Shaft of light shines in harsh new reality

The toss of the euro on Monday afternoon turned up the first piece of positive news in a forgettable fortnight for the Waterford camp. Two confidence crushers compounded by injuries to Maurice Shanahan (back) and Jake Dillon (knee) hit the team clean on the chin. The additions to the casualty list diminished the goal threat of a forward line leaning heavily on dead ball reliability and long range accuracy. And only one week to soothe body and mind for a probable bone rattler with Dublin. These sudden setbacks required some manner of boost to soften the blow of a relegation play-off that appeared unlikely a short time ago. Walsh Park offers a warm blanket of certainty compared to Croke Park.

Much has changed in the space of three weeks since the sides last met. A seventy minute inquest showed the seriousness of Waterford’s situation even this early in the campaign. This punishing league of five rounds allows precious little time to pause. Two damaging halves of hurling away to the top two in the All Ireland race flattened the tyres in the depressing end game last weekend. No noise escaped into the corridors. Seven reporters paced the floor and some sank to the floor and type on their laptops. The ground staff anxiously waited to lock up. Just before five, Waterford eventually reappeared out of the dressing room door led by chairman Tom Cunningham and trailed by the players. An apologetic Derek McGrath swiftly followed along with the rest of the management structure. He deflected the importance of the hold up. “Basically, we were just planning for the match next week and the implications of playing in a relegation play-off. It was basically just to plan for next week, what way we train for the week and the implications of where the match will be on. We were just summing up what way we will approach it etc.”

He was insistent that spirits remain high. “The mood is very positive. We have a young group there. We have a fusion of more experienced members of the panel with young guys. That process itself takes some time. Morale is not an issue with this particular group, they are a very spirited group. We feel that we are very unified. I’m not just preaching pragmatism. We targeted our two home games and if we could pick up something along the way. We were very close to picking up something in the Tipperary game. I think we have the same number of points as three other teams and yet we are in a relegation match.”

Dublin lifted their heads after round three. The Sky Blues defeated Kilkenny by 1-22 to 3-13 on the following Saturday night in Parnell Park as All Star Danny Sutcliffe shot 1-5 against Kilkenny. They sped 0-9 to 0-3 ahead by the 20 minute mark in Semple Stadium. Anthony Daly lingered on the fact that they only departed with one to spare at half time. “I felt we over elaborated in our play before half-time and it cost us. We just took too much out of the ball when we should have kept it simple. We were doing things very well and we should have just stuck to that to the break and we would have had that cushion, whereas we had only the point then.” Tipperary reeled them in on 47 minutes through Patrick Maher’s goal as they got the job done just about. Top scorer Alan McCrabbe is striking superbly since taking over the free taking duties from Paul Ryan. The contrasting mood music means that Dublin roll into town as slender 5/6 favourites.

Most of the conservation and action in Déise circles will surround the attacking template despite the recent leakage of 9-40. Derek McGrath mentioned keeping things as tight as possible when speaking with TG4 in a pre-match interview. The strategy worked a treat for the opening half. They clipped the first three points. An attack down the right wing after just four minutes showed what can happen when backs get caught on their heels by a forward that turns for goal. Maurice Shanahan broke through two tackles down the sideline. A rare sight. He sprinted away. The force of four Kilkenny defenders and a JJ Delaney made the ball spill back for Jamie Barron to score.

Although Maurice Shanahan and Austin Gleeson started in the corners, they drifted out the space vacated by wing forwards Jamie Barron and Stephen Molumphy. Barron tracked Colin Fennelly which allowed Michael Walsh perform the sweeper role. Brian O Sullivan was cast in the lone striker role to hold up and score. Under scrutiny from JJ Delaney, he hurried two shots wide of the uprights. Tensed up shooting from Kilkenny, five magnificent Mahony frees and a Shane O’Sullivan belter kept them clinging on.

Fergal Hartley agreed with the stance at half time in the commentary box on WLR FM. The plan lacked the flexibility however to attack the win. They just needed to, at the very least, tie up the Kilkenny backs and switch to a more orthodox set up. Early in the second half, 14 Waterford shirts got sucked into their own half. This left Brian O’Sullivan all alone inside the 65 at the opposite end of the field. The backs could no longer cope as the black and amber pushed up.

A booming Eoin Murphy puckout landed in Richie Power’s paw. He plated it for Eoin Larkin. At 2-8 to 0-9, the defensive formation was deemed redundant. Changing mid- stream to suddenly chase a game proved extremely difficult given the momentum shift. Stephen Molumphy and Ray Barry eventually joined O’Sullivan with the Lismore sub sharply striking four points from play to somehow enhance his standing in the middle of a downturn. The aggression in the tackle shown in the first half (in particular by a Tadhg De Burca hit on Richie Power) dissipated as Kilkenny totalled 3-15 with embarrassing ease.

“I think that we got overrun,” McGrath detailed afterwards. “A couple of goals went in and we lost our shape for a while and Kilkenny did what they do. When they get a scent of blood, they go for the jugular and that’s what happened to us, we are no different from any other team that have come up here over the years. We just have to pick ourselves up and that’s what we intend to do. We were very happy at half time in terms of the level of application and work rate of the guys. We felt confident with the breeze at our backs in the second half. We probably didn’t turn up for the second half and Kilkenny probably upped it. We were overrun as I say.”

