Forwards earn a little respect - Waterford 0-22 Galway 1-13

The settled look to Waterford from five to nine and their influence on these first two performances has been fundamental to the success of Derek McGrath’s system. The forwards were measured on their shortage of scores and excess of wides last Saturday but yards covered may be added to that equation after wearing down Galway on a patchy surface.

Waterford once more hunted the breaks in a pack around the centre. Away from the maddening crowd, three white and blue forwards held their positions. Seamus Prendergast and Ryan Donnelly stayed up front with a spare Galway corner back at the dressing room side. Ray Barry stood as the lone wing man. It wasn't quite the traditional two man full forward line as the number ten was also expected to fill in for the missing thirteen. The half forwards and at least one of the inside men are tasked with the twin task of grafting for possession and grinding out scores. McGrath places high physical and mental demands on the forwards to persist with the runs (often in vain as shown by Brian O'Sullivan on Sunday) and the formation. Such a system requires stamina and extra reserves for the second half. McGrath learned from opening night and moved faster to throw on Jake Dillon, Jamie Barron, Eddie Barrett, Stephen Roche and Gavin O’Brien.

Immediately after collecting the two treasured points, the manager switched the conversation away from the obvious strengths in defence and towards the less noticeable work in attack. “The reality is our back line are playing in the manner that they are because of the work rate of the forwards and the application of the forwards and how they set themselves up. We are just happy to be a team and not just a one to nine. I’m delighted that the forwards got their scores today.”

They answered any criticism from round one. 22 points (16 from play) in blustery weather and on a pitch that became chopped up by the end, stands up to scrutiny. Five of the six starters scored, along with Jake Dillon and Stephen Roche off the bench. Brian O’Sullivan fired a blank but his 45 minutes on the field shows what the early days of this regime are all about attitude-wise and formation-wise. In the first half he fought for a throw ball along with four other Waterford shirts around midfield. When the ball was won and worked back to Jamie Nagle, O’Sullivan returned to his appointed berth to flick down for Stephen Molumphy to run on and score. Early in the second half, Molumphy toiled back behind the half back line to strike a ball from his own 45. O’Sullivan’s yellow helmet appeared at midfield as the sliotar reached Ryan Donnelly. 18 seconds later, Seamus Prendergast finishes with a lofted point but O’Sullivan continued his run into corner forward to watch it go over.

All of that unseen work adds up in the eyes of McGrath. “That’s all any management team can ask for is total application, attitude and togetherness. We are creating a good spirit and we will surprise a few people in terms of where we can go in the next couple of years and that’s what we are all about.”

In the other corner, Ryan Donnelly is another grafter that he values in terms of enthusiasm and ability to cover ground. He assisted three points and helped himself to one in the second half. He emerged during January as a piece that fitted the overall theme. “People don’t like hearing the word transition. Ryan has been very prominent for Dungarvan in the last number of years. He deserves his chance. We are going to stick with him no matter what. He was in on Fergal Moore and Johnny Coen at times and that’s the only way to learn. If we throw fellas in and get some results at the same time, it’s great. We are under no illusions. We are just in the process of trying to build a panel and we would just ask people to be patient with the whole thing.”

Ray Barry is another that shows the eagerness to run the tram lines. He varied between the wing and the corner. He also holds the confidence to take a lash from medium to long range. He took his four valuable points from wandering out to strike accurately from acute angles. His shooting style is lightening fast and very difficult to block.

The six switches prior to throw in dampened expectations. Galway’s swift start, shaped by Conor Cooney, increased the unease amongst the majority of the 2,616 in attendance. The system soon kicked into action to stem the flow. A scrunched middle forced the Tribesmen in difficult shot selections. A Pauric Mahony brace and a Kevin Moran single put them into the lead. Boosted by Seamus Prendergast at the edge of the parallelogram, Waterford arrived with a two pronged approach. When the half backs and midfield emerged with possession they could play short to Pauric Mahony, who moved off Iarla Tannian, or go long to Prendergast. An eye opener for rookie full back Ronan Burke. Mahony meanwhile got under the skin of Tannian. He touched the ball fourteen times in the first half. He either started moves around midfield or finished moves by drifting into the right spaces. He loitered on the stand side in the second half to take the pass after a glorious exchange of short passes involving Michael Walsh, Shane O'Sullivan and Stephen Molumphy. McGrath simply couldn’t afford to rest Mahony in this mood. The Ardrahan six eventually had to resort to illegal means.

The WIT student produced a personal best in county colours. It hasn’t been easy to match a first championship term that included a man of the match award on debut day, 29 points and a young hurler of the year nomination. He has been substituted in three of his last six championship starts and scored only seven points. Eleven has highlighted his hurling brain however and he now fulfils the role of playmaker.

Leaving the goal shyness aside for now (and it remains to be seen what happens in a shootout situation), the depth, keenness and awareness in that forward line left a sense of positivity about. The Waterford management took out a half dozen and yet the shape and intensity didn’t dip. Stephen O’Keeffe, Barry Coughlan, Jamie Barron, Jake Dillon, Maurice Shanahan and Shane Walsh will all expect significant summertime action yet only two of them were involved on Sunday. Like Walsh Park itself, the team remains with the work in progress signs up but McGrath now has two building blocks to start with.

Ready-made cures for wayward worries - Waterford v Galway preview

Deep down the Semple Stadium tunnel last Saturday night, Derek McGrath didn’t fret openly about the low conversion rate up top. The thirteen wides from six different sources mostly came from awkward angles or long distance. Waterford were pushed out to the wings due to an inability to break the defensive line or forced to shoot from far away due to lack of options inside.

