Last chance to deliver a performance of substance

Let’s focus on the positives for a start. In nine championship games Waterford hold an unbeaten record against Galway. One quarter final defeat in six since 1998 also gives cause for optimism in normal circumstances.

The conditions for this clash are far from normal however. A seven goal Munster final defeat brought heavy handed criticism of the management only matched by the reaction to the All Ireland embarrassment three years ago. Waterford supporters accustomed to suffering took this one hard. It took all winter to swallow the 2008 massacre so two weeks to recover from this latest setback seems a steep challenge.

They now meet a Galway team in confident mood. The Tribesmen have emerged with two qualifier wins over Clare and Cork by a winning margin of 30 points in total. John McIntyre’s side already experienced their bump in the road against Dublin and appear determined to advance beyond the quarter final stage for the first time since 2005. Davy Fitzgerald also disregarded this unique 100 per cent record in his comments after the Tipperary game. “I don’t think that will matter to them too much. I wouldn’t say they are f****n shaking in their boots. That’s probably a stupid stat to be honest about it. Galway are on fire we are not on fire.” Plotting a victory with a team that found its morale crushed makes this game a defining one in Davy’s tenure.

In terms of team selection no easy answers can be found for the questions here. Is it possible to retain faith in the majority of the team that underperformed against Tipp? Will a total overhaul provide further instability? How can the defensive cracks be papered over sufficiently in the space of a fortnight? In championship 2011 Fitzgerald has based his selections largely on training performance but has failed to recognise the value of big match experience. The treatment of the two Prendergasts is a case in point with neither of them introduced in the Munster final. Such is the topsy turvy nature of Waterford’s season both could now be recalled for Sunday’s quarter final. The ball winning capabilities of Seamus are desperately needed at number 11, a position short on creditable candidates. Shane O’Sullivan evidently feels uncomfortable in it judging by his Munster displays. In Declan’s case injury curtailed his league involvement but on the basis of last year’s form many find it surprising that he has received no game time to date.

Stephen Molumphy and Clinton Hennessy, two certainties for so long, must be under pressure to retain their spots for this clash. Both have played every championship game under Fitzgerald’s watch but both have suffered a dip in form. The claims of Adrian Power can only go unnoticed for so long and after conceding 13 goals in his last three championship games Hennessy’s lack of shot stopping ability again comes into sharp focus. A midfield combination of Richie Foley or Kevin Moran alongside Shane O’Sullivan could also mean the exclusion of the captain for this encounter. Molumphy appeared to return to his best against Limerick but looked out of his depth against the Tipperary duo of Shane McGrath and Gearoid Ryan. Will Davy be prepared to make this big call?

In defence Liam Lawlor now must be considered as the only viable option for full back with Brick Walsh restored to centre back. With Maurice Shanahan doubtful with hamstring trouble the opportunity arises to start Eoin Kelly. While Kelly remains scoreless in league or championship an early point could inject a much needed spark into the forward line. It also gives the Galway defence another threat to deal with besides John Mullane and an element of unpredictability. Raising a couple of green flags and breaking the twenty point barrier is a must in this company, two things the attack failed to achieve against Tipperary.

Some clues for an unlikely victory also came in the league match at Walsh Park three months ago. Shane Walsh gave Shane Kavanagh a torrid afternoon scoring 1-4 resulting in Kavanagh’s substitution on 44 minutes. Despite Joe Canning and Damien Hayes combining well they limited Galway to 1-16. When it came to the crunch the visitors wilted and Pauric Mahony converted a pressure free in the dying minutes. Another close encounter on Sunday remains Davy’s best bet for a repeat outcome and a tenth championship victory out of ten against Galway.

The Westerners however sent out a signal with their comfortable win over Cork after some early difficulties. Their attack bristles with danger from every angle. Joe Canning with 2-25 so far and Damien Hayes with 2-10 remain their biggest threats but five other players have struck the net so far in this year’s championship. Returning All Star Ger Farragher has also made the centre forward berth his own. That’s three Galway All Stars firing on all cylinders against an edgy back line. The half back line of Barry, Regan and Cullinane along with the midfield pairing of Burke and Smyth also shone brightly against the Rebels.