The number of chances diminished even from the Clare encounter. Waterford still managed to win a considerable amount of puckout possession. They claimed 27 compared to 34 for the Cats. 24 scoring chances produced and a return eight points from play is a disappointing level of forward output.

Dublin harbour similar doubts. It comes as no coincidence that the two lowest scorers in Division 1A end up in this battle for survival. Waterford average 17 points per game with Dublin slightly higher on 19 points. 16 different Déise players have auditioned up front at some stage over the five rounds with 13 of the Dubs undertaking the same process.

187 league minutes have passed since Pauric Mahony shook the cobwebs at the Keane’s road goal. Only a sprinkling of clear cut chances have materialised since with Stephen Molumphy’s second half burst the standout opportunity last Sunday. Dublin fired five net rustlers but two of those come under the category of defensive presents generously gift wrapped.

Pauric Mahony (1-42) and Alan McCrabbe (0-32) are far out in front as the leading marksmen for their respective sides. Their free taking must hold up once more. Brian O’Sullivan and Ray Barry rank as next best on the Waterford list with eight points apiece. Conal Keaney (2-7) and Danny Sutcliffe (1-8) are chipping in from play for the Sky Blues.

Two glaring concessions in the first half last Sunday cost Jamie Nagle his place. That 32 minute appearance was a rare off day as his distribution is mostly on the money. His deliveries into the forward line may be missed here. While Shane O’Sullivan slots into the team listed, don’t be surprised to see Kevin Moran take up a position in the half back line. Seamus Prendergast makes a welcome return to offer a direct route to goal and the bulk badly missing last weekend. Pauric Mahony must orchestrate and get the best out of the most potent full forward currently available. He avoided the anticipated direct duel with Liam Rushe last time around but he needs to show for possession and supply Brian O’Sullivan and Ray Barry. Waterford may tweak by starting with a front three that remain pinned down but still allowing Jamie Barron and Austin Gleeson float around to ensure that there will be a real scrap around the middle.

Despite bedding into the league after crumbling to Galway, the 2014 edition of Dublin remain a team that blow hot and cold from match to match or within the 70 minutes itself. The result hinges on whether Daly’s men can prove that they have enhanced their attacking options since hitting their heads off a brick wall against 14 men three weeks previous. The same challenge applies to Derek McGrath and his management team as they move away from the structure that reduced their scoring potential.

In this league of home rule, that coin toss may be enough to break the cycle of bad breaks. Waterford are unbeaten in their last six league ties with Dublin on home turf. Their opponents are now well versed in taking a spin in this direction. It’s 2009 since they hosted the Déise in Parnell Park. If Waterford figure out an alternative attacking strategy in the nick of time, they can capitalise and extend their three season stay in a six team top flight. Around twenty points could do the trick.

Learning to move forward - Kilkenny v Waterford preview

 

On second viewing of the Cusack Park collapse, the puckout stats from the first half revealed astonishingly that Waterford broke even at 15 apiece.

They won the first six but for a twenty minute spell, Clare soaked up twice as many as their opponents. The attacks that Waterford did mount fizzled out as they were brushed off the ball and dispossessed all too easily. If the inside ball didn’t stick immediately, a flick away by the defender was enough to deal with the danger as cover arrived to complete the clearance. Two short balls into the goalkeeper and four wides also showed a certain wastage of the scraps thrown inside. Making more damaging incisions on Sunday will be high on the agenda for the management team as much as papering over the defensive cracks. With heat applied to the forward by Banner backs, hasty decisions and turnovers resulted. 18 minutes passed (between the seventh and 25th) without a strike at the posts.

The lone success story was Brian O’Sullivan who troubled his marker Domhnaill O’Donovan and managed four shots in that first half. His goal chance materialised from a short puck out that Stephen O’Keeffe played to Shane Fives on 21 minutes. The number three drilled it down the tracks for O’Sullivan to gather and turn for goal. Considering the forward line selected for Sunday (shorn of Seamus Prendergast) and the success of that patient strategy against Kilkenny in league and championship last year, it may be the plan adopted to repair the damage. Derek McGrath will also hope to make use of the direct running of Kevin Moran from deep (relieved from centre back duties) and Maurice Shanahan closer to goal. Along with O’Sullivan, Shanahan’s play count reached double figures as possession stuck on his introduction. Even with just two half chances for goals, Waterford generated 36 opportunities. Ten wides accumulated, five attempts fell short and Maurice Shanahan saw his 21 metre free stopped.

John Mullane voiced his concern during the week in The Star about the Pauric Mahony's solitary green flag in 280 minutes of league action. "We don't look like scoring a goal and we don't look like threatening a goal - that would be a big worry. The reasons for that is that Waterford are playing kind of a defensive game at the moment and I think to progress in the summer, to have a chance of silverware, they're going to have to find a way to score goals." The attacking reshuffle made on Friday night suggests subtle changes. Without the direct Seamus Prendergast option, using the pace of Shanahan, O'Sullivan and company to take on their markers appears the only way to get in behind a home defence that has leaked eight league goals. Mullane urged an injection of speed. "Derek and his team are going to have to find players that have speed and mobility to get up and down if they're to go the same route they're going."

