Waterford could have timed their trip to the Marble City
a bit better. In their first league game on home turf, Kilkenny will be keen to
make up some lost ground. Beware of the wounded Cat.
They have
experimented here and there against Galway and Tipperary but Brian Cody rarely derives
satisfaction from unsuccessful trials. They collated some information from
those defeats and will seek to implement their findings here. High on that
priority list will be the concession of goals. Five green flags against is a
statistic they will find hard to swallow. Galway
sliced through their rearguard with alarming regularity in Salthill and this
left Eoin Murphy unusually exposed for a Kilkenny custodian. Tipperary’s opener last Sunday owed much to
good fortune but they will be disappointed that Lar Corbett snuck in unnoticed for
the second major. There was plenty of robust challenges in that game and although
it is only the league, Cody couldn’t hide his dismay afterwards. He
named nine of the team that started last September’s All Ireland replay win for
this Bank Holiday Monday meeting. This includes all six backs in the exact same
slots. Lester Ryan and Paddy Hogan form an unfamiliar midfield pairing but in
attack Ger Aylward is the only one without championship pedigree. Kilkenny’s
intentions are clear and selector Martin Fogarty outlined during the week to
the Irish Daily Mail that they are prepared to play hard but fair. “The game is
physical and that’s the way it should be. You always want your team to play on
the edge but within the laws of the game. To get yourself up, to be able to get
yourself up to the best – that is the edge you are looking for. That is the
line. If you don’t get that, the other team will beat you.”
Clare put
the cat amongst the pigeons in Pairc Ui Rinn on Saturday night and that result
applies further pressure to Michael Ryan’s men. Despite making an unbeaten
start, they still face a steep climb. An unchanged fifteen was selected on
Friday night but a couple of different names may take the field depending on
fitness tests. Waterford’s
chances of survival on Monday rely heavily on how much of a grip the half back
line can get on proceedings. They have raised their game to meet all the
challenges put in front of them so far but this time around, the strongest line
in Michael Ryan’s team face an All Star cast. Richie Hogan, Richie Power and
Eoin Larkin are not only predatory finishers but also well able to win primary
possession. If they line out as selected, a fascinating duel is set to unfold.
If the Déise
trio do manage to break even, how will the forwards fare? Apart from Seamus
Prendergast and Shane Walsh, the Waterford
forward line looks lightweight in comparison to the juggernauts they face in
that Kilkenny defensive unit. It will be hard to make headway when Tommy Walsh,
Brian Hogan and Kieran Joyce form the first line of resistance. What they lack
in size, they make up for with speed however and the men in maroon have proven
that a mixture of clever movement and precise passes can make the Cats
uncomfortable. So while Waterford
will look to Prendergast and Walsh for leadership, the other four forwards must
take a stab at running directly at their markers and putting a few doubts in
their minds. The free taking of Pauric Mahony again comes under the microscope
here, given the high level of security in front of the Kilkenny goals and he
can ill afford to squander chances like the one last Sunday.
Kilkenny
have been operating at a higher intensity in recent weeks and that steely
defence will put up a firm barrier and try to outmuscle their direct opponents.
Waterford will
also look to batten down the hatches at the back and make the most of the
limited opportunities they receive at the other end. They gritted their teeth
and emerged from two tight corners against Clare and Cork but the bar will be raised on Monday by
a manager with only one thing on his mind.
Kilkenny: E
Murphy, P Murphy, JJ Delaney, J Tyrell, T Walsh, B Hogan, K Joyce, L Ryan, P
Hogan, R Hogan, R Power, E Larkin, G Aylward, C Fennelly, A Fogarty.
Waterford:
S O’Keeffe, S Fives, L Lawlor, S Daniels, J Nagle, M Walsh, K Moran, S
O’Sullivan, D Fives, B O’Halloran, S Prendergast, J Dillon, B O’Sullivan, S
Walsh, P Mahony.
National Hurling League Division 1A
Kilkenny v Waterford
Throw in 2.00 at Nowlan Park
Referee: James
McGrath
Betting:
Kilkenny
1/6 Draw 14/1 Waterford
5/1
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