That is not to say that question marks don’t remain over this maroon and white side. Since the Dublin game their mettle hasn’t been tested sufficiently. Until they survive a close shave against a top county their All Ireland credentials can’t be taken seriously.
Defensively they can be opened up in the full back line as Clare showed in patches and as Cork exposed with an early blitz last time out. John McIntyre, in his third year at the helm, also feels the heat of losing the last two quarter finals by a single point. Advancing his charges to the next stage is a must to sustain progress and quieten the critics inside and outside the county.

Doubts can be cast over both teams ahead of this one but the major ones linger over Waterford. How well are Waterford primed mentally? The experienced core of the team will demand that they at the very least do themselves justice on this occasion. Neither the win over Limerick or meek surrender to Tipp reflected their true potential. They need to keep the margins tight however and while a performance may arrive Galway possess the forward power to experience a degree of comfort by the closing stages of this one and record a four point victory.

Blue and White GAA Starting Fifteen: Adrian Power, Darragh Fives, Liam Lawlor, Noel Connors, Tony Browne, Michael Walsh, Kevin Moran, Richie Foley, Shane O’Sullivan, Eoin Kelly, Seamus Prendergast, Pauric Mahony, John Mullane, Shane Walsh, Brian O’Sullivan.

All Ireland Quarter Final
Waterford v Galway
Throw in 4.00 at Semple Stadium
Referee: Cathal McAllister (Cork)

Betting:
Galway 4/11 Draw 10/1 Waterford 5/2

Munster Final Post Mortem - Tipperary 7-19 Waterford 0-19

The records tumbled like confetti from the sky in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. The first time Waterford conceded seven championship goals since 1954 for a start. The heaviest Munster final defeat since 1982 and the highest score posted by a winning team since that day. The last occasion a team struck seven goals in a Munster final was 1936. An even more chilling one for Déise fans is that the 21 point beating marks the biggest since the All Ireland final defeat in 2008.

One look at the defensive formation and the script for the next seventy minutes of hurling took shape. Of the six defenders only Noel Connors could feel secure in his position as the others took up unfamiliar posts. Jerome Maher as we all know picked up Lar Corbett in the corner, Michael Walsh started his first championship game at full back with Connors in the other corner. Darragh Fives in only his second championship game moved to wing back, Kevin Moran switched to centre back, which was another first in the Waterford colours, while Tony Browne switched wings to number seven. Even before the Tipperary forwards chopped and changed that rearguard was built on shaky foundations. The man marking strategy also fell to pieces. Aside from unfairly asking Maher to shadow Corbett, John O’Brien took the Brick for three points while Eoin Kelly struck 2-3 from play against Noel Connors.The management must shoulder the burden of responsibility for these decisions.

Further out the field the midfield battle was lost from the early minutes. Shane McGrath managed to catch the first three puck outs and launch attacks that resulted in a 1-2 to 0-0 lead after just four minutes. Gearoid Ryan’s deliveries also contributed heavily to the plentiful supply inside to Corbett and company. These two set the tone for what was to follow. Richie Foley was hauled off by half time and while Stephen Molumphy toiled hard he found himself outclassed. Only when Kevin Moran moved to that sector did Waterford begin to make any inroads against the classy Premier pairing.

Eoin McGrath’s selection also backfired badly against the outstanding defender in the country right now in Padraic Maher. Apart from Pauric Mahony none of the attack hit the form they are capable of. Starved of supply John Mullane and Shane Walsh still looked to carve an opening but their efforts weren’t rewarded. Meanwhile the game seemed to largely pass Shane and Brian O’Sullivan by. The changes to spark any form of a revival also didn’t materialise. It took 50 minutes to introduce Eoin Kelly with both Prendergasts left watching on when their drive and experience was called for.