The vote of confidence given to the defence comes as no surprise. The lack of protection last weekend and their level of security in the first three rounds merited another trial. The individual error count must tumble however. Four Clare points were completely avoidable. Two early turnovers in the red zone saw Podge Collins and Shane O’Donnell capitalise. A free came against Philip Mahony while in possession and then a short puckout went astray for another Collins point.

Michael Walsh returns to shield Shane Fives but he will encounter a Colin Fennelly conundrum. The 24 year old has stepped up with 4-6 so far to ease the burden on the more established names. A steady stream has also arrived from Walter Walsh in each game (eleven points in total). Rookies Mark Kelly and Jonjo Farrell are also bedding in. And if anyone needed reminding that Henry Shefflin is ready to attack 2014, just watch his first 70 minutes against Clare.

Cody has cast an eye over 30 players thus far. Make that 31 when JJ Delaney makes his seasonal reappearance. Delaney and Jackie Tyrell pin down the central defensive slots among seven changes from the Dublin defeat. While Tommy Walsh has been substituted at half time in two games, his brother Padraic has burst into life for UL and Kilkenny. His all action style can be best deployed at midfield and he can also pop a point or two.

Their away defeats arrived of the narrow variety to Clare (one) and Dublin (three). They made a big statement in forcing a 16 point turnabout against Tipp before a more subdued one to follow-up with Galway. The loosely defined role of Colin Fennelly and the newer faces are offering a different dynamic but it remains to be seen conclusively whether Cody’s template moves away from the tried and trusted.

Waterford will aim to mount the barriers from the floodwater and avoid too much aerial combat. Given the role that Jamie Barron filled for UCC this year, he will look to carry ball from midfield along with Stephen Molumphy. Pauric Mahony meets Jackie Tyrell and whoever emerges more prominently may determine the inroads made on the Kilkenny goal. Interventions by Paul Murphy, Delaney and Tyrell will be greeted with gusto by the Nowlan Park faithful. Keeping them quiet requires a discipline from the visitors to persist with sneaking around the sides even if it does lead to frustrating inaccuracy at times.

A shootout situation no longer suits Waterford down to the ground. With this in mind, the figures thrown up by Shanahan and O’Sullivan in particular are crucial in fashioning a total to trouble Kilkenny. As shown below, Waterford are reliant on Pauric Mahony for 54 per cent of their scores. The gulf between Mahony (1-37) and club colleague Brian O’Sullivan in second place (0-6) raises an alarm. The leading marksman in the league and Kevin Moran stand as the only two players to register in every game.

Kilkenny’s scores are more evenly distributed between 14 different sources with Colin Fennelly and Walter Walsh making a significant input. In the four games to work from, Kilkenny average 24 points with Waterford around 18 points. The goal column stands at ten to one in favour of the Cats. This all indicates a Kilkenny win but perhaps within the five point handicap. A narrow defeat would mean calling in favours from Anthony Daly and Davy Fitzgerald to deal with Tipperary and Galway. After running the rule over 26 players and collecting two home wins, a relegation play-off hardly spells disaster but greater peace of mind defensively and an efficiency attacking strategy should be on the checklist for Sunday.

Kilkenny Scorers

Henry Shefflin 1-17 (13fs, 2 65s)
Colin Fennelly 4-6
Walter Walsh 0-11
TJ Reid 1-7 (1-0 pen, 4fs)
Richie Hogan 1-6 (1f)
Mark Kelly 2-1
Padraig Walsh 0-5
John Power 1-1
Eoin Larkin 0-4 (3fs, 1 65’)
Jonjo Farrell 0-3
Geoff Brennan 0-3
Cillian Buckley 0-1
Richie Power 0-1
Aidan Fogarty 0-1

Waterford Scorers

Pauric Mahony 1-37 (27fs, 1 65’)
Brian O’Sullivan 0-6
Ray Barry 0-4
Seamus Prendergast 0-4
Kevin Moran 0-4
Maurice Shanahan 0-4 (2fs)
Ryan Donnelly 0-3
Stephen Molumphy 0-3
Philip Mahony 0-2
Stephen Roche 0-2
Jake Dillon 0-2

Waterford v Kilkenny – League trips to Nowlan Park

2000
Waterford 1-15 Kilkenny 1-13
A famous Waterford comeback made it three league wins on the bounce. They were dead and buried at ten points down (1-7 to 0-0) during the first half and the situation didn’t look much healthier entering the dressing room (1-9 to 0-4). Centre forward Stephen Grehan registered the goal with corner forwards Henry Shefflin (four points) and Charlie Carter (three points) also on song. In the March sunshine, Waterford reversed the trend. Dan Shanahan, Tony Browne and Billy O’Sullivan all came off the bench. Shanahan arrived with 1-1 and Paul Flynn hit nine points to complete an incredible turnaround.