The team formation and game strategy worked up to that point and delivering results depends on how the individual shooters handle those situations. Unless the off target figures fall, the plan must adapt to create easier scoring opportunities in front of the posts. Waterford’s absence of consistent ball winners makes them reluctant to open the shoulders and fire more direct ball. There is a reason to believe however that the high volume of wides comes down to early season shakiness.

The striking sextet share a similar profile in terms of height and bulk to the All Ireland champions. Take a quick a sidestep and look at the wides accumulated by Clare during the 2013 league. The Banner’s wide count stood at twelve after a one point opening day loss to Waterford. 16 wayward efforts cost them in another irritating two point home reverse to Kilkenny. That number sky rocketed to 24 in the relegation play-off versus Cork.  When you hurl on the fringes, the margin for error is minimal and under a new management and a new plan, the errors can be exaggerated. Clare’s shooting loosened in the springtime but tightened by September.

McGrath’s first day in the working world didn’t shock and awe. He was already aware of the shortfall in goals and the similar brand of forwards available. With that in mind, he wants to use the league to find a way maximising those resources. The solutions stand right before him.

Pauric Mahony is ready to erupt and kick on from his blistering club championship and Fitzgibbon form. 2-26 is currently lodged in his WIT account ahead of the weekend in Belfast. This includes a fourteen point showing in the quarter final against DIT last week.  He can take ownership of number eleven at inter county grade following two bitty campaigns. McGrath not only handed him the jersey but also the dead ball responsibilities ahead of Maurice Shanahan and Jake Dillon. A big investment. He turned seventeen attempts at the target into ten points last Saturday night. Not far away from a jaw dropping first impression for 2014. Despite his first half hiccups in Semple, he normally relishes long pots. Expect him to ponder his shot selection more this time around and maybe spray one or two inside. Mahony may step off Iarla Tannian to stretch the Ardrahan man and take him away from his comfort zone.  

Mahony is developing an understanding with Jake Dillon but the vice captain’s potency close to goal wasn’t utilised against the Premier. The De La Salle man has rattled off 1-10 in college fare. From full forward, he caused damage in the first half down in the Mardyke and fired five in the home tie with IT Carlow. The link-up play between the two is too good to ignore. Dillon can also sniff a goal. He put championship majors past Clare and Kilkenny last summer and throw in five more during the club championship. That ability seems restricted from number twelve.

Galway boss Anthony Cunningham understandably gave a vote of confidence to the fifteen that ousted Dublin in round one. Even taking the Portumna contingent out of the reckoning, eight of the starters played a part in the two All Ireland finals against Kilkenny in 2012. The team also contains five All Star recipients. Their attacking stats compare favourably to their hosts. 22 singles from play as opposed to seven, nine different scorers to Waterford’s six and eighteen points from their forward six against four. Cathal Mannion and Jason Flynn hit the ground running with four each. Jonathon Glynn annoyed the Déise rearguard from full forward in the Crystal League in January but began at centre last Sunday and struck three points. Niall Healy, hat trick hero from the 2005 All Ireland semi final, is also back on the beat.

Waterford will most likely attempt to build again from the power base running from numbers five to nine. Galway’s midfield and half forward line are still in the formative stages. Whether the home side commit the same numbers like eight days ago to win those breaking balls remains to be seen. With Maurice Shanahan missing, a back line of experienced operators will arrive confident that they can frustrate the Déise forwards for the second week in a row. McGrath’s analysis should lessen some of the wastage and result in an increased output. Improving the long range shooting and keeping the wide total to single figures should ensure that the league table will look kindly upon them come Sunday evening.

Odds: Waterford 5/6 Draw 17/2 Galway 5/4

Maroon missions to the Déise

2002 at Walsh Park

Waterford 1-16 Galway 0-16

Waterford responded to a shock defeat in Parnell Park by blitzing the maroon men by 1-11 to 0-4 in the first half. Paul Flynn's first half goal and the accomplished free taking of Ken McGrath was enough to stave off a second half recovery from their opponents. 

2004 at Walsh Park

Galway 5-13 Waterford 1-14

Eugene Cloonan and Damien Hayes dismantled the Deise defence on a miserable day at the city venue. Cloonan lashed in 3-7 with Hayes accountable for 2-1. The writing was on the wall for the hosts when the Tribesmen gained a ten point half time advantage (2-10 to 0-6) 

2009 at Fraher Field

Galway 1-21 Waterford 2-12

In a controlled Galway display, Cyril Donnellan's goal split the sides at halfway (1-8 to 0-8). Joe Canning scored nine points for John McIntyre's men. Eoin Kelly attempted a comeback effort with two late goals to bring his tally to 2-7. 

2011 at Walsh Park

Waterford 1-17 Galway 1-16

Pauric Mahony nailed a late pressure free to squeeze Waterford through in the final group game but it wasn't enough to make the top two as Kilkenny and Dublin made the decider. The Ballygunner newbie took over on the frees after Richie Foley picked up an injury in the previous round against Offaly. In the sunshine, Davy Fitzgerald's understrength side led 0-8 to 0-7 at the break. Shane Walsh and Joe Canning traded goals before Mahony kept his cool. 

2013 at Walsh Park

Galway 0-15 Waterford 0-12 

Waterford started the afternoon at the summit of Division 1A but Galway dislodged them from the semi final spots. Playing against the biting wind, Anthony Cunningham's punished a flat first half from the hosts by departing 0-8 to 0-3 ahead. On a mixed outing for Joe Canning, corner forward Davy Glennon (four points) and midfield powerhouse Iarla Tannian (two points) picked up the slack. 

