game that he is given to referee in his own county, and the four officials he had with him at the game we see on television he will have them with him when he takes charge of games in his own county, regardless of what level they are at.

            Is it right therefore that if a person is willing to act as an umpire with a Junior or even a Junior ‘B’ game with a referee in his own county, games that might be seen by a handful of people, dedicated supporters of the clubs in action that day, just because he gets a more high profile game.

            I know in writing my report of the game for my blog-page on Sunday evening was somewhat critical of the positioning of the umpires for when ‘that goal’ was given, but having seen the incident again and thinking about what happened on the day, maybe i jumped to a conclusion too fast.

            Let’s think of what was happening at the time. Tipperary had won a free in a position of the field where you would expect Jason Forde to put the ball over the crossbar. But he didn’t. The ball failed to stay high enough in the air for long enough to go over the crossbar as expected and fell short of the target. Because the umpires had expected the ball to go over, the umpire with the green flag, on the side of the field the free was being taken from went behind the posts to watch it go between the uprights and give the signal to the umpire with the white flag to wave it, indicating that a point was scored.

            When the sliotar failed to go over the crossbar he quickly moved back to his position to the left of Waterford goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe, and as he did he saw Austin Gleeson standing on the Waterford line take the ball from under the crossbar.

            I am sure in hurling that when this happens ninety nine times out of one hundred the ball would have crossed the line and a goal would be awarded and i am sure that given what would normally be the case, a score was awarded.

            There have also been many people saying that the referee did not get the umpires together and consult them. Just because we did not see Alan Kelly run in and take the two officials together does not mean he did not consult them.

            With some time now all officials are wired up together with ear pieces and a microphone and can communicate with each other. We all saw the documentary shown on RTE last year on the All-Ireland hurling final and saw the referee in constant communication with his officials. When something was happening off the ball and was brought to the referee’s attention, we saw and heard him tell his umpires to let the players know that he was fully aware of what was happening, and in doing things that way he was avoiding having to possibly stopping the game and running to players at the opposite end of the field to which the action was happening to warn them himself.

            If people in Waterford and indeed those that were possibly supporting Waterford in other counties want to be critical of the performance of the match day officials last Sunday, then we have to be fair and speak about an incident that happened in the second half of the game, which could have seen Waterford’s numbers cut from fifteen to fourteen for the fourth time in five games.

            The Irish Independent today published a photo of an incident which has crept into the game in the last number of years, one which is highly dangerous, and which sees players caught for what they are doing receive a one match ban, which in the eyes of yours truly is a very lenient suspension.

            The picture shows Waterford centre back Austin Gleeson, the player involved in the ‘phantom’ or ‘ghost’ goal  as it is being referred to is seen pulling at the helmet of Tipperary’s Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher, but the Galway official who it is alleged to have seen the incident took no action.

Waterford and Tipperary Fight Out Entertaining Draw in Limerick

            What a weekend it was for Hurling and in particular for the Munster Championship.

            Few I am sure would have envisaged that for entertainment the Waterford and Tipperary game at Limerick today could come anywhere near the excitement of the Cork and Limerick game at Pairc Uí Chaoimh last night, but those of us that were thinking that way were to be proved wrong.

            Heading into this game there was lots of talk. People were asking why both Waterford and Tipperary had to travel to Limerick for this clash when Nowlan Park was free of major fixtures this weekend.

            It’s no secret that many of the Waterford supporters had with some time were saying that they were not filling to make trips to Ennis, Limerick twice and Thurles four weeks running.

            There was a feeling that with Walsh Park and Fraher Field deemed not deemed fit to host Munster Senior Hurling Championship games it was up to the Waterford County Board to nominate a home venue and not to be dictated as to what would be a home venue for Waterford. Pairc Ui Chaoimh would naturally be the obvious choice to host a Munster Championship game between Waterford and Tipperary but with other events taking place on Lee-side today meaning it would be almost impossible for Gardai and the council to get supporters of both sides in and out of the city on the day, then Nowlan Park would be deemed the next most suitable venue for a game between the two sides, considering that it the Marble City is about equal distance to supporters in North Tipperary where hurling is most strongest in the Premier County as well as supporters across the Déise County who could travel via the M9 motorway from the east of the county or through Clonmel or Carrick-on-Suir and onto Callan from the West.