2002
Kilkenny 1-12 Waterford 0-12
A John Hoyne goal separated the sides in this league opener. The full forward struck in the first half as the hosts drove six points in front (1-7 to 0-4). Waterford chased through eight Paul Flynn points but nine different Kilkenny players posted scores at the other end.

2004
Waterford 0-15 Kilkenny 1-10
In front of 8,000 on day one, a late Paul Flynn brace snatched the points. After playing with the benefit of the elements for the first period, Justin McCarthy’s side only had two to spare (0-10 to 1-5). Eddie Brennan scored the Kilkenny major. Flynn saw his penalty saved early in the second half by James McGarry. The Cats drew level but Flynn pulled out two late singles to bring his overall tally to seven. Dave Bennett with four points and John Mullane on three also threw in their lot.

2008
Kilkenny 0-25 Waterford 0-14
Two yellow cards for Michael Walsh before half time hindered Waterford’s hopes here. Ahead by three at half time, Kilkenny kicked on in the second half. Richie Hogan scored seven with Martin Comerford and Michael Rice responsible for four each.

2010
Kilkenny 1-20 Waterford 2-12
Both teams were out of the league running for this final round meeting. Waterford trailed by 1-10 to 0-2 at half time with Michael Grace on target. Late goals from Eoin Kelly and Kevin Moran closed the gap to three momentarily.

2011
Kilkenny 2-16 Waterford 1-13
Two scruffy second half goals from TJ Reid and Colin Fennelly swayed this tie in Kilkenny’s favour. The Cats held a four point command after the first thirty five (0-10 to 0-6). A poacher’s strike from Shane Walsh turned the tables on the restart and Waterford led by two. Reid and Fennelly restored order.

2013
Kilkenny 2-15 Waterford 0-16
Waterford’s short strategy granted a three point lead during the second half but Kilkenny outscored the visitors by 1-6 to 0-1 in the closing stages. “There’s no point in dropping high puckouts on top of the Kilkenny half back line because they have been gobbling them up for years,” Michael Ryan said afterwards. Soft concessions to Ger Aylward and Matthew Ruth helped the Cats along. “I’m disappointed. We gifted them six points and there was only five points in it at the end.”

Horrible history lesson - Clare 5-18 Waterford 0-20

“It was a chastening experience for all of us, it was an education we got,” Derek McGrath summarised straight away.

Page ten of the programme in Cusack Park reeled off a list of league results between the two counties. The first meeting in 1934 saw Clare defeat Waterford by 10-5 to 5-3 at Newmarket On Fergus. This wasn’t as lop sided, but it ran perilously close.

At half time, memories came flooding back to other massacres of the recent past. Kilkenny’s lead stood at 17 in the 2008 All Ireland (2-16 to 0-5). Tipp also departed with 17 in hand during the 2011 Munster final (5-10 to 0-8). The under 21 horror show (2-22 to 0-9) at the same venue also sprung to mind. Five of the Sunday’s starters were involved on that July evening. The difference between those three examples and Sunday’s 23 point climb was that this happened in March.

The first half statistics were frightening. Clare fired 24 shots compared to 9. For an eighteen minute spell (between the eighth and 26th minutes), Waterford didn’t trouble the target whatsoever. It took 33 minutes for Brian O’Sullivan to score from play and end a 28 minute wait since Pauric Mahony’s forgotten pair of opening frees.

Shane O’Donnell didn’t register in the three previous league outings but went to town on the space afforded in front of him. By half time, he scored 1-2 and laid on 3-1. On 45 minutes, he rounded Noel Connors and stuck the sliotar in the corner just after Waterford glued together five points. Even the best man marker on the field couldn’t put manners on the Eire Og goal machine. Stephen O’Keeffe faced down five separate one on one situations with little chance of spoiling any of them.

Davy Fitzgerald clearly studied the shape of Derek McGrath’s side. Waterford had squashed the centre previously using their half back line as part of that ploy. That left space in behind but Galway and Dublin were unable to get their hands on possession or move the ball quickly inside. Clare managed both and had support runners coming from deep. The Waterford half back line got sucked out the field with Podge Collins turning up where he liked in a wandering centre forward role. Shane Fives was sacrificed after 26 minutes even though he was left utterly exposed. O’Donnell showed not only his pace but his strength as well (take a look at the first goal where he uses his frame to protect and scoop up the sliotar before feeding Patrick Donnellan). The meanest defence in the division was torn to shreds in 35 minutes. 4-11 of the 4-15 arrived in play through eight different sources.

Michael Walsh, missing for the first time in 28 Waterford games (between league and championship) offered encouragement on the sideline but his stewardship was necessary even nearer to the action. His absence didn’t fully explain this systems failure however. Kevin Moran became completely flustered and instead of picking out Stephen Molumphy, the ball flew out over the sideline. If it was a basketball match, a time-out would have been called. Jamie Nagle dropped in front of Noel Connors before the blow for half time but the damage was done.

