Salle still the undisputed number one – Waterford SHC Round 3

 

De La Salle remain the frontrunners to retain their county title as they coasted clear of one their closest rivals Fourmilewater on a miserable Tuesday night at Fraher Field. Without hitting top gear, Salle won with plenty to spare (1-16 to 0-5). Even at this early stage, it’s hard to argue with their current status as 8/11 favourites to collect their fourth News and Star trophy.

In the third round, only Lismore emerged from the chasing pack to resemble convincing challengers. Elsewhere, Abbeyside produced arguably their strongest display since reaching the decider back in 2008.

Missing six starters from last November’s Munster final, Salle had the points in the bag by half time. Once again, Jake Dillon called the shots up front and his goal on 26 minutes put the lid on the game as a contest. John Mullane floated out from centre forward and nailed three points in the process. An out of sorts Fourmile’ sorely missed Jamie Barron as they over elaborated when in possession. They were gobbled up by a much more focussed De La Salle side. Eddie Barrett and Dean Twomey at midfield again displayed an appetite for hard labour. The second half turned into a drab affair as the rain poured down by the bucket load. Dillon finished up with 1-7 which means he has compiled 5-21 in three championship outings thus far. 

Lismore made light work of their local derby meeting with Tallow on Sunday night. With wind in their favour, Maurice Shanahan struck eight points as they held a commanding 0-11 to 0-3 at half time. Tallow packed little punch on the restart and Lismore started landing knockout blows. Second half strikes from John Heneghan, Dan Shanahan, Maurice Shanahan and Dave Bennett eased them to a 4-18 to 1-9 win. With a nice blend of up and coming players along with the tried and trusted in their side, they can make strides over the coming months.

The surprise of the round came on Saturday night at Walsh Park when Abbeyside overpowered Ballygunner to emerge victorious in much more convincing fashion than the six point winning margin suggests. Their aerial prowess was best exemplified by Gary and Patrick Hurney in the central attacking positions.

Barry O’Sullivan pounced for a twelfth minute goal but the Villagers bossed the remainder of the half to lead 0-14 to 1-3 by the interval. John Gorman swept up possession from centre back and after losing their opening two fixtures, they were determined to keep their championship hopes alive. Mark Ferncombe snuck in ahead of Stephen O’Keeffe six minutes into the second half to tie up the game. The gap widened to 15 points entering injury time before two goals from Stephen Power and a tidy finish from Brian O’Sullivan earned the 14 man Gunners a sliver of respectability (1-21 to 4-6).

Mount Sion overcame their shooting yips to deny Dungarvan at Walsh Park (1-16 to 0-16). They shot sixteen wides but came with a late wave of five unanswered points to advance to the quarter finals. Sean Ryan raised a green flag to give them a deserved 1-5 to 0-7 half time lead. Jamie Nagle’s switch to midfield boosted Dungarvan however. Cormac Curran with nine frees and Gavin Crotty with four from play nudged the Blues ahead during the final quarter. Patrick Curran made it a two point lead with three minutes to play but Sion didn’t surrender as Martin O’Neill’s free taking turned things in their favour.

Eoin Kelly’s scoring exploits gave Passage their second win of the campaign against Roanmore (3-13 to 3-9) on a baking Sunday afternoon at Walsh Park. The two time All Star bagged 3-2 and completed his hat trick by the 26 minute mark before limping out of the fray early in the second half. Goals from Laurence O’Neill, Gavin O’Brien and Paul O’Toole kept a resilient Roanmore in with a shout but they couldn’t make up the ground lost in the first half.  

In a tight run affair at Fraher Field, county minor Mickey Kearney put together 1-8 to see Ballyduff Upper past An Rinn (2-13 to 2-10). It was a first win of the campaign for the Reds and it plunges An Rinn deep into the relegation mire. Jamie Kearney and Bili Breathnach swapped goals to leave matters tied at 1-6 apiece by the break. Liam O Lonain’s goal early in the second half put the 2012 intermediate champions in the driving seat until Kearney intervened with a goal of his own to steady his side.