            However in the end it was not the venue nor the number of players Waterford were missing for this game that was main talking point of the game, but an umpire who was clearly unsighted waved a green flag on sixty two minutes when the other umpire who was perfectly placed was clearly seen on television pictures indicating to the Waterford defence to play on after Austin Gleeson had taken the ball off the goal line.

            Few expected Waterford to get anything from this game. Many were expecting the management team to make any real changes to the way how the team would play and someone would be asked to fill the sweeper role played so well by Tadhg Bourke or Darragh Fives both of whom picked up injuries in last week’s loss to Clare, but Waterford played as most would like to see them play with six backs and six forwards on the field of play and the end result was possibly Waterford’s greatest performance in the last number of years.

            With their full quota of forwards Waterford played some good attacking hurling. Tom Devine finished the game with 1-2 behind his name. Pauric Mahony as normal finished top scorer for Waterford finishing with 1-8, while DJ Foran finished with 0-3, one point more than Patrick Curran, while Stephen Bennett, Thomas Ryan and Jake Dillon all attacking players also got their names on the score sheet.

            The Premier County played all of the second half with a man less on the field after Michael Cahill was send off at the end of the first half, but in periods of the second half, just as with the case of Limerick on Saturday night you would not think they had a man less on the field.

            When Thomas Ryan pointed on fifty four minutes to give Waterford a 2-20 to 0-15 lead things were looking good for the Déise County, but in those last sixteen minutes plus the four added minutes the side in white and blue added just two further points, and they had to wait till just either side of the seventieth minute for those scores to come.

            In the time however with Brendan Maher moved into the half back line for Tipperary where he showed great leadership, the Premier County side hit score after score, including two goals, the second of which came on sixty two minutes which proved hugely controversial.

            Waterford supporters will argue that the awarding of that score cost Waterford a first win in this year’s championship and knock Tipperary out of the championship, but neutrals and many in the Premier County that Waterford not winning this game happened when they scored just twice in the last quarter of this game.

            Jason Forde opened the scoring in this game with an early point, to which Waterford responded to with points from Tom Devine and Jamie Barron to go in front and never fell behind after doing so.

            Jason Forde got his second of the game on four minutes but Pauric Mahony and Tom Devine followed up with scores for Waterford inside a minute of each other, after which Forde pointed again from a free on six minutes.

            Pauric Mahony helped extend Waterford’s lead on eight minute and a minute later the big Modeligo club man flicked a breaking ball to the net to put Waterford in control.

            Jamie Barron and Billy McCarthy swapped scores before DJ Foran and Pauric Mahony from a free pointed for the Déise County.

            Tipperary hit a purple patch after this and came roaring back into the game. Ronan Maher and Seamus Callinan pointed before Patrick Curran extended the Waterford lead by one, but Jason Forde with a hat-trick of scores and one each from Noel McGrath and Ronan Maher in a spell between the seventeenth and twenty third minutes.

            Pauric Mahony finished to the net on twenty five minutes. Austin Gleeson took a quick free inside his own half the field spotting Stephen O’Keeffe racing out to the wing back position and the Ballygunner man left fly in around the Tipperary goal and his club mate was in the right place to finish to the net to put Waterford 2-9 to 0-11 in front.

            The same player pointed soon afterwards and older brother Philip landed a delightful score on twenty nine minutes to put Waterford 2-11 to 0-11 in front.

            Both sides would land one further score each in the opening half. Jason Forde was first to score on thirty two minutes and deep in stoppage time DJ Foran sent over his second of the game, despite a blow with a hurley from corner back Michael Cahill who was sent to the line by the Galway referee before the restart after which the half time whistle sounded.

            Leading by six at the break, Waterford came out hitting the first four scores of the second half.

            Stephen Bennett hit the first score of the second period after which Pauric Mahony hit a brace and Patrick Curran pointed on forty minutes to put Waterford well in front.

            Jason Forde and Jamie Barron swapped scores, before Forde and the younger of the Mahony brothers involved in this game traded scores.

            Mahony and Foran again landed scores for Waterford before Forde and Thomas Ryan swapped scores mid way through the second half.

            Tipperary however would hit another purple patch as Cathal Barrett, Jason Forde, Patrick Maher with a goal, and Forde again and Seamus Callinan all scored at the Ennis end of the ground.