Another worrying aspect of the performance was the poor first touch and control on the Waterford side. This can be partly put down to the focus on the tactical approach to the game. They seemed so confused with how to deal with Tipperary that they forgot the basics. Mentally they are appeared drained and no one characterised that more than John Mullane. His weak effort in the first half as he advanced towards the Tipperary goal coupled with losing control of the sliotar on numerous occasions gave the impression that all was not well with Waterford’s star attacker. Another factor in Mullane’s case is the non stop season he has put in for club and county.

Some individual displays from Pauric Mahony, Tony Browne and Kevin Moran struck the only positive notes. Mahony’s flawless accuracy and a thirteen point haul make for a good day’s work any way you look at it. 38 year old Browne tried to repel the Tipperary avalanche by all means and up to the very end attempted to inspire his colleagues. Moran did likewise especially at midfield and before the four goal blitz coped reasonably at centre back. The substitutes that arrived at half time also battled gamely with Liam Lawlor and Maurice Shanahan in the reckoning for the next day.

Where to from here? The management team will remain in place but if the Galway game was further away than a fortnight’s time they would be under serious pressure to take the plunge. Even still the hurling public in the county are baying for blood and few could blame them. The instructions and tactics need to be abandoned to freshen up a demoralised team ahead of an Everest like challenge against a confidence fuelled Galway team. The scars the younger players especially will take from this brutal annihilation also mean that the mental side of things need to be taken care of as well as the hurling side. A back to basics approach may prevent another embarrassment but no quick fix can be found for the defensive chaos that resulted on Sunday. To restore pride however some freedom must be allowed to the players to display all the talents they undoubtedly possess.

Probably the saddest sight of all on Sunday was John Mullane entering the press area to speak with RTE. For a proud hurling man this defeat cut to the core of his being and no words were needed to see that in his expression. His public apology to the supporters was a mark of a man that owes nothing to Waterford hurling. Leaders like Mullane and Browne will be needed like never before to recover this sinking ship for two week’s time.

Reaching the Premier standard – Munster Final 2011 Preview

Sunday’s final may be billed as the clash of the All Ireland champions versus the Munster champions but not a clash of equals. The bookies offer a Waterford win as a 4/1 shot with a handicap of +6 available at evens. These odds hardly reflect a 50-50 clash that accustoms Munster finals.

Tipperary trainer Cian O’Neill cited in a recent interview that the 2008 All Ireland semi final marked a turning point for the team under Liam Sheedy. He felt they were bullied and outmuscled in that match and from there the fire was lit for the 2009 and 2010 campaigns. While consistently reaching the top tier of the hurling rankings over the last decade Waterford find themselves a step below Tipperary and Kilkenny at the this moment in time. To illustrate the point Davy Fitzgerald’s only championship defeats have come against these two counties. Would this team have lived with the pace, savage intensity and astounding skill levels of the last two All Ireland finals? This weekend’s Munster final provides the most accurate barometer as to the health of the current crop since last year’s All Ireland semi final.

That sobering experience gives pointers to the improvements needed this time around. To put themselves into contention Waterford must prevent the Tipp attack breaking the 30 point barrier as they did against Cork and Clare while scoring seven goals in the process. This effort however cannot undermine compiling a sufficient tally of scores to win the game. Davy’s challenge is to find the right balance. Executing part one of the plan involves cutting the supply of ball inside, getting the match ups right while also maintaining total concentration throughout. Easier said than done against a star studded attack that can switch at ease, pick their passes and seldom waste scoring opportunities.

The scale of this challenge is reflected in the following stats. Tipperary have fired 17 goals in their last five championships. Lar Corbett ranks as their top championship goal scorer with 21 followed closely by Eoin Kelly on 19. The Mullinahone man also has a record of 9-43 in 7 games against Waterford while Corbett has scored 3-4 in the last two meetings. The starting six forwards on Sunday can boast 52 championship goals between them. All of them have also started in at least one All Ireland final.

This brings us to the second part of the jigsaw; the Waterford attack and whether they can conjure up a winning total. Two members of the forward line will be making a first Munster final start which displays the youthful nature of the team. Between the six forwards 20 championship goals have been scored. This reflects the advanced stage of development of Tipperary compared to Davy Fitzgerald’s side. Much hinges on Mullane as well as Shane Walsh’s goal instincts. Brian O’Sullivan, Pauric Mahony and Maurice Shanahan (in the first half) aided the scoring effort against Limerick and a similar contribution will be required on Sunday.