All the small things deny Déise – Tipperary 2-13 Waterford 0-16

The two Tipp goals to nil only partly explains this edgy opener. Waterford could have won this game with points. Eight wides in the first half followed by five in the second half. Two more balls landed in the lap of Darren Gleeson. That amounts to 31 scoring chances. The visitors only managed seven singles in general business. Philip Mahony finished as the leading scorer from play with two successful strikes.

1-2 was also conceded unnecessarily. Darren Gleeson’s freak goal aside, an untidy clearance was collected by Noel McGrath in the first half and late on, a short puck out was punished by Denis Maher. The fury of their labour just required a dab of an artist’s paint brush.

All these small things considered, Waterford’s base level measures up favourably to the other five participants on day one. Derek McGrath answered the questions in measured manner down the end of the tunnel. “We are happy to sustain the level of performance there and if we can tidy up the wides. If we are able to compete in games and see progress along the way, we will be happy enough.”

McGrath felt that they couldn't keep up the tempo set in the first half. “I think sustaining the level of work rate in the first half was difficult. That’s not a question of fitness, we lost our shape early in the second half.” They could have looked towards the bench sooner for fresh legs. Only two subs (Stephen Molumphy and Seamus Prendergast) had enough time to make an impact.

Despite the lack of competitive action since January 12, they devoured their shell shocked hosts for the first 35 minutes. The high tackle rate suffocated Eamon O’Shea’s side. One passage of play featured two blocks and swarms containing half a dozen white and blue shirts buzzing. Pauric Mahony was spotted well inside his own half. In the midfield warzone , the new Waterford jerseys enjoyed the better of the battles. Figures five to nine clogged up the channels and prompted forward forays. Kevin Moran contributed 11 times to the action with Jamie Nagle (10) and Michael Walsh (8) not far behind. Philip Mahony could barely believe the time he was afforded to shoot over. In the full back line, Barry Coughlan attached himself to Jason Forde and Noel Connors followed John O’Dwyer. Three points in front (0-8 to 0-5) undervalued the first half gains.

A healthy five point lead developed for the third time on 40 minutes. Eamon O’Shea flicked through the combinations frantically up front with all three members of the full forward line seeing their number go up. Tipp eventually managed to negate the influence of Michael Walsh in the second half through Seamus Callanan and Noel McGrath.

Callanan pocketed 1-4 in the space of fourteen minutes. McGrath picked off a point and laid on a green signal for Callanan and a white flag for Kieran Bergin. The easy single was on offer but the playmaker weighed up his options for a second or two and that delay enabled him to float the pass to perfection. Shane O’Sullivan and Philip Mahony stirred up a comeback charge that deserved a draw. Pauric Mahony recovered from a hit and miss first half to finish in double digits. Then that uncharacteristic error from Stephen O’Keeffe as he lost the sliotar in the lights and overshot the runway.

Apart from Maurice Shanahan’s near range miscue, Darren Gleeson wasn’t troubled. The formation, a lack of line breaks and fractionally slow passes prevented these goal glimmers appearing. The majority of the thirteen wides came from out on the wings or from long range. In other words, the option to give an inside ball didn’t develop. Flooding the middle gave Waterford a foothold in the game but with the full forwards under pressure, the long distance accuracy needs to be high in order to achieve a result. The creation of those one point chances does show that the plan is not a million miles away from the right outcome.

Dan Shanahan focussed on the application of the forwards instead of the baker's dozen of wides. “It’s maybe something to work on but the work rate of the forwards was unbelievable. That’s what we said this time of the year is all about. You have to credit the forwards for their work rate. A couple of the forwards had poor enough wides but apart from that, you cannot fault any of the players.”

McGrath also deflected the attention off that statistic. “It’s a lot of play in terms of possession and we played well at times. It’s a lot of wides and it’s something that we have to work on. On any given day you get those things, they go for you or they don’t go for you. We are in danger of overanalysing it, you kind of focus on it too much. We will just move on from it now. It’s done and it’s gone.”

The build-up play showed off the work from the training ground however. “We are just happy with the way they held up the ball in the first half and getting runners on the shoulder. It’s all terminology for breaking the line and all of that. The end product is something we are looking to work on.”

Like his opposite number, the away manager looked a couple of months down the road instead of demanding an immediate return. Eamon O'Shea stated his priority as the Munster rematch with Limerick while McGrath mentioned May 25. Add in Davy Fitzgerald's surprise at their first win and it makes you wonder who wants to win this league?

The news of Maurice Shanahan comes as a blow at the wrong part of the field. The absence of Waterford’s top championship scorer in 2013 could make the different between a quarter final or a relegation play-off. As shown on Saturday night, it’s a league of inches.

All about the journey as Saggart stay on - Creggan Kickhams 1-11 Ballysaggart 1-7

In injury time, Ballysaggart rummaged for two scores through the most inclement circumstances. The dark clouds burst into hail showers powered by the wind blasting into their faces. They were shorn of their star midfielder and Stephen Bennett clearly carried a knock. They hurled all the way to the end however with their backs, led by the miracle man Kieran Fennessy, driving in ball after ball. The mentors made a rallying plea with Adrian Meagher grabbing Daniel Devine at one stage near the sideline. The noisy blue and navy gathering greeted every contribution.

“Our fellas can hold their heads up,” Meagher said as departed the playing area. “They have been unbelievable all year. It was a dream to get to an All Ireland final. We came up here, we tried everything we possibly could and the boys worked hard. They got the break of the goal and it took an awful lot out of our fellas.”