Waterford SHC Team of Round 3

1. Seanie Barry (Lismore)
2. Paul Fennessy (Lismore)
3. Chris Sheehan (De La Salle)
4. Conor Hickey (Abbeyside)
5. Jamie Nagle (Dungarvan)
6. John Gorman (Abbeyside)
7. Kevin Moran (De La Salle)
8. Eddie Barrett (De La Salle)
9. David Collins (Abbeyside)
10. Maurice Shanahan (Lismore)
11. Gary Hurney (Abbeyside)
12. Gavin Crotty (Dungarvan)
13. Jake Dillon (De La Salle)
14. Patrick Hurney (Abbeyside)
15. Eoin Kelly (Passage)

No hiding place as defensive wall crumbles - Kerry 4-21 Waterford 1-4

 

 

As the salt slips through the hourglass of the 2013 championship, it is quickly becoming clear that giantkilling acts are fading from view in the big bad world of Gaelic football.

Physical and mental preparation, backed by significant funds, is creeping towards the summit as the top teams push the boat out with each passing year to gain that extra inch. With a vast amount of statistical information and video analysis now available, it almost unforgivable for a Division 1 side to take their eye off the ball against those at the bottom of the ladder. There are no surprises lingering in the long grass any more. It’s 21 years since Marty Morrissey spouted the line “there won’t be a cow milked in Clare tonight.” Those days are dwindling. Even in damage limitation mode last weekend, Waterford slumped to their heaviest championship defeat in fourteen years.

2-3 in ten minutes killed the competitive spark of what was previously a complicated puzzle for Kerry to solve. In the first half, the hosts looked pedestrian as they scratched their heads and struggled to work their way around the massed defence. Once Kerry cranked up the pace and started moving the ball quicker through the hands, the scores flowed freely. Confidence crumbled in the system that had brought the visitors half time respectability and with little attacking threat, it quickly developed into an annihilation. They overtook the handicap with 23 minutes remaining. Niall Carew’s gameplan required a concerted effort for seventy minutes but Kerry’s superior movement and quality broke it down.

The disadvantage of the blanket defence is the freedom that it allows opposition defenders to break forward. Tomás O Se was left almost unmarked to wander up the park with purpose for the fifty minutes he was on the field. With no defensive duties to take care of, he raided early and often with many of Kerry’s best moves of a frustrating half coming down the right flank. Despite this chink in the armour, their spirit levels rose as the half advanced. 13 white and blue shirts shuffled behind the ball and they stuck to their guns. They swarmed the area around Kieran Donaghy and tackled with vigour when the Kingdom entered the scoring zone. Gary Hurney and Paul Whyte were well surrounded but managed to gain traction. Hurney held the upper hand against Aidan O’Mahony and Whyte posted two points. Two goal chances were also spurned as Colm Cooper came back to block Whyte’s effort and John Hurney was pulled back as he advanced but the penalty claims from the Waterford bench were ignored. Gary Hurney also missed two frees from awkward angle but four points back at the break was a vote of confidence in their strategy.

They needed to be prepared for an avalanche on the restart however and it duly arrived. Once Kieran Donaghy got his paws on a trademark skyscraper into the square, morale hit the floor. They were still 31 minutes left to play. With the door prised open, Kerry made up for lost time as fifteen different players (including four backs) raised a flag. "In the first half we played at a Division 4 tempo and in the second half we played at a Division 1 tempo" is how Kerry boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice put it. Despite his valiant efforts to talk up Waterford’s firm first half showing, they gained precious little value from the exercise either.

John Kiely could only admire the magnificence of this current Kerry crop. “These are some of the best players ever to play the game” he observed. The current Waterford bainsteoir focussed on the gap in fitness levels afterwards. “When the first goal went in the heads dropped after that and from there we struggled. We didn’t stick to the gameplan and it’s very hard when you are eight or nine points down. It was down to fitness too, Kerry were fitter and stronger that we were and that paid dividends. We are not up to that level of fitness yet. It’s going to take us a while to get to that level.” Niall Carew also admitted on the Sunday Game that he endured a sleepless night through tossing and turning over what he could have done differently.

Waterford needed something of substance to bring forward to the qualifers. Instead this latest Munster championship allows negativity to seep in especially after a middle of the road league campaign. After making colossal sacrifices and soaking up a fresh approach, this group want to make headway but they have received another setback. They play the waiting game for round 2 of the backdoor system and a home draw is a must to generate positive energy. The life of a minnow is not getting any easier.