As the mist fell, Derek McGrath held his hands up about the absence of a sweeper to protect a prone full back line. “Clare are down the road in terms of their development and how they play. The reality is looking back on it not to go seven at the back from the start and hold them out as opposed to what happened. We just got drawn into their short game and we got sucked down the field and in fairness to poor Shane and Noel, they were left isolated. It’s hard to address that as it goes along. That’s the reality of it, that’s what happened. We will be ok and we will show resolve when we have to.”

Davy Fitzgerald offered the written press a gloomy analysis afterwards as he chewed gum and spoke in short, sullen tones. “The win was great. I was very disappointed with the second half performance. We did some great things in the first half. We moved well. We just totally lost our way in the second half. I want us to be consistent for seventy minutes. We got the result, that’s all that matters. We have things that we can work on after today. I think that Waterford just got caught cold early on. We made the faster start and if you make the faster start, then you have a bit momentum. We got that and we kept it going. Is the wind a big factor? It is a big factor. There was a nice breeze there to tell you the truth. There was some great stuff and not so great stuff.” He succeeded in shielding his satisfaction and only gave way on one matter. “The only thing I am happy about is that we are not in relegation.”

Only a couple of the visitors could be content that their ratings didn’t collapse through the roof. Brian O’Sullivan hit four from play (two in each half) and continued to show in that wretched first half. Jamie Nagle peppered passes forward throughout. Maurice Shanahan and Stephen Roche livened up matters up front on their introduction. Tadhg Bourke shook off the early jitters. The pedestrian pace allowed Waterford pick off sixteen points and it gave the panel something to cling to after the first half shock to the system.

And what about the fall-out? The next starting fifteen for Nowlan Park will be watched intently. Will Fives receive the backing to make up for a first half out of kilter with what went before? Barry Coughlan seems to be next in line if any of the back six drop out. The inner walls will be well insulated this time. Jake Dillon certainly needs to be shoved closer to goal. He picked up some possession on Sunday but was far too deep to make proper use of it. Maurice Shanahan is also a probable starter. Dan Shanahan hinted afterwards that a few more of the walking wounded may make an appearance.

The underhit efforts into Donal Tuohy were equally as frustrating as the slim total of goal prospects. A couple of Ryan Donnelly attempts at an early stage of the second half were particularly disheartening although he wasn’t the only guilty party. The wides also wound up in double digits. On the rare occasion when a green flag opening arose, Brian O’Sullivan’s track to goal was stopped by a Cian Dillon hook and Shanahan lashed a late free that was saved on the line.

Derek McGrath was present in Parnell Park last Saturday. “Kilkenny were only really getting going in the second half. I think we are going to get the sharp lash of Kilkenny at their best. I think they roll out all the big guns next Sunday.”A win lifts them into the knockouts while a loss leaves uncertainty and a reliance on results outside of their control. The odds makers give them a 3/1 chance.

Gloom lifts for dedicated footballers – Waterford 1-13 Leitrim 0-11

 

Saturday’s disruption of Leitrim in the Fraher Field sunshine lifted Waterford from last to fifth in the Division 4 standings. A much sought after first win considering the mental battering of the previous fortnight. The manic toil behind the scenes by this group has yet to translate into the consistent results they crave but at the fifth attempt, all departments worked harmoniously.

Happy to throw off a four game winless streak, Niall Carew revealed afterwards that he never contemplated ripped up a project he has worked ferociously on. “I didn’t doubt ourselves because I’m firm believer that if you keep doing the right things and keep working hard that you do get the right results. I certainly wasn’t going to throw in the towel with these lads.”

Morale sapping losses to Antrim (14 points) and London (7 points) cut deep. “You start to question yourself but what you do is that you keep reverting back that you are doing things right and the players are training very hard. We had two blips, there’s no doubt about it. In the London game, we just couldn’t score and in the Antrim game, we just never showed up.”

 Chasing losses and with Paul Whyte double marked, they struggled to find a way through defences in recent weeks. Three points from play up in Antrim followed by another three against London tells that tale. They rectified the situation by placing Shane Ahearne at full forward and bringing Whyte away from the traffic jam into a deeper and creative role. “It’s something that we are working on in training and something we worked on before the London game as well. We just didn’t get the ball in for some reason. But it has worked and we are using Shane at full forward and we are using him at midfield. We are mixing it up a small bit. When you have someone like Shane in there, lads are more likely to give the long ball because he is a big target. Paul Whyte mixed up his game very well because we found that lads were double tagging him the whole time.” Ahearne delivered 1-2, including the goal that altered the mood and the momentum. Seven players scored in all.

Defensively, they only allowed three points from play and shut up shop in the second half. Conor Phelan played out of his skin. Although not noted for his shooting, he notched two screamers in the first half. He made a telling interception to break up a Leitrim attack on the resumption. Dean Crowley (a real find in the corner from St Saviours), Shane Briggs (punching holes and a trademark points) and Kieran Connery (block towards the end) also leaped out.

In the only minus point, they shipped 23 frees as James Bermingham took charge for the second week running. Six yellow cards also confused Carew. “I think officials are very hard on Waterford. I try to beat them but it’s not working!”