Selector Pat Bennett composed himself and took a seat in the dugout before airing his thoughts on the performance of referee John Keenan. “I don’t be critical of refs and I never do but when you are putting in a Wicklow referee, that doesn’t know what hurling is about, then that’s what you get. He is a football ref by all accounts and he proved it today. Our boys were being flaked off the ball but once he doesn’t see them in the middle of the field. It’s not sour grapes, they won the game. We gave away a soft goal. We fought hard, I would not fault our guys any which way. It’s just disappointing for me when you put in a referee of that calibre for an All Ireland final. To me, it’s shocking.” Keenan was pushed up in place of Christy Browne after serving as standby referee the previous Saturday. A final warning would have sufficed instead of a second booking for Kieran Bennett. He also called back Conor McCann for a free after he had hung the sliotar in the top corner.

The scores were down on last week, but the collisions increased. The Munster champions voted to play with the assistance of the breeze blowing away from the Dunnes Stores end. Shane Bennett scored within 16 seconds. On seven minutes, Stephen Bennett’s daisy cutter from a 45 metre free dribbled under Brendan Prenter and into the net. For the fifth time in six games, Saggart had scored a first quarter major. Creggan clung on primarily through teenage upstart Conor Small. The number thirteen sprang out in front of his marker to chalk up three points from play. Ballysaggart lost goal poacher Ronan Walsh on 16 minutes. Substitute Colin Kearney compensated with a point to send them in two to the good (1-5 to 0-6). Would this prove sufficient?

For the ninth game running, they held a half time cushion to protect. Small’s swift turn and finish to the bottom corner on 38 minutes hit Saggart hard. Within a minute, Oran McCann knocked over a free to put them ahead for the first time. At the midway point, matters regressed further. Kieran was outdoing his younger brothers at the time of his dismissal. Alongside Christy Murphy, he was bossing the middle and extended Saggart’s lead to three early in the second half after a tidy one-two with Kenneth Cashell. He was one of four players yellow carded in the opening thirty and a contentious call for a foul on Ruairi McCann ended his afternoon.

Conor McCann nailed the resultant free (1-8 to 1-6). Roared on by their standing supporters, Saggart fought determinedly against the elements. Shane Bennett earned and converted a free to reduce the deficit to a single point on 48 minutes.

The Ulster champions finished with three on the trot to shut the door. Martin Johnston lashed over from inside his own half and Conor McCann added two, including a sensational wind assisted effort from midfield. They absorbed the loss of Johnston who also saw a second yellow for an off the ball altercation. Afterwards, the Creggan captain described the victory as “the best day of our lives.”

Ballysaggart are unlikely to disappear from the radar. When the pain of this defeat eases, all involved will reflect on a colourful adventure that the whole county got in behind. “Our supporters were probably outnumbered but they were way noisier,” Meagher said with pride. “We had five busloads from Ballysaggart again and a heap of people drove in cars and that. It’s a brilliant little place and we will keep driving on and we will try to keep promoting the GAA there. They love their hurling.”

They had gone further than Waterford junior club had dreamed about by winning the treble of Western, county and Munster titles. Their fifteen games contained 32 goals. Not to mention days out in Mallow, Tullamore, Croke Park and Mullingar. And after putting the feet up for a short while, the Western Intermediate championship will await their arrival. This resilient bunch will rise again. “We are going to take a break for a while and the boys will go back and have a look at the intermediate. That’s to look forward to, it’s a new challenge and we will see how things go.”

Ballysaggart stuck in a crazy world - Creggan Kickhams 2-21 Ballysaggart 5-12

With two minutes and 27 seconds elapsed in the second period of extra time, Galway whistler Christy Browne called a halt to the chaos. Ballysaggart and Creggan trudged towards the Cusack Stand and applauded their supporters for their vocal encouragement, ‘Crazy World’ by Aslan provided the backing track. An appropriate conclusion to a forty score cracker that contained two unlikely comebacks amid an unpredictable mix of sunshine and showers.

Saggart were dead and buried and about to contemplate a second half meltdown. Even manager Adrian Meagher revealed afterwards that he feared the worst. “I’m not going to tell ye a lie, I turned around and said that it wasn’t our day. We did everything. We moved them around and tried anything we could. When I saw the net rattling below, I changed my mind fairly fast! I was hoping then that the whistle would go ‘this will do us now’. Give us the draw any day after that few seconds.”

Although they let a ten point lead slide, they learned something substantial in extra time. They became accustomed to hitting the front and staying there but this time they gritted their teeth in a losing situation. Shane Bennett’s energy recharged them. He took a chance for his first goal by running into the space and screaming for possession and gambled again at the end with an overhead double that connected with Kieran’s delivery and rippled the roof of the Canal goal.

Their 3-6 to 0-6 half time position slightly flattered them given the running threat that Creggan carried through Kevin Rice and Conor McCann. The Ulster champions generated 13 scoring chances compared to Saggart’s 11. Stephen Bennett spooked the Creggan rearguard in that first thirty. There was a touch of Paul Flynn about the surprise factor involved in stitching the first three pointer. He dribbled low under the defenders who couldn’t react in time. When moved out to wing forward, he took down Matty Meagher’s puck out with crafty stickwork and dashed off with the sliotar to slot the point. He collected 1-4 for himself and added three assists. Creggan decided to employ Antrim footballer Martin Johnson as a man marker from the second half onwards and he gradually began to get under his skin.

The goals arrived at opportune moments. Ronan Walsh picked out Shane Bennett in pinpoint fashion to relieve the pressure that Creggan put them under. Saggart finished the half with more conviction but there was a dollop of good fortune about their third.

