Air of uncertainty surrounding these two – Waterford v Cork preview

A week to circle the wagons. After the narrow miss in the Munster final and the Ennis landslide, it was time for everyone to get back on the straight and narrow for knockout hurling. For the under 21s, who experienced two defeats in five days, it offered a welcome release.

Apart from Stephen O’Keeffe’s excellence putting his mind at ease, Michael Ryan learned little else from his trip to Cusack Park especially in terms of clearing up any thorny selection issues. Only the double digit jerseys offered any room for debate and in the end Thomas Ryan put forward a stronger case than Gavin O’Brien, Martin O’Neill and Eoin Kelly to pin down the last name on the team sheet. With only 34 championship minutes under his belt up to this point, it marks a big break for the Tallow forward. Another decision for management to make surrounds those wasted frees. Six missed placed balls in two championship games raises an issue about whether to move Maurice Shanahan off the free taking duties.

In truth, both teams have creases to iron out. Where do these two teams stand in the greater scheme of things anyway? Will Jimmy Barry Murphy’s men continue on their steady upward curve or can Waterford reach a seventh successive semi final? This cloudy picture will become an awful lot clearer by half past three on Sunday. Back to those niggly issues that need to be remedied. For one, the spine of the Cork defence has taken on an uneasy appearance recently. They settled on Stephen McDonnell at full back during the league but scrapped that trial after Eoin Larkin made hay on final day. And after unsuccessfully handing out chances to Brian Murphy, Shane O’Neill and Damien Cahalane, that decision now seems puzzling. None of those three put their stamp on the position which puts McDonnell back into the mix this weekend. In this version of musical chairs, has his confidence been dealt a blow? The return of Sean Óg at the expense of William Egan gives the half back line an experienced feel but it is untested as a unit. After three championship games, Cork’s defensive combinations have still not bedded down.

At the other end, goals have been in short supply most noticeably against Tipperary. Worryingly from a Waterford perspective, they seemed to recover their touch against Wexford as Luke O’Farrell, Paudie O’Sullivan and Patrick Horgan scored 2-6 from play between them. That came against Division 1B opposition however in a game that won’t be as open as the one on Sunday. Horgan can cut loose if he starts well and boasts 2-29 in three games to date. Lehane, as he displayed so vividly in February, can chalk up a hefty total in a flash and only needs a fraction of space. O’Farrell meanwhile, doesn’t shy away from going for the jugular but his colleagues all too often settle for the point.

The same accusation around the lack of a killer instinct could be levelled at the Waterford attack given the evidence presented a fortnight ago. Cracks appeared in the second half when a number of hurried goal and point attempts went awry. In the aftermath of Shane Bourke’s green flag, a couple of scores were needed to steady the ship and chip away at the lead. John Mullane and Shane Walsh put Michael Cahill and Paul Curran back on their heels in the opening twenty minutes but struggled to even get the sliotar in their hands thereafter. Two of the six starting forwards were also held scoreless which didn’t help matters. The introduction of Thomas Ryan for his first championship start, after spending three years on the fringes, brings added zip to the inside line given quality ball. Along with intelligent deliveries into the full forward division, a greater conversion rate and composure in front of goal will be required to improve upon a disappointing return of 16 points.

Unlike their opponents however, they hold a steadier hand in defence. They showed plenty of grit and aggression to get to grips with a much vaunted Tipperary attack after a shaky start. Four members of that back six can also reflect on an effective shut out of the Cork forward line two years ago. Noel Connors, for example, held Horgan scoreless in both the drawn game and replay. The half back line will look to get on top against the likes of Niall McCarthy and Patrick Cronin from puck outs to cut down on the supply inside. Cork tend to struggle in this area so they may try to unsettle Tony Browne like Tipperary managed with Lar Corbett and also use Conor Lehane’s blistering pace on the other wing.

Another key battle will develop around the middle. Stephen Molumphy and Philip Mahony have grown into an unlikely pairing. They worked up and down the field throughout the Munster final and while they ran out of petrol late on, they edged out Brendan Maher and Shane McGrath. The man in the white helmet is enjoying his best campaign in a couple of years and his second half point summed up his renewed appetite. Jimmy Barry Murphy sprung a surprise by going with Daniel Kearney and Pa Cronin. The combination of Lorcan McLoughlin and Darren Sweetnam thrived during the league with the latter earmarked as one who could light up the championship. The Newtown flyer Cathal Naughton also settles for a spot on the sideline but Kearney brings plenty of pace and scoring ability.