            With Waterford leading 2-20 to 1-19 Tipperary won a free on sixty two minutes which looked no real danger to Waterford even if it was expected that Forde would put it over the cross bar to set up a tight finish.

            But his effort dropped short and Austin Gleeson appeared to take the ball off the Waterford line. The umpire nearest to him on TV pictures can be seen to indicate to the Waterford defence they were free to take the ball out and set up a possible attack, but a poorly placed umpire at the other side who was well away from the goal line reached for the green flag and waved it.

            Referee Alan Kelly immediately went in and consulted with his umpires and presumably it has to be said with a split decision between the men with white coats and the referee not being in a position to make a call himself, he sided on the side of the umpire with the green flag and a goal was awarded, leaving just the one between the sides.

            Pauric Mahony and Jason Forde swapped scored just short of the seventy minute mark to keep Waterford in front.

            Ronan Maher pointed in the third of four added minutes which kept Waterford in front by one, but there was still time to be played.

            Jason Forde in the fourth added minute send in a free which the umpire that had awarded a controversial goal ten minutes earlier this time signalled that the ball had gone to the left of the Stephen O’Keeffe’s upright. Was it a case of he knowing that he made an error earlier in the game and tried to make up for it here, but Alan Kelly was positioned better and indicated that the ball had gone inside the upright, the end result a draw, 2-22 each as the full time whistle followed.

            For Waterford next up its another trip to Limerick to play Limerick in what is a must win game now for Waterford if they are to reach the All-Ireland qualifiers, while for Tipperary it’s a home game for them against Clare, their final game of the competition, one that they must win and hope results elsewhere go their way in the remainder of the competition if they are to stay involved.

WATERFORD: Stephen O’Keeffe; Conor Gleeson, Shane Fives, Noel Connors; Philip Mahony, Austin Gleeson, Michael Walsh; Jamie Barron, Stephen Roche; Mikey Kearney, Pauric Mahony, DJ Foran; Stephen Bennett, Tom Devine, Patrick Curran. Subs: Tommy Ryan for Kearney (46), Brian O’Halloran for Curran (54), Jake Dillon for Foran (59), Colin Dunford for Roche (63), Shane McNulty for Connors (66).

Scorers: Pauric Mahony 1-8 (0-5 frees), Tom Devine 1-2, Jamie Barron 0-3, DJ Foran 0-3, Patrick Curran 0-2, Philip Mahony 0-1, Stephen Bennett 0-1, Tommy Ryan 0-1, Jake Dillon 0-1.

            TIPPERARY: Brian Hogan; Seán O’Brien, Séamus Kennedy, Michael Cahill; Joe O’Dwyer, Pádraic Maher, Brendan Maher; Ronan Maher, Billy McCarthy; Dan McCormack, Jason Forde, Noel McGrath; John O’Dwyer, Séamus Callanan, John McGrath. Subs: Patrick Maher for John O’Dwyer (46), Cathal Barrett for N McGrath (55), Jake Morris for J McGrath (59), Sean Curran for McCormack 60, Willie Connors for McCarthy (68).

Scorers: Jason Forde 1-14 (1-12 frees), Patrick Maher 1-0, Ronan Maher 0-3, Seamus Callanan 0-2, Billy McCarthy 0-1, Noel McGrath 0-1, Cathal Barrett 0-1.

Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway).

Déise Ladies Beaten In Killarney, But There Is Still Plenty to Play For

There was no joy for Waterford on their travels to Killarney for a meeting with Kerry in the Munster Senior Ladies Football Final on Sunday afternoon as corner forward Sarah Houlihan produced a player of the match performance to help her side to a Munster Final clash with Cork later this month.

In the first half of this game, little separated the sides as Kerry went to the dressing rooms holding a 1-4 to 0-4 lead with that all important goal coming from a penalty six minutes from the break.

Waterford started this game without a number of key players including Caoimhe McGrath, Maria Delahunty and Emma Murray, and before the game made another change replacing Geraldine Power with the vastly experienced Michelle Ryan.

In that first half Kerry relied on Sarah Houlihan for scores as she kicked all five of her sides scores in those opening thirty minutes.

They also needed a big save from goalkeeper Laura Fitzgerald who pushed the ball over her own crossbar from a Michelle Ryan effort to keep her side in the game at the time. That score from the experienced Ballymacarbry club player gave Waterford for the first and only side in this game.