Last Thursday night at Walsh Park the team conducted a behind closed doors session which indicated that the management team were plotting a surprise game plan or team selection. The starting fifteen named a week later didn’t disappoint in that regard with Jerome Maher and Eoin McGrath emerging as surprise inclusions. Maher earns his place after strong training performances but making a championship debut in the heat of a Munster final poses different questions and strikes echoes of Denis Coffey’s baptism of fire against the same opposition in 2006. McGrath’s selection could be regarded as a bigger surprise given his lack of impact in the league campaign or even on the challenge circuit. Maurice Shanahan’s disappointing second half display against Limerick was obviously a factor in his exclusion.

While Jerome Maher is named at number three the speculation surrounding the positioning of Michael Walsh continues. If Walsh does move to full back, Kevin Moran is likely to start at centre back. What can be declared as fact is that his policing of Kevin Downes was his first experience in the role of a full back at this level. If the management believed the Brick could act capably in the position long term they would have experimented in the league or even the Waterford Crystal League. Mid way through the championship is no time to alter the two central planks of the defence especially when one is an All Star in the position for two years in succession. Before Thursday’s team selection Liam Lawlor looked the favoured candidate for full back with Brick Walsh retaining the defensive stability at centre back. With Lawlor omitted it now can’t be disregarded that Darragh Fives or Noel Connors could also end taking up the full back duties.

With all the doubts and mutterings surrounding Waterford’s defensive make-up let’s not forget that their opponents have also encountered difficulties in this area. Cork were left to rue early missed opportunities at Semple Stadium in the Munster first round and it cost them dear in the final reckoning that day. Conor McGrath’s display in the Munster semi final proved that speed can trouble these Tipp backs and despite their inexperience this Waterford front six do possess a turn of foot. John O’Keeffe remains in the Premier rearguard and will be seen as a possible link to be exposed with Brendan Maher remaining on the sidelines. John Mullane also unsettled Paddy Stapleton last August at corner back.

The bookies clearly disregard any chances of an upset but they give scant credit to the deep resolve within this panel and the seamless transition of players Davy has presided over. The star quality however lies in the Tipperary ranks and so many things need to turn in Waterford’s favour to deny them the spoils. The favourites to prevail by a four or five point margin.

Blue and White GAA Starting Fifteen: Adrian Power, Darragh Fives, Liam Lawlor, Noel Connors, Tony Browne, Michael Walsh, Kevin Moran, Richie Foley, Stephen Molumphy, Maurice Shanahan, Shane O’Sullivan, Pauric Mahony, John Mullane, Shane Walsh, Brian O’Sullivan.

Munster SHC Final
Waterford v Tipperary
Throw in 4.00 at Pairc Ui Chaoimh
Referee: Brian Gavin Offaly

Betting:
Tipperary 1/5 Draw 14/1 Waterford 4/1

Waterford 4-17 Limerick 3-15 (AET) - Munster Minor Semi Final

An extraordinary game of hurling unfolded in Walsh Park on Saturday as Waterford made it to a July 10 Munster final meeting against Clare. The 3,208 who witnessed it will do well to see a better one this year after an 80 minute shootout to remember.

The home side produced a whirlwind opening with the aid of the breeze blowing from left to right. 3-3 to 0-0 ahead after ten minutes doesn’t do justice to the term ‘dream start’. Darragh Flynn billowed the roof of the net after just 49 seconds with Adam O’Sullivan providing the assist. Three minutes later Stephen Bennett began his personal goal scoring spree as he skipped past his marker from a Shane McNulty delivery and shortened the grip to flick it past PJ Hall in the Limerick goal. Gavin O’Brien landed a monster free and Bennett added a peach of a point over his shoulder. Then the Lismore youngster bagged goal number three after he collected Cein Chester’s delivery and fired home a low bullet. A Jake Dillon point completed ten minutes of total hurling rarely seen at any level.