Waterford’s laboured finish to games is also growing into a common theme. A couple of guilt edged misses and quality goalkeeping left them off the hook against Clare while they could only rustle up five points in the second half at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. In light of these difficulties, the use of the bench will play a significant role. The switches paid off the first time out but none of the changes in the Munster final really boosted their comeback efforts. Cork appear to hold the aces in this regard. Old reliables like Gardiner and Naughton along with fresh faces like McLoughlin, Sweetnam, Coughlan and Moylan are all held in reserve.

The path is laid out in front of either team to target a spot in the All Ireland final. The nine spine tingling battles of the last decade will be recalled but remember that the 2010 edition was a more sedate affair that turned into a marathon arm wrestle over 160 minutes. Expect maybe something in between this time around from two sides finding their feet. The last time that Waterford exited at the quarter final stage, Brian Corcoran’s drop-shot separated the sides and a moment like that could define this latest clash. Waterford will produce another determined performance but can they add that bit of polish up front? Cork’s curious team selection opens the door and Michael Ryan can bank on a more settled fifteen. Jimmy Barry Murphy will want to prove that this latest project is on the right path however and that motivation along with a slight edge in attack and a better bench can get them over the line by a couple of points.

Munster SHC Semi Final

Waterford v Cork

Throw in 2.00 at Semple Stadium

MoReferee: Barry Kelly (Westmeath)

Betting: Waterford 13/8 Draw 9/1 Cork 8/13 

Plenty of passion but shortage of guile – Tipperary 2-17 Waterford 0-16

Not too far away at all. The sides were level six times and twice after the interval, Waterford even hit the front. When they sit down and watch the DVD, they will be kicking themselves that they couldn’t hang in there for just a bit longer.

With each passing minute from the start of the second half, Waterford began to frustrate their opponents. They got in little blocks and intercepts which disrupted Tipperary’s approach play and they grew in stature as Tony Browne, Michael Walsh and Kevin Moran emerged from defence. Stephen Molumphy and Philip Mahony put in a serious shift around the middle against an All Star pairing but further up the field problems would start to surface as the half wore on.

Then came the goal and the customary final quarter slump. When Eoin Kelly’s free dropped short and wasn’t cleared sufficiently, Shane Bourke pounced. It underlined the essential difference between the sides on the day; greater potency up front. Despite Tipp’s early goal, they managed to hit nine wides but still found a way to correct that when it was required and outscored their opponents by 1-9 to 0-5 in the second half. Waterford meanwhile, hit a brick wall (in the form of Brendan Cummins), sent four placed balls astray and ended up with ten wides. In a similar fashion to the Clare game, they only registered two points in the last ten minutes. They also failed to score from play for a period of 28 minutes. Bourke’s successful introduction also showed up the contrast in quality between the respective benches. The JK Brackens man along with Eoin Kelly and Seamus Callinan all entered the attack and contributed 1-4 between them (1-2 from play). Meanwhile, Waterford used Eoin Kelly, Paul O’Brien, Martin O’Neill and Jamie Nagle to limited effect.

The soft conditions militated against a classic but we got a battle instead. Waterford tore into it from the first blow of Cathal McAllister’s whistle. Three points to zip after six minutes. Then they made it four to one after eight minutes. Seamus Prendergast then missed out on a chance to extend that advantage to four as he directed a shot narrowly wide. Seconds later, Patrick Maher barrelled through the centre of the defence to tee up John O’Brien. The full forward wreaked havoc against Liam Lawlor as he accumulated 1-2 by the fifteen minute mark and could have added to his goal tally. The number three steadied down after that, commanded his area with authority and cut down the gaps that appeared. Patrick Maher also played an influential role in that first half as Tipp moved three points clear and more goals looked inevitable. Thomas Stapleton and Padraic Maher provided the launch pad but those nine wides, aggressive Waterford defence and fumbles in front of goal kept Michael Ryan’s men afloat. The energy and spring around midfield also helped as Stephen Molumphy and Philip Mahony covered well in defence, made vital interceptions and put their team on the attack. When Maurice Shanahan raised the roof on the stroke of half time, Waterford were much the happier. Only two points adrift by the end of the third quarter, things were still going to plan until Lar Corbett’s creativity and Bourke’s goal intervened.