Stephen Bennett knocked over a free to lengthen out to ten. They sat back in the driving seat. Shane Bennett fell back into the number five slot after half time. He carried the ball from deep and again showed his trademark spurt of speed. He never slowed down. As the minutes ticked by however the rest of the half forward line joined him in carrying out defensive work. They were hitting ball but it was coming back like a boomerang. The last ditch stuff in front of goal was heroic as Caileain O’Gorman, Daniel Devine and O’Brien took turns to salvage crisis after crisis.

Creggan sensed a weakness. Conor Small gobbled up the rebound from Kevin Rice and they were back in business. Oran McCann offered a robust presence and steadied up on the frees after an early case of the yips. When Conor McCann’s penalty skidded under Stephen Bennett, the momentum was flowing in one direction. Saggart gave up territory and although they inched towards the winning post, Creggan

A costly concession around the centre of the park was punished by a cool Conor McCann. They conclusively won the second half by 2-7 to 0-4. Only Ronan Walsh scored from play amongst that four.

Extra time beckoned and Saggart were running out of petrol. “They were a little down alright,” Meagher mentioned afterwards. They craved a score and Shane Bennett’s second that slipped through the goalkeeper’s grasp kept them even though Creggan did snatch the next two points. The second period produced a patient Ken Cashell point and a non-stop ten minutes from Kieran Bennett. A brace of seemed to settle it before Shane Bennett served up an encore.

Kieran Fennessy’s loss to a groin injury after 34 minutes destabilised the defence. "We had Kieran our full back going off and it kind of upset us there a small bit" said Eugene O'Brien who stepped back to fill in. The joint captain flung his body into the line of fire with blocks and slight touches to protect Matty Meagher’s His presence was sorely missed from the centre however. It came as no coincidence that Oran McCann became more prominent away from the clutches of the experienced defender. By the end of normal time, they were on life support. Creggan’s physical strength and fitness came to their fore. Two of their substitutes made a scoring impact. Ballysaggart will realise that they lost their shape up front and aided their opponents’ rehab. Meagher stated honestly that they can also increase the output from their main men. “We know that there was a few of our guys that didn’t really go today and they could have four or five fellas where there is a lot more in them.”

The mad cap spectacle on an afternoon of topsy turvy conditions will remain locked in for some time. Ballysaggart rose to the occasion on and off the field. They filled four buses for the capital with one of them suffering a puncture along the way. A full two hours before throw in, the Croke Park hotel was bustling with blue and navy colours. The trademark knitted hats, which are moving like hot cakes in the village, were modelled by young and old. The goodwill throughout the county was expressed by the variety of clubs in attendance to lend their support.

After a heart stopping eighty, supporters, management and players fully appreciate how hard it is to unlock the gates to All Ireland heaven. “I think that it’s going to be another cliff hanger the next day," Meagher predicts. "There doesn’t seem to be much between them. Hopefully we will turn up the next day and come out on top. It’s going to take a mighty, mighty effort to win this one.”

Game fifteen takes them to Mullingar where they will reach a definitive verdict. "How can I protect you in this crazy world? It's alright."

Whyte receives welcome back-up – Tipperary 0-12 Waterford 1-9

Niall Carew correctly praised the three point contribution of JJ Hutchinson after a second half reprisal earned a draw in Clonmel. “JJ was a big plus up front getting three points from play and it takes the pressure off Paul Whyte.”

The full forward shot 1-5 for the second week running to climb to third position in the outright scoring charts over the four divisions. He cannot operate as a lone gunman however. Hutchinson seized his chance when Tommy Prendergast was ruled out beforehand with a hamstring knock. The Gaultier predator should get an extended run in the team to carry his prolific club form into county numbers.

Shane Ahearne seemed determined to bury the skeleton of round one. He struck the first score and proceeded to direct the first half traffic from midfield. Eight wides wasted most of that positive play. Players unaccustomed to such advanced areas took poor options. In the second half, the ball was worked to the pair of reliable shooters.

The home side hit a hot streak of five points in six minutes after half time. By that stage, all six Tipperary forwards had raised at least one white flag. Two more Waterford wides followed and that appeared to end their interest. The work rate never dropped however and the substitutes reached the pace of the game immediately. They made mistakes, suffered turnovers and conceded a high number of frees (many quite questionable) but stayed with a patient build-up. The forwards continued to track back to tackle rigorously. They overturned the deficit through a string of Hutchinson and Whyte points. Philip Austin tied the match for the seventh time. Waterford probed for a winner. They moved the ball over and back. Eventually Shane Briggs crossed the gain line and nearly won a free before transferring to Whyte. The ball waivered to the right for wide number eleven.

Despite the nagging feeling of a point that slipped away, Carew didn’t show any signs of regret afterwards. Paul Whyte is normally the right man to get the ball for that last score but in fairness a draw was probably a fair result overall. Both teams dominated the game for a certain amount of time. We came to get a result and we got it. I would have liked to get the win alright but we are still in the league going up to Casement in three weeks’ time.”

They can cling to something over that lengthy breather. The trouble is on the resumption they will meet a Saffron side desperately searching for points after two shock defeats. The manager believes that there is still some wriggle room. “We have a big game now against Antrim and I still think you can afford to drop two points. With five games left, eight or nine points might get you up. We are still aiming for that. We feel that we are a match for anyone in this division.”

Repair work necessary in urgent points chase - Tipperary v Waterford preview

After a shattering seven point home loss to Clare, Niall Carew rattled off the list of repairs for the week ahead. “I think that we need to come off the shoulder a bit more, we need to keep our width and we need to empty the tank everywhere and not just seven or eight positions. At this level, if you don’t do that, you will be found wanting. That’s what happened to us today.”


