Lives Could Be Lost Because Of Illegally Parked Cars in Dungarvan

There is a potential that lives could be lost in Dungarvan if Waterford City and County Council as well as the Gardai do stand start clamping down on illegally parked cars in and around the Quay area of the town.

 Earlier this year in the Dungarvan newspapers, the Council gave notice that it was their intention to close off part of the quay to traffic from a Friday afternoon to Monday morning as they did last year during the month of July.

I was one of a small number of people that strongly objected to the closing of the quay to traffic and in doing so offered the Council a number of other options which was opened to them if they wanted to make the area safe.

These suggestions included the patrolling of the water side of the quay where there is with many years double yellow lines which are constantly ignored by locals and visitors alike when visiting the quay area of the town. I suggested that the council could make the quay entirely one way traffic, or to close it off but to remain those with valid disabled parking passes to continue to park on the quay at all times.

It was on the grounds that if the quay was closed off to traffic that two of the limited disabled parking bays in the town would be lost to those that need to use them.

It is my understanding that others objected to the closing off of the quay on the grounds that businesses on the quay would not be able to get supplies in and out at ease during the hours that the quay was closed to traffic while boat users also objected I am told on the grounds that they would not have ease of access to the jetty to get onto their boats. All very valid reasons I believe, but I also know that some of those that were in favour of closing off the quay did not agree with.

We were told at the time that Gardai would make regular visits to the quay and issue summons to those car owners that they found illegally parked on the water side of the quay. How frequent these visits are it not known. I know that the Gardai do pay visits to the quay. I have observed one in the last number of weeks who walked the length of the quay one Friday evening but chose to ignore a large number of cars parked illegally along the quay.

Maybe I am harsh on the Garda that I saw. Maybe he was taking photos of the car number plates as he walked along the quay and issued summons through the post, but something tells me that this did not happen.

Recently we had a case in Ardmore where illegally parked cars on the villages Main Street was delayed by up to 20 minutes in getting to a patient they were called to at the bottom of the village after she complained of experiencing chest pains.

The experts tell us that when someone complains of chest pains that every minute lost in getting the patient the care they need is a major loss. This is even more vital here in Waterford where outside of the Nine to Five hours patients that get chest pains are often transferred to Cork for treatment because the hospital in Waterford has its unit unstaffed.

Yesterday evening I again walked the quay in Dungarvan. It was a wet evening as we know and you would not expect anyone to be out unnecessarily in the rain, but had a Garda being on the quay be it walking or in a patrol car they would have discovered just after 7pm 13 cars illegally parked along the quay. How many cars were parked illegally before this or after this I do not know.

Passing the two disabled bays outside the Library I also observed that on one of the bays the car was not showing a disabled parking permit meaning that at one point there was 14 illegally parked cars in the area.

Seconds after taking the above photo I noticed a car trying to turn left after coming down Gallwey Lane (the side street between the Chinese and Indian Restaurants while at the same time one car was coming from the Castle end of the quay travelling towards the Causeway and another car coming travelling in the opposite direction. Because all three cars met at the one point, the car travelling towards the castle had to reverse back up the quay, the car coming down Gallwey Lane then drove up the quay followed by the other car travelling in the same direction.

This all happened because two cars could not pass through the area at the same time because of the 13 illegally parked cars on the water side of the quay. I would hate to think what would have happened if there was a line of cars behind the car travelling towards the castle end of the quay meaning that it would be much more difficult for the car to reverse back up the quay.

Worse still I would hate to think what would have happened if an emergency vehicle had to pass along the quay at this time. Would it have got up or down, especially the larger vehicles like an Ambulance or Fire Brigade?

Suppose a boat owner was out of sea and had someone with them who got sick while they were out and arranged to have an Ambulance waiting for them when they got into the jetty and get the patient transferred to hospitals. What sort of hold ups would have taken place, all because of illegally parked cars.

It seems that the laws that exist are not being applied when it comes to the double yellow lines, or if they are then the fines are not strong enough on those that park illegally.

What can be done to improve matters? First up absolute enforcement of the laws that exist at present. Why not install extra camera on the quay and focusing at the height of a number plate and any vehicle owner who parks illegally gets a summons in the post within 3 days of illegally parking. I know there will be some that would object to camera’s being erected, but if you are not guilty about anything then you have nothing to fear from them.

Another option would be for our Elected Representatives along with full time officials engage with whatever departments they have to, too up the charge for illegally parking. I will be honest, I don’t know what the fine is, but whatever it is, and it is not enough of a deterrent to those that park on the quay illegally on a regular basis.