Waterford SHC Round 3 Previews

 

8 June

Ballygunner v Abbeyside (7.30 at Walsh Park)

After two straight defeats, Abbeyside could do with the points but Ballygunner will also be seeking an improvement in performance. They relied largely on Pauric Mahony’s free taking to get over Roanmore so a more cohesive attacking showing is a must. Patrick Hurney may be deployed at full forward after making a major impact last time out against Mount Sion. Richie Foley’s fitness is also crucial for the Villagers.
Betting: Ballygunner 1/4 Draw 10/1 Abbeyside 3/1
Prediction: Ballygunner

9 June
Passage v Roanmore (2.00 at Walsh Park)
Passage won with a bit in hand in the opening round as Eoin Kelly hit 2-5 in an awesome display. The forwards connected seamlessly and they appear to be moving freely under Peter Queally. The goals tend to flow freely for them with Killian Fitzgerald, Owen Connors and Conor Carey providing Kelly with support. Roanmore should hang in there with Gavin O’Brien back on free taking duties but a third defeat is on the cards for the Sky Blues.
Betting: Passage 1/6 Draw 14/1 Roanmore 4/1
Prediction: Passage

Mount Sion v Dungarvan (3.30 at Walsh Park)
A lively game in prospect here between two teams with outside chances of outright championship glory. Stephen Roche, Ian Galgey and Austin Gleeson have starred for Sion so far but Galgey sustained a serious knee injury against Abbeyside. The first half of that game was played at breathneck speed and it may be the same on Sunday. Dungarvan will look to stretch Sion and feed their pacy inside men. The midfield battle will be worth a look also as Jamie Nagle’s influence is pivotal for the Blues. Eoin McGrath and Michael Gaffney need to be on their toes and if they can restrain Nagle, Sion can make it three wins out of three.
Betting: Mount Sion 4/6 Draw 8/1 Dungarvan 11/8
Prediction: Mount Sion

Ballyduff Upper v An Rinn (2.00 at Fraher Field)
An Rinn will look to produce a full sixty minute display after two deflating defeats. They will target this game and Liam Lonain’s return will bolster their attacking options. On the minus side, they are coming down off two high tempo games in the Comortas Peile na Gaeltachta which leaves them with little preparation time. Their opponents brought De La Salle down the stretch before Jake Dillon’s goal killed off their challenge. Despite Stephen Molumphy’s absence, Ballyduff’s sharper focus and experience at this level should tip the balance.
Betting: Ballyduff Upper 1/6 Draw 12/1 An Rinn 4/1
Prediction: Ballyduff Upper

Lismore v Tallow (7.00 at Ballyduff Upper)
It’s difficult to gauge this local derby. Lismore missed out by the minimum against Fourmilewater and could consider themselves unfortunate. They are building around young stars like the Barrys and the Prendergasts and also unearthed Jordan Shanahan. If Tallow can get Thomas Ryan into this one early, they will be right in the hunt. With the O’Briens and James Murray offering defensive fortitude, they won’t give the Shanahans (Dan, Maurice and Jordan) anything easy. Both of these sides struggle for consistency so a positive opening is of upmost importance. Lismore’s need is greater and that should them through this tricky assignment.
Betting: Lismore 1/4 Draw 11/1 Tallow 3/1
Prediction: Lismore

 

11 June

De La Salle v Fourmilewater (7.45 at Fraher Field)
This rearranged tie could be spicy as two of the championship challengers face off. Fourmile’ are steadily building up a head of steam and can match the champions in the physical stakes. As always, numbers five to nine will be integral to De La Salle’s success and Jake Dillon now carries their biggest threat up front. The Ballymacarbry side won their last group meeting and that may offer sufficient motivation for Derek McGrath’s men to stamp their authority.
Prediction: De La Salle

Déise heads down but not out - Clare 2-20 Waterford 1-15

Don’t be deceived by the scoreboard; this game was within Waterford’s grasp. They could have been halfway home if their mastery around the middle was cashed in. Instead, Clare clung on and when they enjoyed their own period of supremacy, doubts crept in.

Those many misses chipped away at confidence. Before and after half time, the half back line (led by the flambouyant Jamie Nagle) and Shane O’Sullivan’s leadership allowed them to monopolise possession. Even after hitting those four wides on the resumption, they were still ahead but it wasn’t sufficient to kill off Clare who saw a sliver of hope. Waterford became uncertain in their shooting and the Banner pounced on that insecurity. At this level, prolificacy is punished.