This sizeable lead didn’t reflect how closely these teams were matched and Limerick picked themselves up from the early blitz by putting an extra man into defence. Kevin O’Brien scrambled a goal after Shane Dowling’s effort was blocked by Paddy Cooke. Mark Carmody also took up the challenge and if the visitors didn’t clock up five wides they would have made more inroads by half time as they trailed 3-7 to 1-4. The intensity and work rate alone from the Waterford side did justice to that scoreboard however. Gavin O’Brien added two glorious points from play before the interval to underline their superiority.

With the elements in their favour and a reworked formation, Limerick chipped away at the lead. David Reidy switched from wing forward to centre back and suddenly the supply to the Waterford forwards dried up. The Limerick corner forwards now came to the fore and used their pace to great effect. When fouled Shane Dowling was there to convert the frees. Stephen Bennett managed to stop the rot with a point on 39 minutes but the men in green shirts hit a purple patch striking 1-4 in the next eight minutes. Kevin O’Brien grabbed his second goal again from a rebound and the sides were level. Against the run of play Bennett gave Waterford renewed hope to claim his hat trick. Again he raced past his man and finished with aplomb. Two minutes later the ever dangerous Mark Carmody sliced through at the other end to strike to the bottom corner. Momentum swung back to Limerick with Carmody, Dowling and O’Brien on the mark to hit the front by three.

A fifteen point turnaround in their favour they looked destined for the final but Waterford dug deep. With a strong bench to call upon they stayed in the hunt. Dillon pointed a free from centre field, Ray Barry struck a point and then substitute Cormac Heffernan came up with the score of the evening. Collecting the sliotar in a ruck of players 50 metres from goal he set out on a mazy solo run before striking straight off the hurley and over the bar. Two late Limerick efforts tailed wide and the drama continued into extra time.

Liam O’Connor’s side were grateful for the second chance after looking dead and buried in normal time. In the two periods of ten minutes their strength in depth told. Outstanding full back Damien Ahern retired injured late in the second half but his replacement Jim Power coped well in his absence. Cormac Heffernan starred in the opening half of extra time earning two frees that Jake Dillon pointed. Leading 4-16 to 3-14 going into the second period the tide again turned towards the home side in this epic tussle. Another substitute Donal Breathnach extended the lead with a white flag and missed a glorious chance to raise a green one moments later. Limerick didn’t lie down and accept their fate despite the deficit and the loss of Shane Dowling. Kevin O’Brien and Mark Carmody were both denied goals to revive their challenge as the Waterford rearguard only conceded a single point in extra time. The final whistle sounded and as the clock approached half nine on a Saturday evening nobody was in any hurry to leave the scene just to talk about the spectacle they had just witnessed.

Scorers:- Waterford: S. Bennett 3-2, J. Dillon 0-8 (5f, 1 65), D. Flynn 1-0, G. O’Brien 0-3 (1f), R. Barry 0-1, S. McNulty 0-1, C. Heffernan 0-1, D. Breathnach 0-1.
Limerick: K. O’Brien 2-2, M. Carmody 1-4 (1f), S. Dowling 0-7 (7f), J. Aherne 0-2.

Waterford: Paddy Cooke, Jamie Barron, Damien Ahern, Colin Walsh, Stephen O’Neill, Darren Foley, Shane Roche, Shane McNulty, Ray Barry, Darragh Flynn, Jake Dillon, Gavin O’Brien, Adam O’Sullivan, Stephen Bennett, Cein Chester.
Subs: Cormac Heffernan for Chester (42), Micheal Harney for Flynn (50), Ian Kenny for Roche (53), Jim Power for Ahern (60), Colin Dunford for O’Neill (71), Donal Breathnach for O’Sullivan (71), Chris Kervick for McNulty (79).