Here is a challenge to our elected representatives, one I don’t know how many would be willing to take up. Arrange some weekend evening to sit in the front seat of an Ambulance or a Fire Engine and try and travel in it when there is illegally parked cars on the quay, finding out first how long it should take them to reach a destination, and then how long it takes them to reach where they have to reach. Will this happen? I doubt it, as I have severe doubts about some people that hold positions be it elected or full time.

Who Takes Over From Pauric Fanning As Waterford Senior Hurling Manager

What process the Waterford County G.A.A. Board use to pick a new County Senior Hurling manager to succeed Pauric Fanning who stood down midway through a two year term along with his selectors James Murray and Pa Kearney last week, we don’t know right now, but what we do know is that the process is going to be an important one.

The County Board cannot be rushed into naming a replacement but at the same time they cannot take too long as they will want to have whoever comes in to replace the Mount Sion man as much time as possible to see the latter stages of the championship games across the Senior, Intermediate and Junior grades as is possible to try and see is there anybody out there who can offer something new to the county team going forward.

Of course should the manager be appointed from within the county then you would expect that the new manager would be already attending games across all three grades and would have a good knowledge of the players there is within the county, but if the manager comes from outside the county, while he (we have to assume it would be a man, but not necessarily should be) would have a fairly good knowledge of the players used by Pauric Fanning this year and by Derek McGrath before this as well as many of the players with the stronger clubs and who may have played underage hurling for Waterford in recent years or who would have played in the Dr Harty or Fitzgibbon Cup competitions, he may not know of the strengths in the lower grades who might be able to do a job, and could rely on the knowledge of his selectors and backroom team if the appointment is dragged out.

Already a lot of the usual names are being thrown around as to who will take over.

Former Hurler of the Year and former selector with Derek McGrath, Dan Shanahan is the early favourite to take over the position according to Bookmakers Paddy Power.

Sean Power who managed Waterford to All-Ireland success at Minor and Under 21 levels in recent years is the second favourite according to the same bookmaker along with Derek McGrath who has said that he would not rule out a return to the job in the future.

Former Tipperary player Colm Bonner who has being a selector with Waterford in the past and who has worked with Wexford and Carlow in recent years as well as working with WIT is also fancied by the bookmakers, while former captain Fergal Hartley who worked with Derek McGrath and former team manager and selector with Justin McCarthy Michael Ryan are also fancied by the bookies.

Outside of the county former Cork hurler Pat Ryan is most fancied by the bookies. He was said to be favourite to take over from Derek McGrath and I have been told by an excellent source close to the Cork man that he was offered and had accepted the position but had to pull out for personal reasons before the appointment was confirmed.

Sunday game analysts Brendan Cummins and Donal Óg Cusack are also fancied as are former Cork hurler Par Mulcahy and the former Kilkenny pair of DJ Carey and Henry Shefflin.

If you fancy making money on people further down the pecking order as likely to be offered and to take the job you could well get good odds on the likes for former Tipperary players Michael Ryan and Liam Cahill who have experience with different Tipperary sides, former Cork managers Donal O’Grady or John Allen, maybe you fancy Davy Fitzgerald to return to the Déise County or his former Clare team mate Anthony Daly who like Fitzgerald has managed Clare amongst other sides, while former Waterford players like Eoin Murphy, Peter Queally, Ken McGrath and Paul Flynn may appeal to others, and not to be outdone two former Kilkenny players Eddie Brennan and Martin Fogarty are also quoted by the bookies as being in with a chance.

Personally if there is to be a manager from inside the county I would be opting for former Minor and Under 21 manager Sean Power. But I understand that he might not be a popular choice with many despite the fact that he has proven to be a success at underage level.

While the Mount Sion man is in charge of the Dunhill Intermediate team this year, I feel his lack of experience in coaching Clubs or college sides in recent years could well work against him.

There is some that would welcome Derek McGrath back as manager and it is said that he was popular with many of the players, but for everyone that would welcome him back there is almost an equal amount who would not want to see the De La Salle Club man return to the position.

Dan Shanahan would also prove to be a popular choice with many and while he has worked well alongside Derek McGrath in recent years and is gaining experience in coaching the Saint Mary’s Junior Hurlers this year, and has taken charge of Lismore’s underage teams in the past, the step up from selector and somewhat novice club manager to being manager of a county that most would expect to be in contention for Munster and All-Ireland titles despite failing to win a Munster Championship game in a number of seasons is a big one.