The disappointing part was how the team folded up and allowed Clare to fill their boots towards the end. They were outscored 2-7 to 0-4 in the final quarter. Fitness wasn’t the only factor. 15 wides had taken the air out of the tyres. They didn’t show the mental reserves to mount a recovery mission.

That desolation was evident in the Semple Stadium tunnel. The players understandably evaded the dictaphones and sought out the sanctuary of the dressing room. They let it slip through their fingers. A shattered Michael Ryan didn’t throw out any excuses. "We lost the game in the six or seven minutes after half time. We had four good chances and we needed to take one or two of those. We missed those chances and that gave Clare a lifeline and they got a bit of a run on us. Well done to Clare they are an excellent team and they fully deserved their victory no qualms about it.”

He again showed graciousness in defeat but deep down he would have realised that very few breaks came Waterford’s way. James McGrath’s erratic showing on the whistle gave cause for irritation in the stands. At the start of the second half, Clare were the beneficiaries of a number of dubious calls which Colin Ryan took full advantage of. It’s difficult to disagree with John Mullane’s assessment from Monday’s Independent. “I don't like being critical of referees but between the 45th and 50th minutes, he gave soft frees to Clare and that enabled them to push on and win the match.” The two goals also came in unfortunate circumstances as Kevin Moran made an uncharacteristic error of judgement and Patrick Kelly’s booming free fell kindly for Conor McGrath.

Make no mistake about these were two teams on edge. This nervousness meant that the quality suffered. The Banner roar was heard early as Tony Kelly and John Conlon set out their stall. They were soon quietened when Jake Dillon ruthlessly finished from Patrick Donnellan’s slack clearance and it settled down the Déise. They were tentative but with Michael Walsh offering an oasis of calm, they dictated the terms. On the wings, Jamie Nagle launched clearances into enemy territory and Kevin Moran grew into the game with a trademark point towards the end of the half. Shane O’Sullivan provided assists for four points and Darragh Fives dashed forward. The match-ups were spot on. Maurice Shanahan destroyed David McInerney in the air and Noel Connors kept a lid on Conor McGrath. The men on the line also didn’t hesitate to change free takers when required. Kelly (who traded blows with the Brick all afternoon) and Conlon landed a couple of punches before the break and a four point lead didn’t accurately paint the picture.

Clare weathered the storm at the start of the second half and once Shane O’Donnell grabbed his goal, the game opened up. They targeted Darach Honan and he was humming at full forward. The puck out stats turned totally in Clare’s favour as Brendan Bugler and Patrick Donnellan drove on their less experienced colleagues. Com Galvin also recovered from a quiet opening to rub salt into the wounds with two late points.

1-15 is yet another below par total. Five times in the last eight championship games, Waterford have failed to break the 20 point barrier. Michael Ryan admitted in the aftermath that the persistent absence of goals is hindering their efforts. “We spoke about goals and we felt that we needed two goals to win the match. We had one good goal chance and Jake took it very well. We didn’t even make a second goal chance and that’s something we’ll look it as well. It’s been a weakness in our team over the last couple of years.”

Davy Fitzgerald displayed a restrained sort of satisfaction afterwards. Despite their jittery spells, he expressed the belief that they had shown their superiority. “Apart from the fifteen minutes where we went asleep in the first half, I thought we didn’t do too bad. We started out of the blocks and we started very well. We gave away a soft goal let’s be honest. We were four points up and looking good and that soft goal put us on the back foot for the rest of the half. It rattled us a small bit. We showed a lot of composure and off we go. We were the better team by a bit. They are a fair team, they are a good team but we deserved our victory.” It will be hard to keep down the hype but Fitzgerald is doing his best. "I keep saying that this is a process. If people want to build us up it’s not a problem. We are just not buying into that stuff we know we have a process ahead of us.” After remaining quiet in the build-up to Sunday’s match, he may perform another disappearing act before the semi final.

Jamie Nagle’s all action display earned him the man of the match award in many quarters apart from the Sunday Game. In his debut senior season, he was close to being Waterford’s best in the semi final win over Tipperary with a busy performance. After making his breakthrough with four starts at midfield on the way to that All Ireland final, Nagle found it hard to fit in. Before last Sunday, his last championship start came against the same opposition back in 2010. A consistent league run this term however made him a cast iron certainty and he offered the launch pad with his neat touches and relieving deliveries.

