On a chilly Tuesday night at Carriganore, Waterford overwhelmed WIT with a second half push and maintained their winning momentum. Goals in either half from Thomas Connors and Shane Bennett helped the county team to an easy win.
Derek McGrath offered an opportunity to those who didn’t feature in the win against LIT. Only Pa Walsh and Thomas Connors remained from the chosen fifteen last Sunday. 27 players appeared in white and blue. Add in Austin Gleeson, Martin O’Neill, Pauric Mahony, Gavin O’Brien and Jake Dillon who togged out for WIT and management had a look at 32 panel members in total. Tadhg De Burca, Jamie Barron and Thomas Connors were best of the first half selection while Donie Breathnach (seven points), Shane Bennett (1-1) and Michael Kearney (three points) caused danger on their introductions. Waterford carved up the opposition defence in the second half but, similar to Sunday’s game against LIT, the end product was lacking. Bennett and Kearney should have added to the goal column. For WIT, Pauric Mahony (six points) and Liam McGrath (1-2) proved difficult to handle.
It was so cold that many of the thirty or so spectators vacated their spots before the game finished up. With no umpires present, scores were determined by whether referee Tommy O’Sullivan scribbled in his notebook. The Cappoquin/Affane official kept a close eye on proceedings and correctly produced a yellow card for a WIT defender in the second half.
WIT held a 1-10 to 1-9 halfway advantage. On 11 minutes, Pa Walsh’s long distance point attempt landed around the goalmouth and Thomas Connors scrambled home (1-2 to 0-2). The students responded with three points in a row from Harry Kehoe, Pauric Mahony and Martin O’Neill. Tadhg De Burca steered the play from number six and set up Jamie Barron before Mahony equalised for the fourth time. Points through Barron, Tommy Waring and Eamonn Power opened up a 1-6 to 0-6 lead for Waterford. On 21 minutes, the alert Liam McGrath blocked down De Burca and Stephen O’Keeffe could only look on as the sliotar hit the top corner of the net. O’Keeffe stopped Jake Dillon a minute later with an excellent near post save. WIT’s two man full forward line exposed alarming gaps in the Déise defence. Pauric Mahony added three points along with one from Johnny Hayes before the break.
Both camps turned to their substitutes for the second half. Liam McGrath and Harry Kehoe swiftly widened WIT’s margin to three. Colm Bonnar gradually removed their main men from the action however and Waterford capitalised. They struck for eight points on the spin. Shane Bennett almost set up Donie Breathnach for a goal but Richie Walsh tipped his fierce drive over the bar. Eoin Madigan’s turnover allowed Michael Kearney to nose Waterford ahead (1-13 to 1-12). A Breathnach brace and one apiece from Kearney and corner back Shane McNulty established a five point breakaway. Jake Dillon pulled one back for WIT but Waterford threatened a goal at the other. Bennett ran a direct line and took a nasty blow before Walsh diverted Michael Kearney’s shot away for a 65.
With seven minutes left, Michael Walsh unselfishly hand passed to Bennett and he rifled in. A slick hand passing move nearly led to another for the Ballysaggart man but he fumbled Michael Kearney’s pass. Donie Breathnach pinned down a ten point win with two frees and two 65s. After the final whistle, the Waterford players held an extensive warm down behind the goal.
Management will again be happy with how the new members are fitting in. The team also worked the ball smartly throughout. Their finishing still needs a bit of polishing but plenty of goal chances are coming their way. The back line seemed a little uncomfortable when WIT pulled their men out the field and left just two attackers inside.
Scorers for Waterford: D Breathnach 0-7 (3fs, 2 65s); J Barron 0-5 (4fs); S Bennett (1f), T Connors 1-1 each; M Kearney 0-3 (1f); T Waring, S McNulty, DJ Foran, E Power 0-1 each.
Scorers for WIT: P Mahony 0-6 (3fs, 1 65’); L McGrath 1-2; H Kehoe 0-2; J Hayes, R Cunningham, J Dillon, M O’Neill 0-1 each.
Waterford: S O’Keeffe; S McNulty, M Flynn, S Roche; M Harney, T De Burca, M O’Brien; P Walsh, J Barron; T Devine, C Curran, E Power; T Waring, DJ Foran, T Connors.
Subs used: I O’Regan, S Fives, B Coughlan, N Connors, K Moran, M Walsh, S O’Sullivan, D Breathnach, S Bennett, M Kearney, E Madigan, B O’Halloran.
WIT: R Walsh; G Teehan, J O’Dwyer, J Maher; T Fox, A Gleeson, P Gahan; M O’Neill, J Langton; H Kehoe, P Mahony, G O’Brien; L McGrath, J Dillon, J Hayes.
Subs used: K O’Brien, E Ryan, D Murphy, T Kavanagh, P Campion, P O’Flynn, R Cunningham, S O’Neill, B Byrne, S Ryan, P Maher, B Whelan.
Referee: T O’Sullivan
No comments:
Post a Comment