I have not done so yet but I will possibly have a small few euro on who will get the job and if and when I do get around to placing a bet, I think I will be opting for an outside manager, with three men in particular are appealing to me.

Former Tipperary Goalkeeper Brendan Cummins has had a very successful career at both Club and Inter County Level and would bring much of what he has achieved into the position.

The Ballybacon-Grange club man at club level won nine South Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championships between 1998 and 2013 but will be disappointed not to have won a county title between these years. He helped his side win two Junior A Championship in the South Tipperary Division in 2016 and 2017 and won his only County medal in his long career when he helped the South Tipperary side to win a Junior Final in 2017.

Swapping green and yellow of Ballybacon Grange for the Blue and Yellow of Tipperary he also had a very successful career.

Between 2001 and 2012 he won five Munster Senior Hurling titles with the Premier County and helped them to win two All-Irelands in this time.

His inter county career stretches further back than the turn of the Millennium and he helped the Premier County win four National League titles, a Munster and an All-Ireland under 21 title in 1995 and a Munster Minor title two years previously.

The Tipperary man would also bring some coaching experience into the position if selected by the Waterford County Board as he worked with the Kerry Hurlers in recent years.

Former Kilkenny hurler Eddie Brennan is an up and coming manager who would be worth a punt in the eyes of a number of hurling supporters.

Like Brendan Cummins he would bring a world of experience into the position if offer and he was to accept.

With his club Graigue-Ballycallan he helped them win two minor titles, one under 21 hurling and one football title, two senior hurling titles, one Leinster Senior Club hurling title as well as one Intermediate County and Leinster title.

His record while playing with Brian Cody’s Kilkenny Senior Hurling team is one that could hardly be better. He is the holder of 11 Leinster and eight All-Ireland Senior Hurling medals.

And his inter county medal collection does not end there as he is the holder of Five National League Titles, Four Walsh Cup medals as well as  One Leinster and One All-Ireland under 21 medal

He has being building up his coaching experience in recent years at Club and Inter County Level.

He helped Lisdowney win a County Junior Hurling championship in Kilkenny six years ago. Last year he helped Killenaule win a South Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship and the year before was in charge of the Kilkenny under 21 team that won the Leinster final.

This year he took charge of the Laois Senior Hurling team and guided them to the Joe McDonagh Cup meaning that they will play in the Leinster Championship next year. After helping the midlander’s win silverware at Croke Park he saw the side shock a fancied Dublin side in the first round of the All-Ireland series and in the quarter finals put it up to a Tipperary side that will contest the All-Ireland Final in a few weeks time against Kilkenny.

An outside Manager that the County Board might have to act fast on if interested is former Cork hurler Pat Mulcahy.

With the Cork set to appoint a senior hurling manager after John Meyler recently stepped down the Newtownshandrum Club man will be in with a shout of getting the position in his native county.

Just like Cummins and Brennan the Cork man has had a very successful career at Club and Inter County Level.

In a county apart from possibly Clare that is hardest to win a county title, he is the holder of five Cork Senior Hurling Championships, four of which were won with his club side Newtownshandrum between 2000 and 2009 and one with Divisional side Avondhu 23 years ago.

In the colours of Newtownshandrum he helped the North Cork side to three Munster Senior Club titles between 2003 and 2009 and has something that the two named above don’t have, an All-Ireland Senior Club title won in 2004 with Newtownshandrum.

In the red and white shirt of Cork he also had a very successful career helping the rebels to win three Munster finals between 2003 and 2006 when he was captain of the side, and also helped the Rebels to win two All-Ireland Senior titles in 2004 and 2005, the two most recent of the 30 titles won by Cork down the years.

Unlike the previous two former inter county players mentioned, the Cork Man does not have any inter county experience as a coach, but he has worked with Cork Institute of Technology in the different third level competitions and thanks to his work with the students attending college in Cork he is highly though of on Lee side and is one of the favourites to take over the Cork position after John Meyler stood down recently which might suggest that if Waterford were to look for the Cork Man to take over the Waterford job they would have to act fast.

Heartbreak for Waterford for Second Year in a Row at All-Ireland Quarter Finals

Waterford’s interest in this year’s All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship came to an end this evening at Semple Stadium when Donal O’Rourke’s side went under to a strong Galway side by eight points.