The season is far from over. They will be able to get the defeat out of their system on the club circuit next weekend. Seven teams go into the hat on Monday as the backdoor adventure commences in late June. A road of redemption can be found if Waterford show more steadiness in front of goal and shuffle the deck somewhat. Paudie Prendergast looked uncomfortable in the corner and Darragh Fives may be better suited to the number two shirt. Brian O’Halloran and Shane Walsh will also boost the attack if they can shake off their injuries in the nick of time. A couple of wins would rebuild confidence and gather momentum for the All Ireland quarter finals. After all, Waterford have only lost two qualifier matches since the system was introduced in 2002. Heads fell to their floor on Sunday but there were signs of hope in how they took control of the contest. Putting things together for seventy minutes and eradicating the incoherencies in performance will be the challenge for management as the safety net is removed.

Who can hold their nerve in a close call? – Waterford v Clare preview

Rewind the closing stages of last year’s Munster semi final and an electric finale unfolds. Clare had the game within their grasp but they tensed up. Two spurned placed balls from Nicky O’Connell, a spillage from Darach Honan in front of goals and a last gasp Patrick Kelly free all came to nought. Stephen O’Keeffe also made a jaw dropping save at his near post from Conor McGrath. Waterford weathered the storm and showed that little bit cuteness to quieten Davy on that particular afternoon.

A similar tale unravelled in round one of the league. In another frantic finish, Waterford show steadiness. In the final play, they worked the ball patiently up the field to Shane O’Sullivan who drew the foul. Clare shot a dozen wides and couldn’t close out the contest. If it’s still a two horse race approaching the winning post on Sunday, who will make the decisive burst of acceleration?

The general consensus is that Waterford are on a gradual decline with Clare moving in the opposite direction. It’s not quite so simple. The Banner are without a win in the Munster championship since 2008 and that can prey on their minds. Under 21 success is no guarantee of senior silverware and only a win on Sunday will offer conclusive evidence that they are on the rise. On this stage, Waterford are the team with the winning mentality. Although there is a sprinkling of emerging talent, ten of the starting fifteen hold Munster medals. The Wonder Years swelled expectation levels and the current crop are eager to maintain those high standards. Many of the flair players and marquee names have departed but this team are steadily making their own unique footprint. In the league, they displayed a mental toughness and resilience in all five outings. The doom and gloom before the campaign dissipated with each performance.  All the forwards worked ferociously hard and the half back line kept things tight at the other end. There is steel amongst this group and also an experienced core of players still capable of mixing it with the top teams. From numbers one to nine, there is an air of assuredness. Ian O’Regan’s recent surge of form earned him the goalkeeping slot with the injuries to Shane Fives and Stephen Daniels forcing a sensible reshuffle which sees Paudie Prendergast promoted.

After that point, it is uncertain whether this front six can produce a total to win a cut throat championship match but they are finding form. Pauric Mahony is striking the frees sweetly for club and county of late, Brian O’Halloran brimmed with enthusiasm in the league and Jake Dillon hurled out of his skin for De La Salle in the early rounds of the county championship. Both sides play a similar brand of possession hurling but Clare make more use of the hand pass and support runners. Seamus Prendergast offers an outlet for a direct ball but the other front men require low ball to get their hands on the sliotar. An awful lot rests on Prendergast's ability to win puck outs and impose himself against a strong Clare half back line featuring current All Star Brendan Bugler. Remarkably, he is only member of the sextet with a championship goal to his credit. Maurice Shanahan or Jamie Barron look the most likely to break their duck if they put the head down and take on their markers. Waterford’s long range shooting has been an impressive feature of their play but they must also begin to make inroads closer to goal and become more inventive. The lack of a threat from close in frees raises another red flag. Ian O’Regan recently tried his luck from a penalty in a challenge game with Limerick to no avail.

The team selected by Davy Fitzgerald features fourteen from the relegation play-off win over the Rebels with Conor McGrath taking the place of Darach Honan. A single point defeat to Kilkenny rocked their confidence but they will be boosted by surviving in the top tier and coming through a 90 minute marathon in the process. Davy Fitzgerald is strangely subdued before this match. At the Munster championship launch, selector Louis Mulqueen was sent out on his behalf to perform the media duties. Away from the limelight, he will try to shield his players from the hype that is building. On Newstalk during the week, Jamesie O’Connor expressed the view that they were looking to break into the top four this season.