With those two points banked, it’s now about adding another block. Wicklow in Aughrim on March 30 followed by a home finale with Carlow a week later are the two tasks remaining. “I know these lads and they nearly beat a Division 2 team in Galway that could probably win a Connacht final. I know that’s in them and it’s about getting the right balance. We tried a few new things this year and tweaked a few things. It’s only probably coming good today but we have to put another game with it. We have Wicklow next and it’s a great game to get.”

Waterford v Clare - Ennis encounters

2013
Waterford 2-15 Clare 1-17

These two were on equal terms eleven times in this first round clash before Jake Dillon's injury time free separated them. Close range goals from Dillon and Seamus Prendergast offered encouragement but Tony Kelly's reply made it 2-5 to 1-7 after the first 35. It was tit for that from then on before Waterford forced a free with a patient last play. Michael Ryan quizzed the journalists afterwards. “Did any of ye get a prediction right?”

2009
Waterford 0-20 Clare 0-13

On Davy's return to Cusack Park, Ken McGrath offered the creative spark from centre forward in a cosy away win. Waterford led by five at halfway and finished with ten different contributors to the scoreboard. McGrath struck four from play. "I found it difficult," Fitzgerald said afterwards. "I didn’t knock any satisfaction out of that."

2007
Clare 1-13 Waterford 0-9

The home side punished a flat Waterford performance in early March. Jamie Nagle and Kevin Moran both started up front for the visitors and only five points arrived from play. Bernard Gaffney scored 1-4 for Clare with Niall Gilligan and Barry Nugent chipping in three points each.

2004
Clare 1-16 Waterford 1-14

Late points from substitutes Daithi O'Connell and Tomás Holland allowed Clare to wriggle out of a tight encounter. The sides were inseparable at the break (seven points each). Niall Gilligan and Paul Flynn exchanged goals in the second half.

2002
Clare 0-16 Waterford 0-15

In front of 9,000 at Cusack Park, the Banner held a 0-11 to 0-6 half time advantage. A rejigged Déise attacked the second period and Ken McGrath, scorer of eight points, nudged them ahead. Points from Jamesie O'Connor and Ollie Baker guided Cyril Lyons' into the league quarter finals.

Squashed middle in store - Waterford v Dublin preview

 

Will Waterford persist with the method that has served them so well? Cramming the midfield with a search party and leaving three up in attack (one half forward and two full forwards) put two points on the board and could have earned at least one more. It’s a strategy that requires discipline and lots of hard running with the back tracking attackers expected to return to their positions when the deliveries arrive. Numbers five to nine have won their direct conflicts to date and the snipers (Pauric Mahony and Ray Barry in particular) got their eye in against Galway to cut down on the wastage. 

They are yet to meet a heavyweight opponent like Dublin however that can mix it around the middle and relish the close collisions. If there was a weigh in prior to throw in, the Sky Blues would come out on top in most categories. Liam Rushe, Ryan O’Dwyer or Conal Keaney for instance won’t be brushed off the ball as easily as the maroon men.

The starting fifteen suggests a consistency of approach. Stephen Molumphy and Shane O’Sullivan (named on the wings) tend to gravitate towards the centre in order to gather and distribute possession. Ray Barry showed in the Galway game that he is comfortable at either wing forward or corner forward. League debutant Shane McNulty offers another versatile option that can slot in from numbers 2 to 12. Prior to the start of the league, the De La Salle youngster featured at wing back against Mount Leinster Rangers. His striking appeared sharp on that night in Carraiganore and he delivered passes inside with assertiveness. Waterford swarmed in numbers but also broke swiftly into attacking mode upon seizing the ball against Galway. Derek McGrath depends on the forwards to get back into position quickly and show for the half backs and midfield when they look up.

Liam Rushe presents a fresh challenge for the wandering Pauric Mahony. The two time All Star possesses the athleticism and judgement to cause trouble if he follows Mahony out. This looseness may just play into his hands. The number eleven sets the temperature for this Waterford side so a cold afternoon would spell a Dublin downpour. He represents the link man, the supplier and the finisher. 21 points over two league games. He has to show up and he has yet to disappoint for college or county.

If the line to Mahony goes dead, the direct one to Seamus Prendergast remains the only other obvious passage. The Ardmore man again demonstrated the value of his presence on his first start and it is hard to contemplate entering championship battle without him. Derek McGrath’s comments directly after that Galway game made for interesting reading about Prendergast’s insecurity about his place in the grand scheme of things following a rusty substitute appearance in Semple Stadium. “In the analysis of last week’s game, Seamus came on and the game was at such an intensity that even a guy like Seamus, who has given so much for Waterford, had inner doubts during the week about where he was at in terms of the panel. I’m delighted for him to have that performance today and he had the full back in a lot of trouble. It was the old fashioned approach of getting it in a bit earlier and mixing it up because of the day that was in it.”If he can improve his decision making by a fraction when the path is clear to goal, Waterford’s green flag fever may become a thing of the past. On a couple of occasions against Galway, he seemed slightly uncertain when presented with the possibility. Peter Kelly will stand by his side for the afternoon. Dublin also used the direct line to Conal Keaney against Clare and he churned out 1-3. A goalless seventy is available at 9/1. If either of these goal shy teams manage to rattle one on Sunday, it is likely to come through this pair, one way or another.