Waterford were in contention in this game up to the final five minutes of this game despite the fact that they only hit one score in the second half of this game. However it should be pointed out that while Waterford were finding it hard to get the scores that they so richly deserve in the second half, they were creating chances, and in particular chances for goal, but Galway’s experience shone in the second half as one more than one occasion they were able to get that telling touch when Waterford looked like they were going to score, and were also able to clear the danger zone having made a telling intervention.

Make no mistake Waterford getting to this stage of the competition for the second year in a row and while they will be back again next year, hopefully with the same panel and with a number of new players creating extra competition for a place in the starting team it can only be good for the side.

Having lead Waterford to this stage of the competition for the second year in a row, there is bound to be some rumblings with a new manager for the county senior hurling team to be named in the coming weeks after Pauric Fanning stood down after one year in the job in the last 24 hours if the new manager is to come from inside the county, having seen what the Cappoquin Club man has achieved with this group of players in the last two years there may be some that suggest that his name be thrown into the hat for the job, but no doubt many would rather if he was to stay with this group of players and continue the work that he has put in over the past few years, as this is a side that will very soon make many of the bigger and stronger counties sit up and take notice after they pull off a major win or two in a major knockout game be it in the National League or the Championship.

 It was only in the closing five minutes of this game that the eventual winners could say with any degree of certainty that they were going to be in the bowl for the semi final draw which took place after the game.

At the break it was Donal O’Rourke’s side that were holding a richly deserved 2-7 to 1-6 lead having kept a tight rein on what was a dangerous Galway forward line who took the bulk of their first half scores from placed balls as the Waterford defence stopped their opponents having shots at goal from play by whatever means they could.

It was the winners that hit the first score of the game, a goal inside 16 seconds of the game starting, Aoife Donohue showing how dangerous the Galway attack could be in finishing past Brianna O’Regan.

Waterford however went straight up field and as Beth Carton laid siege on the Galway goal Heather Cooney fouled the talented De La Salle player and from 20 metres having dusted herself down made no mistake in the wet conditions in firing past a three woman line on between the uprights to level matters, with just under two minutes played.

The same player fired over from play on two minutes to give Waterford the lead for the first time from a Fiona Morrissey cross after good work by Annie Fitzgerald before this, but almost straight away the De La Salle Club players effort was cancelled out with Carrie Dolan’s first score of the evening.

Beth Carton edged Waterford in front with a free on six minutes and two minutes later the Waterford lead was stretched with an effort from Áine Lyng. Noreen Coen and Áine Lyng with a huge effort swapped scores to keep Waterford in front at the end of the opening quarter of this game.

Carrie Dolan and Fiona Morrissey with a huge score for the Déise side had Waterford two points in front with the game in the final ten minutes of the opening half in this game, but two converted frees in as many minutes soon had the eventual winners on level terms. Another exchange of scores this time from Niamh Rockett and another Carrie Dolan free with five minutes of the half remaining kept things very tight in the rain in Thurles.

Waterford however would steal a march before the break when a long range Shona Curran free was dropped in around the Galway goal and when the greasy ball took a bounce in front of Sarah Healy the Saint Thomas’ club player was powerless to keep the Lismore players effort from passing her.

And things would get even better for Donal O’Rourke’s side in stoppage time at the end of the opening half as Beth Carton nailed a free to give her side a deserved 2-7 to 1-6 lead at the break.

Waterford began the second half lively. Sarah Lacey who has been outstanding all year for Waterford had a hand passed effort for a third Waterford goal deflected out for a ’45 at the town end of the ground and from the resulting strike Beth Carton made no mistake in opening up a five point lead for Waterford.

However, this was to prove to be Waterford’s last score of the game, but it should be pointed out that the side did create chances and in particular goal efforts but Galway’s greater experience on the day helped them to cut off the danger in front of their own goal with a number of telling interventions.

At the other end, Carrie Dolan put over four frees in a seven minute spell to leave her side trailing 2-8 to 1-10 at the end of the third quarter, and with Waterford creating chances you could not but feel that if Waterford kept the goals out and maybe strike one of their own, that they would be in the bowl alongside Tipperary for the All-Ireland semi final draw with Cork and Kilkenny in the other bowl.

Niamh Kilkenny leveled matters with 12 minutes of the hour remaining and almost straight away the same player again split the post to give her side the lead for the first time Fiona Morrissey’s point leveled matters 20 minutes into the first half. And they were to go further in front when Carrie Dolan split the posts once more with 8 minutes of the hour remaining.

Waterford’s chances of getting something from this game were all but ended with just over five minutes to play when Ailish O’Reilly finished past Brianna O’Regan for Galway’s second goal in this game, putting her side six points up.