Apart from the hiding they endured against Tipperary, they were right in the frame for the other league games. Despite creating an abundance of chances, they struggled to billow the net. The Banner managed just four majors in six games They did however put up plenty of points (117 over six games). 58 of those came off the stick of Colin Ryan who is unlikely to buckle under the pressure from frees. Despite their impressive points tally they also amounted a considerable wides total. In a similar manner to Waterford, they like to take on efforts from distance. 16 went awry in the one that got away against the Cats and in the relegation play-off ,they accumulated a staggering 24 stray shots

Tony Kelly makes them tick from centre forward and he fired six points from play to put Cork to the sword. He drifts deep and knits together pretty patterns which will give Michael Walsh a decision to make. In the league meeting earlier this season, he registered 1-3. John Conlon is on the periphery of an All Star if he can sustain his performance levels over the campaign. This is his fifth season on the senior scene and he offers power amongst a lightweight forward line. He is also lethal from long range given the space. Conor McGrath returned from hip surgery in the latter part of the league and his trickery will cause trouble in the corner. 1-26 in five championship games (1-11 from play) proves his pedigree. Darragh Fives may take up the task of shadowing the Cratloe flyer. Shane O’Donnell’s size will also give Liam Lawlor plenty to deal with.

Clare may hold more aces in attack but Waterford can shade the battle around the middle. Jamie Nagle is enjoying a solid season at wing back alongside the every dependable Michael Walsh. That duo can guide the versatile Paudie Prendergast through his championship debut. Shane O’Sullivan and Kevin Moran can pull back to help out the defence but they will also be expected to drive forward and contribute on the scoresheet. The half back line and midfield hold the key to disrupting the flow of Clare’s short game and putting Waterford on a positive footing.

The lengthy league lay off and youthful line-ups makes this Munster championship opener hard to gauge.  In a fast paced and open contest, Clare should prevail which means that Waterford must hold their shape and eliminate any mistakes at the back. If it does become close and more of an arm wrestle, Michael Ryan’s men stand a better chance of emerging once again by a slim margin. The expectation and pressure weighs on Clare to back up their underage success and how they deal with that will ultimately determine the verdict. Can Waterford cope with the loss of so many leaders in a short space of time? They still remain battle hardened around the middle third and if Prendergast can continue his renaissance on the forty (or at full forward) Waterford can keep Clare waiting for a breakthrough.

Munster Hurling Quarter Final
Clare v Waterford
4.00 at Semple Stadium
Referee: James McGrath (Westmeath)
Betting: Clare 4/7 Draw 10/1 Waterford 7/4

Clare: P Kelly; D O’Donovan, D McInerney, S Morey; B Bugler, P Donnellan, P O’ Connor; Conor Ryan, C Galvin; J Conlon, T Kelly, C Ryan; P Collins, S O’Donnell, C McGrath.

Waterford; I O’Regan; D Fives, L Lawlor, N Connors; J Nagle, M Walsh, P Prendergast; S O’Sullivan, Kevin Moran; M Shanahan, S Prendergast, B O’Halloran; J Barron, P Mahony, J Dillon.

Defensive discipline the key to respectable showing – Kerry v Waterford preview

During John Kiely’s stint as senior boss, he quickly realised that Waterford would need to smarten up defensively just to become competitive. Jason Ryan or Liam Lawlor were pressed into duty as a sweeper and to build play from the back.

In 2006, they ran Kerry close in Killarney before going under by 0-16 to 0-8. “Everyone in my own parish, including my father, told me that we were wasting our time going to Killarney but look what happened, we succeeded in giving Kerry the fright of their lives” Kiely remarked afterwards. A year later, Waterford gained their first championship win in  19 years over Paidi O Se's Clare. They scotched RTE’s plans for a showdown between Paidi and his native county to make their first live appearance on the Sunday Game. The progress made the previous year gave the hosts a glimmer of hope but an Eoin Brosnan double blast delivered a routine 2-15 to 0-4 victory for the Kingdom at Fraher Field.