Limerick: PJ Hall, Shane Irwin, Barry O’Connell, Brian Murphy, Liam Ryan, Ciaran Keogh, Barry Lynch, Dan Morrissey, Diarmuid Dee, David Reidy, Shane Dowling, Mike Fitzgibbon, Kevin O’Brien, Mark Carmody, Jack Aherne.
Subs: Patrick Carroll for Keogh (26), Stephen O’Riordan for Fitzgibbon (59), Chris O’Riordan for Murphy (67), Mike Fitzgibbon for S. O’Riordan (70), Eoin O’Farrell for Dowling (72).

Wides – Waterford: 6 Limerick: 12

Man of the match: Stephen Bennett (Waterford)

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)

Eyes on three finals in a row – Waterford v Limerick minor preview

On Saturday evening Liam ‘Chuck’ O’Connor will seek to guide his Waterford minor hurlers to a third Munster final in succession for the first time since the mid nineties. Given the fact that the county only hold four titles in this grade it would mark a considerable achievement.

If Waterford’s victory over Tipperary signalled intent, then Limerick’s eight point success over Cork was equally impressive. Shane Dowling at number eleven in particular is central to the visitors’ hopes of a first final appearance since 2005. He was part of the Árd Scoil Rís team so narrowly denied an All Ireland colleges title by St Kierans two months ago. Four more members of that talented side will be on show for the Shannonsiders this weekend. Jack Aherne and David Reidy are also attacking threats worth noting. Aherne’s sideline cuts will need watching while the work rate of the forward division overall is also a feature of their play.

Jake Dillon carries the scoring responsibilities for the home side after a powerful display against Tipperary. That burden will be eased however by the return of Gavin O’Brien who fired ten points for his club last weekend. The side shows two changes from the one that defeated the Premier county with O’Brien replacing Jim Power and Shane McNulty in for Chris Kervick. Jamie Barron scored 1-8 for Fourmilewater a week ago but he remains posted at corner back. Big displays will also be expected from Ray Barry at midfield while Cein Chester and Adam O’Sullivan combined for 1-5 from play in the quarter final. The substitutes bench is also significantly strong with Cathal Curran and Donal Breathnach returning from injury while Michael Harney and Cormac Heffernan made telling contributions last time out when introduced.

Form lines are always difficult to follow at minor level. The last competitive game either side played fell at the tail end of April. The bookies make Limerick close to 2/1 outsiders which gives scant credit to the work put into the team and the talent available. Indeed looking at both line ups an entertaining tussle could be in store here with the influence of both centre forwards (Dillon and Dowling) pivotal in deciding the outcome. If Waterford can match their display against Tipperary, capitalise on the returning players and home advantage, a third Munster final in a row lies in wait on July 10 ahead of the senior decider.

Munster Minor Hurling Semi Final
Waterford v Limerick
7.30 at Walsh Park
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)
Odds: Waterford 8/15 Draw 9/1 Limerick 7/4

Waterford SHC Round 3 in brief

Fourmilewater delivered on their promising early season form to capture their second win in three and the scalp of the 2007 champions Ballyduff Upper on Saturday evening. Jamie Barron’s goal on 21 minutes gave them a 1-8 to 0-5 interval advantage. Although Ballyduff reduced the deficit early in the second half, a goal from Shane Walsh clinched victory. In Sunday’s double header at Fraher Field Mount Sion and Tallow opened with a thrilling draw. Thomas Ryan’s superb goal looked to have sealed a one point victory for Tallow but Owen Whelan grabbed a late point to give Sion a share of the spoils. Sean Ryan struck for Mount Sion’s goal while Evan Sheehan, Eoin Condon and Thomas Ryan all found the back of the net for the Bridesiders. In the second game De La Salle underlined their intentions for back to back titles by shaking off Lismore despite a contribution of 2-6 from Maurice Shanahan. In the curtain raiser at Walsh Park Dungarvan eased their relegation fears after a tough battle with Roanmore. The Eastern outfit with a goal from Daniel Murphy and seven points from Gavin O’Brien opened up a 1-10 to 1-8 lead at half time. Karl Duggan struck for Dungarvan’s goal. The second half was a tight affair with O’Brien’s influence muted and late points from Cormac Curran, Colm Curran and Karl Duggan gave Jimmy Healy’s side the crucial two points. Despite being without Pauric Mahony, who suffered a hamstring strain, Ballygunner blew away a disappointing Passage effort in the second game. Goals from Brian O’Sullivan and Shane O’Sullivan gave the Gunners a 2-6 to 1-6 half time lead with Liam Flynn firing a green flag for Passage. Despite the best efforts of Owen Connors, last year’s runners up went into overdrive in the second half with Brian O’Sullivan helping himself to his second goal. Stephen Power finished with 0-11 and Brian O’Sullivan won his duel with Noel Connors firing 2-3 from play. In the final game of the round on Sunday evening at Fraher Field, Patrick Hurney and Laurence Hurney were among the goals as Abbeyside minus Richie Foley eased past Stradbally.