The Tribes ladies would finish the game with the final scores of the game as Ciara Murphy and Rebecca Hennelly having come off the bench in the second half did their chances of staking a place in the team from the start in the semi finals no harm with a point each.

WATERFORD: Briana O’Regan; Sibheal Harney, Iona Heffernan, Kate Lynch; Caoimhe McGrath, Shona Curran, Lorraine Bray; Orla Hickey, Beth Carton; Fiona Morrissey, Niamh Rockett, Trish Jackman; Áine Lyng, Annie Fitzgerald, Sarah Lacey

Subs: Keeley Corbett Barry for Fiona Morrissey (41), Claire Whyte for Orla Hickey (49), Mairead Power for Sibheal Harney (59), Emma Roche for Caoimhe McGrath (64)

SCORERS: Beth Carton 1-4(0-2fs, 0-1 45, 1-0 pen); Shona Curran 1-0(f); Áine Lyng 0-2; Fiona Morrissey, Niamh Rockett 0-1 each

GALWAY: Sarah Healy; Shauna Healy, Sarah Dervan, Heather Cooney; Tara Kenney, Emma Helebert, Lorraine Ryan; Aoife Donohue, Anne Marie Starr; Carrie Dolan, Sarah Spellman, Niamh Kilkenny; Noreen Coen, Maria Cooney, Ailish O’Reilly

Subs: Catriona Cormican for Maria Cooney (ht), Ciara Murphy for Anne Marie Starr (40), Catherine Finnerty for Sarah Spellman (59), Rebecca Hennelly for Aoife Donohue (60)

SCORERS: Carrie Dolan 0-10(fs); Aoife Donohue, Ailish O’Reilly 1-0 each; Niamh Kilkenny, Noreen Coen 0-2 each; Ciara Murphy, Rebecca Hennelly 0-1 each

REFEREE: Owen Elliott (Antrim)

The Leader of the Pack

Maybe because of the way I am (I was born with Spina Bifida which effects my mobility), I have a great admiration for people that are dealt a blow in life through no fault of their own, or who face challenges that most if not all of their peers face, but do not let these blows or challenges hold them back in what they want to achieve.

I know many people might not agree with me on this, but while I have great admiration for those that take part in the Special Olympics be it at a local, national or international level, I have more admiration for those that take part in the Paralympics.

And the reason for this is simple (in my eyes anyway). Many if not all of those that are in the Special Olympics (are a bit like myself) were born with their disabilities and as they have got older they have found ways of getting around the disabilities they have the obstacles that those disabilities pose to them, that is of course the disabled person is allowed to find ways around their disabilities.

It might surprise some but there is a considerable amount of disabled people right around the world who are not allowed to think things out for themselves, and those that are thinking things out for themselves they are not listened to as many able-bodied people who are in contact with disabled people tend to think that their way of doing things is the correct way. More fool them I say.

For those that take part in the Paralympics life can (I feel anyway) be much tougher than those taking part in the Special Olympics. Many are taking part in these games as a result of having an accident which has often left them paralysed or may have had one or more of their limbs amputated as a result of an accident or maybe as a result of an incurable infection setting in and in a bid to keep a person alive surgeons decide to amputate a limb or limbs cutting off an infected area from the rest of the body.

After a person has some or all of their limbs amputated or after they have been left paralysed, their life is changed forever, something people who are born with physical or mental disabilities do not face as we know no different being the way we are from a very early stage. I know this might seem hard for some to agree with or understand but if you take the time to think about it, you might see that it makes sense.

I am someone that loves Gaelic Games. You might have guessed this if you are reading what appears on here anytime over the past seven plus years. I am however not like many Gaelic Games Supporters. I am note a hurling supporter, nor am I a football supporter; I am a supporter of both games in equal measure, even if the way football is played with the last number of years has at times turned me off watching some games and I can see the same happening with hurling going forward. I am not one of those people that buy into the notion of ‘the game is evolving’ thing. To me, to win a game you still have to outscore your opponent and to me that is often done by doing the simple or basic things right. And it is not just the men’s games that interest me like with many supporters. The ladies games to me are also important to me.

In fact I would say that in recent years I would rather attend a Ladies Football or Camogie game that a game played out by 30 plus men. The reason for this is (sadly) attendances tend to be smaller than what would attend a men’s game and therefore it is easier for me to get in and out of venues where the ladies teams are playing.