Management and players realise the consequences of a repeat showing. Tipperary trounced fourteen man Carlow by 19 points in round one. The result was skewed somewhat by the eighth minute dismissal of Paul Broderick but this was still a statement of promotion intent. Five of the six starting front men raised a flag and two more weighed on off the bench. Conor Sweeney hit 1-8 with Barry Grogan not far behind on six points. Conal McCullagh from Tyrone adds to their options. Losing their two opening fixtures cost Peter Creedon’s team promotion in 2013 so they are eager to make amends. Selector Michael O;Loughlin stated their goals to the Nenagh Guardian before the league began. “Five wins will probably be enough to get promoted and the target will be to get five or six wins. And hopefully that will get us there.”


Supplying the full forward line proved problematic for Waterford last weekend. Swifter movement and greater use of the kick pass from back to front may find Paul Whyte with more frequency. He needs support however and only two other forwards helped out against the Banner (Tony Grey and Declan Allen). JJ Hutchinson may earn an upgrade from the bench. He smacked a second half goal attempt off the crossbar last Sunday.


There are reasons to believe that Carew’s crew can beat the seven day turnaround. For starters, they cannot afford to concede 26 frees on a regular basis. A 28 minute barren period is also unlikely to repeated. They will hardly hit the frame of the goal four times again. Quick fix solutions exist to lessen these worrying numbers.

After the trip to Tipp, the league pauses for an irritating three weeks. Waterford may source the improvements that the bainsteoir craves in Clonmel but perhaps not the result.

Recent meetings with Tipp

2013 League at Fraher Field
Waterford 2-8 Tipperary 0-9

2013 McGrath Cup at Tipperary Town
Tipperary 1-12 Waterford 2-8 (AET)

2011 League at Fraher Field
Waterford 2-8 Tipperary 0-9

2011 McGrath Cup at Walsh Park
Waterford 0-11 Tipperary 0-9

Odds: Tipperary 2/9 Draw 9/1 Waterford 4/1

Can Ballysaggart rise early once more? – All Ireland junior club final preview

Creggan will have the sandbags stacked in the event of another first half flash flood from Ballysaggart on Saturday. It simply occurs far too frequently to categorize it as a freak event.

In their last seven matches, Saggart have held the upper hand at the midway point. Furthermore, they have recorded the first score in four out of their last five outings. These thunderous downpours are often accompanied by the flash of a green flag. Feenagh/Kilmeedy momentarily slipped ahead in the Munster final before Stephen Bennett smashed a sixth minute goal. He had landed the opening punch for six games in succession until the All Ireland semi final when Shane beat him to it. Stephen is available at 11/2 for the first goal on Saturday.

They force teams onto the backfoot and often catch them with a tactical twist. The management hold room for manoeuvre in the forward line. The front six serve as moveable pieces of the attacking jigsaw. Stephen Bennett pops up on the wing if full forward proves too stuffy, Ronan Walsh interchanges between positions twelve and fourteen and Shane Bennett also hops between both lines. As always, the management will arrive with a plan prepared. After consulting with Fullen Gaels and doing the research, Adrian Meagher, Pat Ryan and Pat Bennett land at Headquarters well briefed. They will want to use their mobility to exploit the full width of Croke Park and avoid the physical confrontation. 

They are scoring freely, averaging 2-16 per game. Over the course of thirteen outings, they have managed 26 goals. Those three pointers make up the key ingredient to the jump starts they have enjoyed up to now. Their opponents surveyed the semi final in Tullamore and know what’s coming.

Creggan reached the Ulster final in 2011 and lost to Burt of Donegal before making the breakthrough in 2013. All three of their provincial championship games were settled by a puck of the ball. One points wins over Kilclief and Coleraine was followed by a slightly more comfortable three point triumph against thirteen man Craobh Rua of Armagh in the decider. They recovered from four in arrears to defeat Fullen Gaels by five (2-10 to 1-8). Their starting fifteen could contain five McCanns. Oran scored seven points in both the Ulster final and All Ireland semi final. Conor represented the county under 21 team in their shock All Ireland appearance last September. Half back Martin Johnson plays with the Antrim senior footballers.

The Ballysagart defence are holding teams to around 14 points per game. They have conceded 12 goals and kept two clean sheets in a row. While the focus will be placed on Oran and Conor McCann, Conleth McGrenaghan and Conor Small can pinch goals. They lean once more on the steadiness of Matty Meagher at number one and Eugene O’Brien at number six.

Management have successfully shielded the hype up to this point. The performance levels are yet to dip. They take the business of winning this competition very seriously. Even with prior notice, their opponents cannot seem to find shelter from the shower of goals and points in the opening half. Even if Creggan muster a relief effort on final day, Saggart appear unlikely to hit the panic button. All the meticulous planning on and off the field shouldn’t go to waste.

Ballysaggart’s half time headway

Ballysaggart 2-7 Modeligo 1-7
Ballysaggart 2-6 Colligan 0-5
Ballysaggart 1-10 Tramore 0-5
Ballysaggart 1-5 Grenagh 0-4
Ballysaggart 0-6 Knockshegowna 0-2
Ballysaggart 1-8 Feenagh/Kilmeedy 0-9
Ballysaggart 3-10 Calry St Joseph’s 0-2

Likely line-ups

Ballysaggart: M Meagher; B Ryan, K Fennessy, D Devine; B Murphy, E O’Brien, C O’Gorman; C Murphy, K Bennett; K Cashell, D Meagher, R Walsh; Shane Bennett, Stephen Bennett, T Bennett.