As a result of this loss, Waterford now find themselves in group three of a new look All-Ireland Championship where they will play the Connacht Champions who will be either Galway or Mayo as well as the Leinster Runners up which will be either Westmeath or Dublin, from which two sides will go through to the All-Ireland quarter finals later this year.

It was the highly impressive Beaufort Club player that opened the scoring in this game but her effort was quickly cancelled out with a Lauren McGregor free.

When Michelle Ryan gave Waterford the lead soon afterwards it was hoped that the side could push on and win a place in the Munster Final against Cork who beat Tipperary in the first semi final played at Ardfinnan twenty four hour earlier, but in the end it was the home side spurred on by a big local support coming into the ground to see their men’s side beat Clare in the Munster semi final in the second game played at the venue on the day, and the performance of Sarah Houlihan that proved to be the better of the two sides.

Houlihan would put two more points over for the home side to edge them back in front before she beat Grainne Kenneally from the penalty spot after she was fouled in the build up.

Eimear Fennell who is having a very impressive year for Waterford made it a two point game when she kicked a brace of scores, but Houlihan would strike once more before the half time whistle which gave her side a 1-4 to 0-4 lead at the interval.

Kerry came out for the second half by extending their lead. The brilliant Sarah Houlihan would kick two of the first three scores of the second half with Emma Dineen striking in between to help extend the home sides advantage on the score board to six.

Just short of the half way point in the second half the home side all but secured their passage to the Munster Final when following an excellent attacking move Andrea Murphy send the umpire reaching for his green flag to wave at the growing attendance.

Sarah Houlihan pointed again before Aileen Wall struck for Waterford’s first score of the second half.

With time running down Andrea Murphy followed up with a brace of scores before Maria Delahunty pointed shortly after she had replaced Katie Murray.

Sarah Houlihan, Lorraine Scanlon with the first of her late scores and Aoife O’Callaghan who had replaced Amanda Brosnan all split the Waterford posts before Houlihan and Scanlon pointed again for the home side.

Maria Delahunty did manage a late score for Waterford when she finished to the net, but it was to be a mere consolation score and in the time that remained Lorraine Scanlon again split the posts to give here side a win that nobody would deny them on the day.

Defeat might be Waterford’s lot on the day, but Waterford will be back again this year. The sides had injuries going into this game, and all involved with the side and those that follow Ladies Football in the county will know that if Waterford can go into the round robin section of the All-Ireland Championship with a clean bill of health, Pat Sullivan’s side could take beating, and no side will relish taking them on.

Kerry: Laura Fitzgerald; Laoise Coughlan, Sarah Murphy, Eilis Lynch; Deirdre Kearney, Aislinn Desmond, Aisling O’Connell; Lorraine Scanlon, Amanda Brosnan; Amy Foley, Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh, Emma Dineen; Andrea Murphy, Eilish O’Leary, Sarah Houlihan. Subs: Siobhan Burns for Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh (inj, 12), Kate O’Sullivan for Siobhan Burns (47), Aoife O’Callaghan for Amanda Brosnan (48), Clodagh O’Connor for Amy Foley (56), Meabh Barry for Andrea Murphy (58).

Scorers: Sarah Houlihan 1-9 (1-0 pen, 3f), Andrea Murphy 1-2, Lorraine Scanlon 0-3 (1f), Emma Dineen 0-1, Aoife O’Callaghan 0-1.

Waterford: Grainne Kenneally; Rebecca Casey, Michelle McGrath, Kate McGrath; Mairead Wall, Carragh McCarthy, Megan Dunford; Karen McGrath, Katie Murray; Aoife Murray, Michelle Ryan, Lauren McGregor; Aileen Wall, Eimear Fennell, Keeley Corbett Barry. Subs: Sinead Ryan for Eimear Fennell (39), Aisling Mullaney for Carragh McCarthy, Maria Delahunty for Katie Murray (47), Caoimhe McGrath for Lauren McGregor (53)

Scorers: Maria Delahunty 1-2, Eimear Fennell 0-1 (1f), Aileen Wall 0-1, Lauren McGregor 0-1f, Michelle Ryan 0-1

Referee: Jason Mullins (Limerick)

(Image - Sportsfile).