When you analyze the performances of the six forwards, it paints a puzzling picture. The Tipperary full back line pulled their socks up after a bumpy start which saw them concede five points from play off Shane Walsh and John Mullane only 22 minutes into the contest. They were held scoreless thereafter. Thomas Stapleton and Padraic Maher sparkled throughout in the half back line although Maurice Shanahan caused them some problems with his pace. Those penetrating runs were all too rare from a Waterford perspective. The Lismore man endured a funny sort of afternoon as he missed three frees but still ended up with eight points and never shirked the responsibility. Seamus Prendergast made inroads on Conor O’Mahony but his shooting fell short on too many occasions. He struck three wides and hit one ball into the grateful arms of Brendan Cummins. Pauric Mahony and Gavin O’Brien will gain from the experience in different ways. Mahony’s sharpness will pick up while O’Brien can learn the demands and the pressure put on a corner forward at this level. In nine of the last ten years, Waterford have managed to fit at least one forward into the All Star selection. At the moment none of the forward division are in All Star territory and only a late season surge from Mullane is likely to change that.

Attention quickly turns to the Rebels on July 29. While numbers one to nine will remain unchanged, expect a couple of alterations in attack. Michael Ryan remarked afterwards that it will be harder to lift the troops for the quarter finals than this time twelve months ago. “I think it’s more difficult this year because when Waterford played Galway last year, and this is not taking away from the Waterford performance, Galway weren’t going as well as Cork or Limerick were going. Cork have had a couple of good wins, so have Limerick.” They can take pride in the rousing nature of the performance and pinning down Tipperary for 55 minutes but looking ahead, question marks remain over whether three or four members of the attack can hit top form on the one day and compile a winning total. Goals also remain in short supply. That’s the third time in seven competitive games this season that Waterford have fired a blank in that column. The aggressive approach in defence and the creation of 31 scoring chances offers reason to be optimistic as does the fact that question marks linger over Jimmy Barry Murphy’s charges.

Waterford v Cork no longer commands top billing but the prize on offer is enticing. In his Examiner column Donal O’Grady observed; “the game could be a good indicator as to where Cork lie in the scheme of things at present.” It takes on the very same significance for Waterford. A season defining afternoon in Semple.

Grounds for optimism but no shock in store - Munster final preview

Forewarned is forearmed. The maroon and white rising turned the championship upside down for the first time since 2004 and gives this Munster final an added twist.

While Waterford can garner some grains of hope out of it, Tipp will be wary to avoid the sluggish start that cost Kilkenny so dearly. The result also dictates the path to the second Sunday in September. The Cats now lurk on the same side of the draw as the Munster champions so defeat at the weekend still leaves either side well placed for a run to the All Ireland final. Waterford can never afford to take provincial titles with a pinch of salt however considering a return of nine wins in 26 attempts. Tipperary will also look to keep the winning habit going and take the shortest route possible.

That’s all before we even mention the seven scars of July 10, 2011. Water has passed under the bridge in the meantime. Tipperary couldn’t reach those heights again when they hit Croke Park and for various reasons Lar Corbett has only struck one championship goal since his romp of 4-4 by the Lee. Waterford have undergone a change of management (almost twice you could say) and playing staff. Only eight survivors will line up to get a shot at redemption this weekend. The demons have been buried according to the players but what if they slip into arrears early doors?

They regained their composure last summer against Galway but Tipperary are also showing signs of recovery from their September disappointment. The contrast in pace, intensity and skill between the respective semi finals was evident although the scoring came much easier at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. With Patrick Maher and Lar Corbett back to bolster the attack, the pieces of puzzle are starting to fit once more. The combination play that led to Noel McGrath’s goal was also reminiscent of the 2010 All Ireland final. They emerged from two different tests on the right side but also kept something in reserve for later in the year.

Up until 1998, Waterford had only tasted success against them on five occasions in 32 championship clashes. That relationship changed when Gerald McCarthy arrived and turned over the side that had come up a point short to Clare the previous September. Then, Justin McCarthy enjoyed an almost unblemished record in his dealings with Tipperary. At the start of last decade, The Premier suffered more than most as a result of their neighbours’ rise up the hurling ladder. From 2002 to 2008, Waterford won four of the five championship meetings between the counties. That breakthrough semi final success cut deepest of all from a Tipperary perspective.  Physical trainer at the time Cian O’Neill recalled it vividly in an interview with Kieran Shannon. “That day it felt as if we had been hit by a bus. My personal goal after that was to up our contact level — being able to initiate contact and deal with contact — because we were physically bullied that day.” They made no mistake a year later. Six minutes into the second half the lead soared to eleven. at Semple Stadium The winning margin ended up as five points and that increased to seven in the All Ireland semi final of 2010. Last year’s massacre brought their goal return up to 14 in the space of three games. And if the goals don’t kill you, the points will. They reeled off 31 of them in March when the defence collectively took a step back.