Creggan Kickhams: B Prenter; D McCann, A Maguire, D Carey; F McAuley, T McCann, M Johnston; S Maguire, A McKeown; K Rice, O McCann, C McGrenaghan; C Small, J Dougan, C McCann

Odds: Ballysaggart 1/4 Draw 11/1 Creggan 3/1

Route to Croke Park - Ballysaggart v Creggan Kickhams

Ballysaggart

Scores for: 26-200 (Average 22 points per game)

Scores against: 12-151 (Average 14 points per game)

Western Championship Round 1
Ballysaggart 5-30 Kilgobnet 1-9

Western Championship Round 2
Ballysaggart 3-13 Colligan 1-17

Western Championship Round 3
Modeligo 2-18 Ballysaggart 1-15

Western Championship Round 4
Ballysaggart 0-16 Geraldines 0-14

Western Championship Round 5
Ballysaggart 1-14 St Mary’s 1-9

Western Championship Semi Final
Ballysaggart 1-15 Modeligo 3-9

Western Championship Semi Final Replay
Ballysaggart 2-17 Modeligo 1-17

Western Championship Final
Ballysaggart 3-13 Colligan 0-12

County Final
Ballysaggart 1-18 Tramore 1-9

Munster Quarter Final
Ballysaggart 1-12 Grenagh 1-9

Munster Semi Final
Ballysaggart 1-12 Knockshegowna 1-5

Munster Final
Ballysaggart 3-12 Feenagh/Kilmeedy 0-15

All Ireland Semi Final
Ballysaggart 4-13 Calry/St Joseph’s 0-8

Creggan Kickhams

Scores for: 14-97 (Average 20 points per game)
Scores against: 15-55 (Average 14 points per game)

County Quarter Final
Creggan Kickhams 4-17 St Agnes GAC 5-5

County Semi Final
Creggan Kickhams 1-16 Con Magees 0-4

County Final
Creggan Kickhams 3-8 Robert Emmetts Cushendun 1-9

Ulster Quarter Final
Creggan Kickhams 1-13 Kilclief 2-9

Ulster Semi Final
Creggan Kickhams 3-20 Coleraine 5-13

Ulster Final
Creggan Kickhams 0-13 Craobh Rua 1-7

All Ireland Semi Final
Creggan Kickhams 2-10 Fullen Gaels 1-8

Steep incline following false start - Clare 3-10 Waterford 1-9

Clare quickly pierced the mood of pre-match positivity and promotion possibilty. They meant business from the first throw in that Gary Brennan caught out of the air.

“We struggled from the start of the game,” Niall Carew said after the management and players assembled in a huddle. “We felt that we had a good pre-season and we were living off that coming into this game. The league is a different animal. We were second best for most of the game. I just felt that we seemed to leave it all on the training field.”

It took twelve minutes for Waterford to launch their first meaningful attack. By that stage they trailed by 1-1 to 0-0. Martin O’Leary caused a nuisance and tucked away his goal chance when Shane Brennan tapped down Shane Hickey’s high delivery.The presence of Brennan meant that the struggled to gain primary ball at midfield. David Tubridy was afforded the space for two from play.

The probing of Shane Briggs from centre back and two points apiece from Paul Whyte and Tony Grey brought them within reach. Whyte and Wayne Hutchinson formed the full forward partnership but they were well stewarded. Waterford needed to move the ball much quicker to find them. A rare example of this was on 20 minutes when two swift kick passes down the left wing found Whyte who curled over superbly. Clare held a well merited two point lead at half time with the wind at their backs on their return.

The heavens opened during the interval and no one wanted to budge. The officials took shelter under the dug outs. Whyte nabbed one back but Waterford toiled for 28 minutes without a score after that. The full forward flicked a goal chance narrowly wide and then hit the post from a free. The Kilrossanty fourteen tried in vain but required assistance. A double substitution for the Banner, shoving in Podge Collins and Michael O’Shea reinvigorated the visitors. Collins made an immediate impression with a point off the outside of the boot. On 48 minutes, Clare pounced on a lucky break for Shane McGrath to write off the contest.

With David Tubridy acting as the ideal target man and O’Shea striking a third goal the lead fattened to twelve at one point. A late flurry of 1-2 from Whyte reeled them in to seven by the end. That last gasp goal marked Waterford’s first score from play in the second half.

On referee watch, Fergal Kelly penalised the home side frequently and unfairly at times. Clare won the free count handsomely (26 to 12).“I felt that they got the frees easier than we did,” Carew noted. He also didn’t opt for the black card despite clear evidence of deliberate pull downs and trips. At least the advantage rule was implemented correctly. When a Clare forward was fouled but kicked short into the goalkeeper, Kelly whistled back for a free which Tubridy knocked over.

What a difference one game makes. Waterford have now drifted out to 16/1 in the Division 4 market. Next up is high flying Tipperary. Peter Creedon’s Premier tallied 2-24 against fourteen man Carlow. Eleven different players chipped in to that hiding. They are 5/4 favourites to lift Division 4 honours. Is one week sufficient to bridge that gap? Niall Carew emphasised the importance of rebounding. "We have Tipp next week and I won’t say it’s a do or die game but it’s getting close to that already. When you lose your first game, it puts you under a lot of pressure." Expect a backlash, a shored up defence and a more sprightly attack to show up in Clonmel next Sunday.

Waterford v Clare stats

Scorers for Clare: D Tubridy 0-6 (3fs), S McGrath, M O’Leary (f) 1-1 each, M O’Shea 1-0, P Collins, S Brennan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Waterford: P Whyte 1-5 (3fs), T Grey 0-2, S Briggs, D Allen 0-1 each.