Anthony Daly leans on ten of the team that started in last year’s All Ireland semi final. Paul Ryan is a surprising omission. He scored 3-32 in championship 2013. After missing a simple free in Salthill however, he was hauled off four minutes before half time. Moving in the other direction is Alan McCrabbe who returns to the fold after a year out. He has assumed the dead ball duties and returned 12 frees and a sideline cut. All Star Danny Sutcliffe injured his ankle playing with Trinity in the Ryan Cup last weekend. They buried their opening day blues up West by limiting Clare to just seven points from play in Parnell Park. Although named in the half forward line, Keaney should spend some time testing the dependability of Waterford’s last line.

If Waterford persist with the same formula, they again rely on the experienced core of the half back line, Kevin Moran at midfield along with Molumphy and O’Sullivan to win their fair share of battles. With a league quarter final potentially on the line, that area will see enough traffic to merit an announcement on AA Roadwatch. The cuteness of Michael Walsh and Pauric Mahony in particular to use that precious commodity when the gridlock is eventually negotiated will probably determine success or failure for the home side. Stephen O’Keeffe’s recall also improves the possibility of ball retention and the puck out options. His rapid thinking got WIT back on the attack in the Fitzgibbon semi final against LIT last Friday as Harry Kehoe beat the buzzer to force extra time.

In early days of January, Waterford earned a 2-24 to 3-13 challenge triumph over the Dubs in Castlecomer. The odds reflect the tightness foreseen on Sunday with Waterford shading it so far at 5/6. In a game unlikely to stop the scoreboard, anything over twenty points may prove plenty.

Déise league encounters with the Dubs

 

2002 at Parnell Park
Dublin 1-19 Waterford 1-14

A bolt from the blue came on a Bank Holiday Monday in March 2002 as Kevin Fennelly’s charges emerged victorious. Shane Ryan, David Curtin and Conal Keaney all starred in this upset. They were also boosted by a penalty save and a second half goal from Ger Ennis. One local newspaper described it as “the worst display by a Waterford team since the infamous championship defeat by Kerry in 1993.”

2003 at Fraher Field
Dublin 2-13 Waterford 2-11

Twelve months later, Dublin repeated the dose. The away side played with a strong wind in the opening half and returned to the dressing room with a remarkable fifteen point lead (2-12 to 0-3). Goals from Ken McGrath and Dave Bennett in the second period couldn’t prevent another shock result with the Sky Blues claiming a two point win.

2004 at Parnell Park
Waterford 6-17 Dublin 2-12

Waterford were determined to avoid three defeats in a row with a goal bonanza against Humphrey Kelleher’s hosts. Dan Shanahan, Paul Flynn and John Mullane all located the net within ten minutes. Paul O’Brien tagged on two more to reach half time 5-7 to 1-4 ahead. The Tallow man sent home his third late on.

2005 at Walsh Park
Waterford 2-24 Dublin 0-13

A seventeen point stroll for Justin McCarthy’s rampant home side. 2-21 arrived from play with nine different players on target. Eoin Kelly (14 minutes) and Paul O’Brien (34 minutes) obliged with the goals that killed off the contest before half time.

2008 at Walsh Park
Waterford 3-18 Dublin 1-17

John Mullane belted 3-3 beyond Gary Maguire and Eoin Kelly added seven points to secure their quarter final spot. Waterford built up a fourteen point cushion at one stage during the first half. The away side rallied with 1-3 on the trot including a Declan O’Dwyer goal. Mullane completed his hat trick to settle the tie.

2009 at Parnell Park
Dublin 0-15 Waterford 1-11

On the day before, Ireland won the Grand Slam and Bernard Dunne was also crowned world champion after a thrilling fight against Ricardo Cordoba. Davy Fitzgerald brought his charges along to the bout at the National Stadium and as a result they didn’t retire for the night until the early hours. Stephen Molumphy netted in the first half and Adrian Power performed heroics between the posts but Dublin finished the stronger and Alan McCrabbe fired the decisive point.

2010 at Walsh Park
Waterford 4-13 Dublin 0-12

The versatile Kevin Moran managed 1-5 from his new position of wing forward as Waterford broke clear of Dublin in the second half. Gary Hurney’s goal gave the hosts a half time lead of 1-10 to 0-6. Second half majors from Shane Walsh, Stephen Molumphy and Moran ensured an emphatic thirteen point winning margin. A miserable day for the Dubs was compounded by the loss of All Star Alan McCrabbe to injury.

2011 at Walsh Park
Waterford 3-16 Dublin 2-19

Conal Keaney’s point taking and a Declan O’Dwyer strike sent Anthony Daly’s Dubs into an eight point lead during the first half of this see saw league opener. Seamus Prendergast and Richie Foley raised green flags in response to make it 1-14 to 2-7 at the break. Foley relished his centre forward role and scored 2-10 (1-7 placed balls) in the process. The home side sprinted five in front but a David O’Callaghan goal and Conal Keaney’s leveller pegged them back.

