At a windy and slightly wet Castlecomer on Sunday afternoon, Waterford and Dublin trialled 51 players between them in a lukewarm challenge game played over three periods of 25 minutes. After shaking off the rustiness in the opening chunk, Waterford ran out cosy eight point winners as Maurice Shanahan rifled 1-10 and ten other scorers also emerged.
With players and formations interchanged so frequently, it’s difficult to know how much to invest in individual performances. Several players certainly grabbed the early opportunity. Philip Mahony returned to number five shirt and he used possession wisely. Jamie Nagle put in a busy spell at midfield, Ray Barry stuck out at wing forward and Shanahan’s scores flowed regularly. The management team threw on eleven substitutes and, of those introduced, Stephen Molumphy, Stephen Roche, Tom Devine and Jake Dillon had telling cameos. Dublin started with seven survivors from the fifteen narrowly defeated by Cork in last year’s All Ireland semi final. Joey Boland, John McCaffrey, Conal Keaney, Ryan O’Dwyer and Colm Cronin were the pick of the 25 panellists that saw action.
Waterford made first use of the breeze but a couple of defensive lapses allowed Dublin retreat on equal terms. Deliveries into the Déise full back line were holding up and proved hazardous to cope with. Two of those were inadequately tidied up and Conal Keaney punished on both occasions with goals after nine and 23 minutes. Brian O’Sullivan slalomed through the defenders on 24 minutes to instantly reply to Keaney’s second major. Barry Connolly equalised however almost immediately after a positive run from Keaney left him with the simple task of finishing (1-7 to 3-1). With Maurice Shanahan shooting five dead balls, they had only managed three scores from play.
The second 25 minute spell saw a marked improvement as they became more comfortable with the conditions and their touch. Shanahan raided a goal from the left wing after two minutes and he added five points (three frees and two from play). Stephen Roche, Ray Barry and the adventurous Shane Fives added further singles. Waterford’s lead stood at four entering the final lap (2-15 to 3-8). The game was now littered with replacements and positional alternations as the starting sides became jumbled up. All Ireland minor winners Tom Devine and Austin Gleeson were among those flung into the fray.
Backed by the breeze once more, a much changed Déise coasted home with nine points in the third period. Stephen Molumphy was responsible for three, Jake Dillon landed a brace with one each for Roche, Gavin O’Brien, Jamie Barron and Kieran Power. Substitute Colm Cronin impressed with three points for the Dubs. Conal Keaney was denied his hat trick by a super reaction save from Ian O’Regan.
2-24 on January 5 is a healthy return especially as 2-16 arrived from play and eleven different players chipped in. The backs recovered from three worrying concessions and the new look inside trio of Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan and Tadhg Bourke regained their composure. Encouraging signs albeit in a challenge game which always carries a health warning. The competitive stuff begins next Sunday.
Scorers for Waterford: M Shanahan 1-10 (7fs, 1 65’), B O’Sullivan 1-0, S Molumphy 0-3, J Barron, J Dillon, S Roche 0-2 each, R Donnelly, S Fives, G O’Brien, K Power, R Barry 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dublin: C Keaney 2-1, B Connolly 1-1, C Cronin, D Treacy (3fs) 0-3 each, J Boland (1f, 1 65’), J McCaffrey 0-2 each, C Crummy 0-1.
Waterford: S O’Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, T Bourke; P Mahony, M Walsh, K Moran; J Nagle, E Barrett; D Breathnach, J Barron, R Barry; B O’Sullivan, M Shanahan, R Donnelly.
Subs used: S Keating, A Gleeson, S Roche, I O’Regan, T Devine, K Power, K Fitzgerald, S McNulty, M Wyse, J Dillon, G O’Brien.
Dublin: A Nolan; C O’Callaghan, P Kelly, S McClelland; S Hiney, J Boland, C Crummy; S Durkin, J McCaffrey; R Mahon, D Treacy, C Keaney; T Devlin, R O’Dwyer, B Connolly.
Subs used: S Chester, J Dougan, P Winters, S Ryan, K Byrne, G Whelan, M McCaffrey, A McGreal, S Timlin, C Cronin.
Referee: A Stapleton (Laois)
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