Hopefully in the coming years we will see a massive increase in the numbers attending the women’s games increase now that the games are receiving more coverage in the media, especially on social media where games are often to be found streamed live.

There are players in both of the women’s codes that I have huge admiration for despite not personally knowing some of the players that admire. In some cases I have never even spoken to some of those players.

Take the example of one player that I have admired for a number of years, the captain of the Waterford Senior Camogie Team this year – Niamh Rockett.

I don’t know what way Donal O’Rourke and his management team went about picking their captain this year. Did the management team sit down and discuss the strongest leaders in their panel and agree on someone (in this case Niamh Rockett) that would be certain to start games when fully fit, or if they consulted with the players in the panel, maybe giving them free reign to pick a leader of the pack for the year ahead.

Regardless of how they went about it, the choice of captain this year cannot be faulted. The Saint Anne’s Club player was the sides vice captain last year, and was the captain for a while in the National League when last year’s captain Shauna Kiernan was preparing for an All-Ireland Club semi final with Lismore early in the league.

Anyone that is following the game of Camogie in recent years will know that Niamh has not has it easy in recent years. In more than one occasion she has been told to give up playing the game she loves or faces risking spending the rest of her life in a wheelchair by the time she reaches the age of 30.

Most people that would be given this news by a specialist would obey the specialist straight away and call time on their career. But the talented Saint Anne’s Club player is no ordinary player.

In 2011 she was part of the Waterford Junior panel that won that year’s All-Ireland Final against Down in Croke Park and four years later she was part of the Waterford Intermediate Team to capture the All-Ireland Title beating Kildare again at G.A.A. Head quarters.

Last year the Saint Anne’s club player was one of four Waterford players nominated for an All-Star (Beth Carton, Lorraine Bray and Áine Lyng were the other three) and while Beth Carton won Waterford’s first All-Star when they were announced some weeks before Christmas, many would argue that the Saint Anne’s Club Player was extremely unlucky not to also have won an award as she was magnificent for both Club and County all throughout 2018.

Niamh has brought the form she showed last year into this year’s competitions, and it could well be argued that she has even upped her performances this year, revelling in the roll of team captain, the leader of the pack.

It’s probably fairly safe to say that it is from this weekend that Camogie will get most coverage as all games in the senior grade are to be televised. It’s also possibly be safe to say that it is from here that those picking the best 15 players of the year will be taking notice of who is who.

I for one don’t know who pick the Camogie team of the year or what criteria is used, but would if given the chance urge those tasked with the unenviable task of picking just 15 players as the best players of the year to try and get their hands on the recordings of as many of Waterford games as is possible and if they were to do this then they would not be disappointed with the performance of the Saint Anne’s Club player as they would with a number of other Waterford players.

Those that read reports of what is happening in the world of Camogie in the newspapers and online will be aware that the Saint Anne’s player suffers a great deal after games. How long more will she continue to play the game that she loves is only known to her and maybe those that she confides in. Maybe even as this stage she doesn’t know how long more she will play at the very top level.

She will know only too well these are exciting times for Camogie in Waterford and I for one think that there are some big days coming up. Will Niamh Rockett want to be part of these days? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I think many that play the game in Waterford and who are good enough to be part of a panel of up to 30 players would want to be involved.

For some, they give up all too easy. The slightest bit of pain for some is the end of their world. For other like Waterford’s Captain Niamh Rockett who keeps going thought the pain barrier she knows she faces every time she plays.

She even finds time to know that while she faces plenty of pain, there are those that are a lot worse off than she is.

 The Saint Anne’s Club Player is a P.E. and Maths teacher at the Blackwater Community School in Lismore, and knows the challenges that one of her past pupils faced in recent times.

Caoimhe O’Brien like Niamh Rockett was a sports fanatic and a member of the Ballyduff Ladies Football Club. In a match one day the teenager felt pain in her knee while running and on getting it checked out found that it was a cancerous growth.

The Ballyduff Club player a former pupil of the school which Niamh Rockett teaches at had her lower left leg amputated, but complications set in and the Ballyduff youngster lost her battle for life last May.  

The Saint Anne’s club player has in recent media reports spoken of her former pupil and how she regarded her as an inspiration to all, refusing to take the simple options in life, sitting in a wheelchair, instead proving to be headstrong and going to school using a pair of crutches.

With a long number of years I have had an interest in the life of Albino Luciani who in 1978 became better known as Pope John Paul 1 (the first). 94 days before he was elected Pope while Patriarch (Archbishop) of Venice, Albino Luciani while speaking at the Cini Foundation (a group of doctors studying pain) spoke of a Chinese man who said “I had only one pair of old ragged shoes and I moaned about it. One day I met someone who had no feet. I never dared complain again”.