Clare: P Deloughrey; D Ryan, K Harnett, M McMahon; S Hickey, Stephen Collins, M Murphy; C O’Connor, G Brennan; S Brennan, S McGrath, Sean Collins; M O’Leary, D Tubridy, J Malone.

Subs: P Collins for S Brennan (41), M O’Shea for Malone (41), G Kelly for Stephen Collins (59), P McMahon for Tubridy (64), K O’Connor for Hickey (66), J Keane for Sean Collins (70).

Wides: 6

Frees: 26

Waterford: S Enright; D Crowley, T O Gorman, K Connery; C O Keeffe, S Briggs, C Phelan; T Prendergast, S Ahearne; P Whyte, L Ó Lonáin, D Allen; W Hutchinson, B Wall, T Grey.

Subs: JJ Hutchinson for W Hutchinson (45), O Keevers for Prendergast (53), T Ó hUallacháin for Phelan (60), T Connors for Allen (63), J Hayden for Briggs (67).

Yellow cards: W Hutchinson (16), C Phelan (41), T Prendergast (52).

Wides: 7

Frees 12

Referee: F Kelly (Longford)

Push for progression and promotion – Waterford v Clare preview

A judgement call could be made on the Waterford footballers’ season by April 6. To move forward from that close shave in Salthill, winning momentum must be built from the league. They only managed three in that column between league and championship during 2013. 

At the very least, they will strive to sustain an interest in promotion by the closing rounds. That hasn’t been the case in the last two campaigns which concluded with underwhelming sixth and fifth placed finishes respectively. Bright spots certainly like the Aughrim ambush in 2012 and two opening triumphs in 2013 but more than a whiff of inconsistency overall. Fermanagh, Carlow, London, Limerick and Offaly all drove home with points banked from visits to the Déise. Four home games this time around present the possibility of a sustained push at the sharp end. Clare, London, Leitrim and Carlow comprise the travelling party.

Carew has settled on a tight knit panel willing to exert everything . No half measures accepted. “It took a full year for players to realise what commitment it takes to play at this level. Any of the lads that have dropped themselves off the panel or if I have dropped them it’s for reasons all to do with commitment and work does take over for a lot of lads. Unfortunately, Gaelic Football has to be top of the list. Everything else has to come second and third and that includes work unfortunately.” The management team, boosted by former Kildare campaigner Ronan Sweeney, are much happier with their lead in to the league than twelve months ago.

Carew throws three newbies into the first round on Sunday (Dean Crowley, Declan Allen and Wayne Hutchinson). The selected fifteen shows five changes in all from the one point qualifier loss to Galway. Tom Wall deputises for Stephen Enright. John Kiely routinely sang his praises and in the 2009 league, he allowed only a single goal past. Wall started for the junior team in their run to the Munster final last year. Debutant Dean Crowley of St Saviours and the returning Kieran Connery flank Thomas O’Gorman in the full back line. Carew praised Crowley for his recent performances on the challenge trail and that clearly twisted his arm. Declan Allen, a bossy presence at midfield for Clashmore, starts at number 12. He was introduced with a handful of minutes left in Salthill. Wayne Hutchinson is named in the corner but is more likely to drift. A strong ball winner for Gaultier during the club championship, at either midfield or centre forward, he kept them clear of the trap door. Enright, Niall Walsh, Maurice O’Gorman, Andy Doyle and Gary Hurney make up the missing men. 

Despite battering away annually, Clare cannot negotiate an escape route from Division 4. They haven’t given up hope with Cratloe’s Colm Collins now in charge. They also include three fresh faces in Pierse Deloughrey, Martin O’Leary and Jamie Malone. Three Kilmurry Ibrickane members are listed in defence. Midfielder Gary Brennan is a Railway Cup regular and can pop points also. He looks certain to slug it out with Tommy Prendergast. Speed merchant Sean Collins returns to the big ball at wing forward. David Tubridy’s threat requires no introduction. He scored 1-31 in last year’s league. Podge Collins is listed among the substitutes.

In inconvenient weather and without competitive McGrath Cup game time, expect a low scoring encounter. Fergal Kelly’s implementation of the new rules will also be monitored as these two acclimatise. If Thomas O’Gorman can tie up Tubridy and Paul Whyte receives enough ammunition, Waterford can begin to look onwards and upwards.

Waterford: T Wall; D Crowley, T O'Gorman, K Connery; C O'Keeffe, S Briggs, C Phelan; T Prendergast, S Ahearne; T Grey, B Wall, D Allen; W Hutchinson, P Whyte, L Ó Lonáin.

Clare: P Deloughrey; D Ryan, K Harnett, M McMahon; S Hickey, E Coughlan, M Murphy; C O’Connor, G Brennan; S Brennan, S McGrath, S Collins; M O’Leary, D Tubridy, J Malone.

Referee: F Kelly (Longford)

Odds: Waterford Evens Draw 15/2 Clare Evens

Recent clashes with Clare

2013 League at Miltown Malbay
Waterford 1-9 Clare 0-11

2012 League at Cusack Park
Clare 1-17 Waterford 0-12

2010 Championship at Fraher Field
Waterford 1-10 Clare 0-9

2010 League at Fraher Field
Waterford 0-20 Clare 2-5

2009 League at Cusack Park
Waterford 0-15 Clare 0-12

2008 Championship at Cusack Park
Clare 0-9 Waterford 0-7

2008 League at Fraher Field
Waterford 1-13 Clare 0-10

2007 Championship at Fraher Field
Waterford 1-6 Clare 0-7