Round 3 Results
Fourmilewater 2-15 Ballyduff Upper 1-10
Dungarvan 1-16 Roanmore 1-14
Mount Sion 1-20 Tallow 3-14
Ballygunner 3-19 Passage 1-9
De La Salle 1-21 Lismore 3-9
Abbeyside 3-14 Stradbally 0-10

Hurling championship round 3 previews

June 18
Ballyduff Upper v Fourmilewater (7.30 at Fraher Field)
The Reds go into this encounter as favourites but a surprise could be on the cards. Fourmile’ are improving steadily under Fintan O’Connor with the sufficient firepower in Shane Walsh and Jamie Barron to make it two wins from three.
Odds: Ballyduff 2/7 Draw 11/1 Fourmilewater 5/2
Prediction: Fourmilewater

June 19
Dungarvan v Roanmore (2.00 at Walsh Park)
After Brian Flannery’s departure as Dungarvan manager, Jimmy Healy takes charge for this relegation battle. Both teams remain pointless after two games in Group 2 so this one is a must win. Roanmore should welcome back Gavin O’Brien and despite Dungarvan’s favouritism the city venue and a more settled preparation may see them over the line.
Odds: Dungarvan 8/13 Draw 9/1 Roanmore 11/8
Prediction: Roanmore

Mount Sion v Tallow (2.00 at Fraher Field)
Tallow shocked the same opposition in 2010 but with Paul O’Brien absent the city outfit should make amends on this occasion. Sion picked up two unconvincing wins over Roanmore and Passage and will seek to copper fasten a knock spot with another win here.
Odds: Mount Sion 8/15 Draw 10/1 Tallow 6/4
Prediction: Mount Sion

Ballygunner v Passage (3.30 at Walsh Park)
The Gunners won both of their opening games against the weaker opposition in the group and looked keen to make amends for 2010. In spite of limited resources Passage again are proving sticky opponents after losing out by a single point to Mount Sion in the last round. Ballygunners’ county experience and strength in depth should prove decisive in this one even if Eoin Kelly hits form.
Odds: Ballygunner 2/7 Draw 11/1 Passage 5/2
Prediction: Ballygunner

De La Salle v Lismore (3.30 at Fraher Field)
Two of the top four teams in the county title race meet in Dungarvan on Sunday.
Lismore’s dismantling of Ballyduff in round two, minus Maurice Shanahan, marked the performance of the championship to date. The reigning champions however won’t lack motivation after a surprise draw to Abbeyside and a Sargent Cup final defeat to Lismore recently. With ten De La Salle players called for inter county duty in various grades in the last fortnight the task for a youthful Lismore may prove too steep.
Odds: De La Salle 4/9 Draw 10/1 Lismore 7/4
Prediction: De La Salle

Stradbally v Abbeyside (7.00 at Fraher Field)
On the evidence of Abbeyside’s draw with De La Salle there can only be one outcome to the concluding fixture of round 3. With Shane Briggs, Mark Ferncombe and Richie Foley all expected to miss out however Stradbally may fancy their chances. After two double digit defeats they should be more competitive here but the Hurneys and Mark Gorman can still find a path to victory.
Odds: Stradbally 11/2 Draw 14/1 Abbeyside 1/12
Prediction: Abbeyside