Some people are stuck down with something in life and it is like life ends for them with whatever news they receive. But this is not always true. Just look at that way young Caoimhe O’Brien inspired Niamh Rockett when she was dealt a blow in life. Look at the way the Chinese man that the then Cardinal Albino Luciani spoke about three months before he was elected pope, and you see no matter how bad things seem for you in life, for others compared to what you feel at any given time, you don’t have any real worries.

No doubt there is many young girls (and older men as well as women) out there who see Niamh Rockett play Camogie and who have come to know the challenges that she face each time she pulls on that green and red jersey of Saint Anne’s or the white and blue of Waterford will be inspired by her and regardless of what challenges they face in life.

While wishing pain on nobody I for one feel that whatever pain the Saint Anne’s and Waterford player will feel after Saturday evening’s All-Ireland Quarter Final against Galway, it would be worth it all if Donal O’Rourke’s side were to face into an All-Ireland Semi Final in a few weeks.

Déise Ladies In With a Big Chance of Causing a Shock

If over the past seven years you are following what I have to say on here, or again when I preview games for the Munster Express, you will be aware that I am saying that progress is being made in the world of Camogie with a number of years now. This progress has come over time and not necessarily over night which might be a good thing and a better way for it to happen in the longer term.

If anyone wants proof of this progress you have to remember that just four years ago Waterford’s most senior team were playing in the Intermediate Grade and four years before this Waterford’s most senior adult team were playing in the Junior Grade on the inter county scene.

This coming Saturday for the second year in a row, Waterford under the guidance of Cappoquin Club man Donal O’Rourke have reached the All-Ireland Quarter Final for the second year in a row, something that is no fluke.

12 months ago Waterford lost out to a good Tipperary side in the new Pairc Ui Chaoimh and this Saturday afternoon Donal O’Rourke’s side face an even more difficult clash when they take on Galway in the second of this year’s quarter finals at Semple Stadium in Thurles.

The two sides met in last year’s championship in Waterford’s first game in the group stages at Kenny Park in Athenry where a very strong home side ran out convincing winners on a 4-12 to 0-8 score line.

Most sides could well have thrown in the towel after such a defeat, but I have a recollection of last year’s team captain Shauna Kiernan speaking on the Sunday Game in a roundup of the weekends game and hearing the Lismore club woman say “this is not the end, it’s only the beginning”.

Any side that shows at attitude like this only deserves things to get better for them, and after that defeat things did get better, and this year with many of the panel having the experience of last year behind them, with some young players brought into the side, with Trish Jackman coming back into the panel after a few years away as she was studying in the UK, and with the management team sticking to what they feel is their strongest XV instead of chopping and changing as they did last year in a bid to find that best XV, Waterford are deservedly back in the last six of the competition.

You have to feel that they have an even stronger chance of reaching the last four than they did last year, even if they are up against a strong Galway side who have already won the National League this year beating a strong Kilkenny side in the final at Croke Park, a win that will make the Tribes Ladies favourites to advance in the eyes of many pundits ahead of this game.

If you follow the game of Camogie closely it might be hard to argue against those that are predicting that Galway will overcome the challenge of Waterford this Saturday evening.

Take a look at the Galway team and you see the class that there is within it. Players like Noreen Coen, Ailish O’Reilly, Niamh Kilkenny, Carrie Dolan and Aoife Donohue to name but five are attackers that would walk onto most if not all inter county games.

Further back the field you have the likes of Sarah Healy in goal and the likes of Sarah Dervan, Heather Cooney, Tara Kenny, Emma Helebert and Anne Marie Starr in the defensive and mid field positions. Put them all together and you have a fine team.

But it would be foolish for those outside of the Déise County to think that this is a game all about just one team. This Waterford side are here very much on merit.

Back in 1997 the Waterford Senior Ladies Football team were in the news. When Referee Finbarr find eight seconds short of 12 minutes added time at the end of the hour in that year’s All-Ireland Ladies Football final where Monaghan ran out winners on a 2-15 to 1-16 score line. Waterford were correctly furious with the time added on as most people felt that had half of that time was added it would be generous.

Twelve months later the same two counties were back in the final and this time the outcome was reversed and there was no issues with the time keeping as the Ladies Football Association took time keeping out of the hands of the referee, bringing in a countdown clock, something that is used in all big championship games since then very successfully and there is some that suggest that the G.A.A. should do the same in the men’s game sooner rather than later.