Niall Carew unveiled his approach on a crisp January afternoon at Carraiganore. In the extra time win over UL in the McGrath Cup, as many as fourteen men gathered behind the ball at certain stages. It was perhaps an extreme flavour of a fresh system which placed an emphasis on versatility. Liam O’Lonain for instance lined out in the unfamiliar surroundings of wing back during the league.

 

They enjoyed an early bounce and hit the summit of Division 4 through wins against Clare and Tipperary. Then came a three week break and the chasing pack caught up. In an untidy encounter with Limerick, they lost by 0-8 to 0-6 and momentum was lost. Confidence ebbed away thereafter and any promotion hopes were dashed long before the concluding rounds. They lost to London and started conceding at an alarming rate. They kept four clean sheets in a row but then Leitrim put away 3-14 and Offaly followed that up with 2-15. Tony Grey was at a loss to explain their sudden dip in form. “I’m still trying to figure it out. I spoke to Niall Carew and all the lads and we are just finding it very hard to figure exactly what it is. Confidence definitely had something to do with it but I don’t think you can put it fully down to confidence.”

For this assignment, it’s all about building a brick wall to keep Waterford in the hunt for as long as possible. The return of Thomas O’Gorman into the full back line gives them a solid and experienced look with twin brother Maurice likely to help out also. Looseness and sloppiness will be costly but there should be some safety in numbers. They must hold their discipline by tackling hard and fair and also keep their shape in the face of intense pressure. When they get the opportunity to counter attack, they must make it count.

An orthodox formation is out of the question here. Cork cracked 5-17 up in Pairc Ui Chaoimh when Waterford failed to pack the defence. Wing forwards Tony Grey and Andy Doyle will undoubtedly track back to lend a hand. The Ahearnes could also move out to midfield. Gary Hurney and Paul Whyte may be left with the task of making the ball stick up front as part of a two man full forward line and the Ballinacourty front man could prove the target for lengthy deliveries to relieve the pressure.

Eamonn Fitzmaurice decided to stick rather than twist when naming his starting fifteen. This means that Brian Sheehan, Darran O’Sullivan, Kieran O’Leary and Eoin Brosnan remain in reserve. Kerry started like a train against Tipp before easing up a bit mid way through the first half. The Premier shot wildly during that brief period of supremacy and failed to register from play in the first half. It highlights the need for Waterford to make shrewd shot selections on Saturday. Kerry reassumed control with Colm Cooper spraying passes from centre forward and James O’Donoghue grasped his opportunity by bagging 1-3. The Tipp ship was already sinking before Barry Grogan walked the plank. Declan O’Sullivan was surprisingly quiet last weekend but it’s unlikely that the three time All Star will put two games back to back. Kieran Donaghy also showed in patches his ability to unselfishly distribute to others at number fourteen. With that game out of their system, Kerry will look to kick on and that spells trouble for the Déise.

The bookies have set the handicap at thirteen points and that lays out the challenge in stark terms. The defensive set-up adopted by Carew will be fascinating to watch but it’s a difficult balancing act. He places his focus on a performance to banish the league blues and build a platform for the rest of the summer.

In the build up to this game, Tony Grey revealed that they will not accept another meek championship exit. “We set out at the start of the year to get two wins in championship. We have to get that and this thing of bowing out early in the qualifiers and we have lost our focus in the past after getting knocked out of Munster championship and go back to the clubs and a week of preparation then and that’s just not good enough any more.” Waterford have only gained one win in the qualifiers since its inception back in 2001 and it is there that their championship progress will be measured. Saturday night is about rolling up the sleeves and putting up the shutters.

Munster Football Semi Final
Kerry v Waterford
7.00 at Fitzgerald Stadium
Referee: Martin Higgins (Fermanagh)
Betting: Kerry 1/500 Draw 50/1 Waterford 25/1

Kerry: B Kealy; M Ó Se, A O’Mahony, F Fitzgerald; T Ó Se, K Young, P Crowley; A Maher, J Buckley; P Galvin, C Cooper, D Walsh; D O’Sullivan, K Donaghy, J O’Donoghue.

Waterford: S Enright; T Ó hUallacháin, T O’Gorman, C Phelan; N Walsh, S Briggs, J Hurney; M O’Gorman, T Prendergast; T Grey, S Ahearne, A Doyle; P Whyte, G Hurney, R Ahearne.