2012 at Fraher Field
Waterford 0-17 Dublin 0-13

With Dublin already destined for a relegation play-off, Anthony Daly fielded below full strength. Waterford seized the opportunity from the start and Gavin O''Brien snapped up four first half points. Eoin Kelly angled one over from practically under the scoreboard towards the finish as Michael Ryan's men performed a great escape act.

Lismore pushing to the limit - Lismore 0-9 Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-6

Lismore selector James Russell knows that the show must roll on after an inconclusive result in Sunday’s curtain raiser at Croker. “We have put in around 140 training sessions and out for fifty weeks. We are back again on Wednesday night. We are still alive and we think it could be destiny that the cup is waiting for us. Hopefully we will get it on March 16.” Those numbers lift the lid as to the push required behind the scenes to earn an All Ireland. The black and amber remain in the race after a stubborn refusal to surrender.

As the scoreboard shows, defences reigned supreme in this final. Forwards were barely afforded time to think about their shots. Only nine scores from play resulted. Nicola Morrissey, captain of the Waterford junior champions in 2011, managed three points from midfield and Ruth Geoghegan delivered two mazy efforts. The Ballyhale half forward line of Mags Fennelly (goalscorer), Kellyanne Cottrell (four frees) and Keeva Fennelly (two points from play) threatened intermittently. A couple of heavy downpours and 30 frees also reduced the scoring potential. All things considered, no quibbles with equality at full time.

Lismore battled through two significant scoreless spells. They spent 23 minutes without a point either side of half time and then waited another 13 minutes for their next white flag. Russell isolated the gutsy 45 metre over the shoulder leveller by Aoife Hannon to dispel two first half misses from routine frees. “Aoife Hannon got the point that drew it and things had been going bad for her. She was upset in the dressing room at half time with frees but it showed character in the end and our team have unbelievable character. All year they have dug themselves out of holes. With Aoife in particular, she stood up with that last point and put it over the bar.”

The corridors around the Cusack Stand dressing rooms were bereft of emotion or noise after the two teams filed in. They had lingered for a while on the field uncertain of how to react. Conflicted feelings ran through both camps. Lismore led by four at one juncture of the first half but were badly affected by a sudden second half swing of 1-1 in favour of the Shamrocks. “Our fault in the last few matches has been the first ten minutes of the second half,” Russell mentioned afterwards. “We said it in the dressing room at half time. These things happen and a few silly things happen.” Ballyhale didn’t fully capitalise on those weak moments. Mags Fennelly missed a sitter when the green and white enjoyed their spell of supremacy. Lismore rallied through a forceful player of the match performance from Shona Curran, the non-stop nature of Grainne Kenneally and a sticky defence glued together by Sarah Coughlan, Shauna Prendergast and Shauna Kiernan. Those two back to back points by Nicola Morrissey and Aoife Hannon almost gained cup winning momentum. A late burst by Caithriona McGlone in the red zone very nearly forced referee into awarding a free in front of the posts.

Grainne Kenneally spoke openly about their second half difficulties. She felt that they let the initiative slip. “We were disgusted with how we played at times but we are a mature team. We know that we let ourselves down for patches in that second half. We will stand up and we will admit to that.”

She soon turned towards the positives however. “What we need to take from this is the comeback and the fighting spirit. I looked up at the clock there was four minutes left and we were two points down. It felt as if it was all gone from us. Like this team has done time and time again in this campaign, we fought back and we were unlucky at the end not to take the game. We are happy with the draw, it was looking a lot worse with four minutes to go.”

She seeks a more rounded showing in the replay. “We need to ensure that our intensity is there from the very start to the very end to bring that cup home.” There was a conviction in her words that this final is still there for the taking. Russell felt likewise. “We feel that we didn’t do justice to ourselves. It was our first time representing Lismore in Croke Park at any grade. It was a big day so maybe that led to a few nerves or mistakes.” He also identified the requirement for a more cohesive attacking effort. “We have very good forwards but we are still waiting for them to click. There is goals in us but they just don’t seem to be coming.”

Using Ruth Geoghegan’s wheels down the right flank of the attack should be central to disturbing a solid Shamrocks defence marshalled by full back Roisin Fennelly. The Lismore rearguard continued their impressive average of only coughing up around eight or nine points per game. With all of this in mind, anticipate another low scoring arm wrestle on March 16.

Lismore’s eight stop All Ireland journey

County Round 1
Lismore 2-18 An Rinn 1-5

County Round 2
Lismore 2-12 Gaultier 1-6

County Semi Final
Lismore 4-11 Gaultier 1-2

County Final
Lismore 2-15 St Anne’s 0-15

Munster Semi Final
Lismore 1-10 Carrigaline 1-6

Munster Final
Lismore 2-10 Newmarket on Fergus 2-10

Munster Final Replay
Lismore 0-8 Newmarket on Fergus 0-5

All Ireland Semi Final
Lismore 0-11 Liatroim Fontenoys 2-3