On that basis how can Waterford bridge the gap that has opened up in recent seasons? The semi final offered some telling pointers. Cork created a number of genuine goal chances and exposed frailties in the Tipperary full back division. An extra bit of awareness and the presence of a killer instinct would have reaped a greater reward from those openings. Even without raising a green flag, their inside line managed to rack up eight points from play along with earning several scoreable frees. It remains to be seen if Sunday’s encounter will take on the end to end nature of that game but pace and clever movement put them under pressure last time out. Between them John Mullane and Shane Walsh can lay claim to 21 championship goals and can make gains on Conor O’Brien and Paul Curran.

This leads to another telling question. How can Waterford manage to deliver quality ball inside and break down an imposing half back line? Thomas Stapleton alongside double All Star winners Conor O’Mahony and Padraic Maher form Tipperary’s strongest line and have all come up trumps in the heat of battle so far. All three can fetch ball out of the clouds so Stephen O’Keeffe may need to vary his puck-out strategy and make clever use of Seamus Prendergast as a target. Clearances out of the defence also require that extra bit of thought. The Ardmore man cannot operate alone however and much will hinge on how much change Maurice Shanahan and Pauric Mahony can get from their markers. Or will the rotation of the forward line continue in a similar vein to what we witnessed against Clare in an attempt to unsettle the Tipp rearguard?

Midfield also offers promise. Stephen Molumphy played a starring role last month and, with Brendan Maher and Shane McGrath still not back to the peaks they hit a couple years ago, it may be an area to zone in on. The Ballyduff Upper man offloaded possession in a more brisk manner than we are accustomed to seeing in the last couple of seasons. He executed several direct stick passes into the forward line and one of those led to Shane Walsh’s goal. Instead of running into traffic, Molumphy always seemed to pick up the right position and use possession effectively to drive the team forward. Another energetic seventy minutes will be called for on Sunday.

Michael Ryan can pinpoint all of these areas but he is coming up against a Tipperary outfit brimming with confidence and laden with players that can fall back on strong records in previous championship ties with the Déise. Noel McGrath routinely enjoys that extra bit of room at centre forward which Brick Walsh will need to address this time around. Lar Corbett has accumulated 8-12 in seven games while John O’Brien finished with six points to his credit in the 2010 All Ireland semi final. Then you have Pa Bourke emerging as a player that can hit double digits after taking over the free taking duties from Eoin Kelly. If they unexpectedly hit the rocks, Declan Ryan can always glance over his shoulder and turn to Seamus Callanan, Kelly or Shane Bourke.

So many elements need to fall into place for a shock to occur and the form lines offer little indication of that coming to pass.  Galway finished up with 2-21 and Waterford may need to match that to haul themselves into contention. On championship days against the top two in recent seasons they have relied on one or two forwards to carry the load and again this won’t suffice considering Tipp’s firepower. The likes of Cyril Donnellan, David Burke and Niall Burke all contributed handsomely last weekend to ease the burden placed on Joe Canning. In a similar fashion, Waterford require four or five forwards to throw over a couple of points from play. But even if they do shoot the lights out up front how can they keep a lid on the array of attacking potential at the other end?

Remember also that this is Tipperary’s fourth year of seriously competing with Kilkenny. The underdogs may ask questions and give Declan Ryan some headaches, even in year one of this latest project, but just not enough to bridge that gap. After 2008, the pendulum swung back towards the men in blue and gold and they have taken the spoils rather convincingly for the last three years. The handicap lies at six points and Tipperary should really be eyeing that up as the clock ticks down. Galway put colour back into a black and white hurling championship but that upset surely put Tipp on red alert. Waterford should improve on their semi final showing but don’t appear ready just yet to take a huge scalp. 

Munster SHC Final
Tipperary v Waterford
Throw in 4.00 at Pairc Ui Chaoimh
Referee: Cathal McAllister (Cork)

Betting:
Tipperary 1/5 Draw 14/1 Waterford 9/2

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