Earlier this year it was the Waterford Senior Camogie team that was in the news. Their last game in the group stages was to be against All-Ireland Champions Cork. The game was to be played on a Saturday, but Cork had two players down to play Ladies Football the same day, someone decided to put the Camogie game back 24 hours to accommodate the Rebellettes duel players, despite the fact that just a week earlier Waterford’s duel player Caoimhe McGrath had to make a call as to which game she wanted to play when the Camogie team were down to play Clare and the Ladies Footballers were down to play Dublin on the same day.

When the game was put back it meant that Waterford were going to be without Trish Jackman who is playing a huge part with Waterford in this year’s championship as she had booked a flight back to the UK where she lives and works on the Sunday morning, something that could had cost Waterford had they not qualified for this Saturday’s game by beating Clare a week earlier.

The Waterford panel correctly made a big deal about this and it is good to see that the Camogie Association have agreed to meet with members of the Waterford panel who are backed by the Women’s Gaelic Players Association (W.G.P.A.) after the championship and hopefully the end result of these talks with me more professionalism with it comes to staging games, with dates and venues clearly publicised not just days in advance of a game going forward, but weeks and maybe also an agreement between the Camogie Association and the Ladies Football Association so that games are not played on the same day.

As pointed out already Waterford are in this game very much on merit. The Déise Ladies first game was to be against Tipperary at The Ragg. Waterford were winning this game with normal time almost up but the game was not finished as a Tipperary player picked up a serious head injury and when there was a delay in an Ambulance arriving at the ground the referee decided to call off the game.

Waterford’s first completed game was against a fancied Dublin side at Walsh Park where the home side ran out winners 1-11 to 1-5. The re-arranged game against Tipperary was next up, played at neutral Nowlan Park. Waterford again put it up to the Premier Ladies but in the end the old adage that goals win games proved through as Tipperary ran out winners on a 4-11 to 2-14 score line.

Waterford got back to winning ways with wins over Meath at Navan (5-9 to 0-11) and Clare (2-10 to 0-12) at Walsh Park which secured Donal O’Rourke’s side place in the knockout stages of the competition for the second year in a row, before they played Cork in the last game of the round robin section of the competition where the visitors ran out winners 2-10 to 0-7 at the Keane’s Road venue.

If Waterford were to field along similar lines to recent games it could well mean that Brianna O’Regan will start in goal with Iona Heffernan directly in front of her. Kate Lynch, Sibeal Harney and Mairead Power will fight it out for the two corner back positions with Caoimhe McGrath, Shona Curran and Lorraine Bray forming a teak like centre back line.

The middle of the field could well see a mix of youth and experience. Orla Hickey is making a name for herself with a string of strong performances in the last year or two and she is set to be partnered by the vastly experienced Emma Hannon.

The Waterford half forward line could well see Áine Lyng, Beth Carton and Niamh Rockett combine. If this is the half forward line chosen by the Waterford management team and on the day it clicks as supporters know it can, it could well prove to be the winning of the game.

Sarah Lacey is in her first year playing at this level and has made a huge name for herself with a string of fine performances and chipping in with some fine scores along the way. She is almost certain to start in the Waterford full forward line, but who will be there alongside the young Dungarvan player.

A number of options are open to Donal O’Rourke and his selectors including Aisling Power, Fiona Morrissey, Annie Fitzgerald, Clodagh Carroll, Clara Griffin, while other options might be to bring someone like Orla Hickey or Shona Curran into attack, moving Lorraine Bray into the middle of the field and bringing the likes of Claire Whyte or Aoife Landers into the defensive positions that they would leave void.

Neutrals will tell us that Galway will go into this game as favourites, but many neutrals would love to see the so called underdog pull off a big shock in this game.

It is only a matter of time before Waterford pull off that big scalp and when this happens plenty of people will be talking about this team.

This is a Waterford team that are steadily getting more and more support to their games and it would be fantastic to think that when Niamh Rockett leads the team out from under the Old Stand in Thurles sometime before 7pm on Saturday evening that they will get the biggest roar they have got since Caithriona McGlone lead her county up the steps of the Hogan stand back in September 2015 and lofted the Jack McGrath Cup in the air after Waterford beat Kildare 2-9 to 1-5.

Will Waterford get that first major win in this game? I for one would not be surprised if they did. 

Deise Ladies Push Champions All the Way

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare)