Two of the heaviest scorers in the country collide for Sunday’s promotion showdown (9-91 in Waterford’s account just ahead of 11-79 for Wexford). While an explosion of scores may please the packed house, the visitors may not accommodate such a scenario.
Wexford prefer a little chaos and tend to get tangled up in heart pounding shootouts lately. Their opener with Antrim featured 47 scores, the Limerick game consisted of 41 and they exchanged 52 against Laois. Liam Dunne’s side have scored 11 goals and conceded six in four games to date. Full forward pair Liam Óg McGovern and Conor McDonald tormented Waterford last July in Nowlan Park and they could cut loose if allowed the same latitude again. The stocky and speedy McGovern has claimed 4-9 from play while McDonald fired 2-2 on his return from injury last weekend. In the absence of regular free taker Jack Guiney, Ian Byrne chalked up 15 points. Guiney takes a spot on the bench this time with Podge Doran also among the list of replacements.
Derek McGrath rued the fact that Waterford didn’t set up with a sweeper at the start of last year’s qualifier. Prior to Christmas, he revealed that they abandoned the original plan following a wretched loss for the under 21s in the days beforehand. They switched to a traditional formation instead. “I would be very out with myself because we actually walked through a particular game plan on the Tuesday night in Walsh Park and on the Thursday night in Nowlan Park. The negativity was building up so much that before the game we said to the lads ‘we are going out to play a very conventional game, man to man and follow your man’. Noel Connors followed Liam Óg McGovern out the field and Liam Lawlor was isolated on Conor McDonald. Given the amount of room was there, no matter who was full back, we were going to be in trouble.”
He may call for extra security this time to prevent a free for all breaking out. This would involve Colin Dunford moving away from the full forward division to allow Tadhg De Burca or Philip Mahony act as a screen in front of the Wexford danger men. Waterford have only given up one goal in open play over four games and a third clean sheet would set them up for victory.
Dunne knows that the Model County also need to tighten up. They threw away an eight point lead against Limerick through a couple of soft concessions and unconvincing clearances. “We chose to hand them the game,” commented Dunne afterwards. “We had it won on several occasions but failed to put them away. We chose to clear three successive balls out to unmarked players eventually leading to their fourth goal.” He has decided to change the spine of his defence with Tomás Waters restored to number three and captain Matthew O’Hanlon sent out to six. As a consequence, Lee Chin returns to midfield after a spell at centre back.
McGrath has developed a team and a brand of play for the summer but the next two weeks will test those foundations and determine where Waterford stand in the grand scheme of things ahead of the championship. They have dealt with everything thrown at them so far. Waterford released the same team that appeared in the programme last week but Martin O’Neill, Colin Dunford, Stephen Bennett and Maurice Shanahan could all be included prior to throw in. The defence has a settled appearance with Barry Coughlan and Tadhg De Burca bedding in through the centre. Kevin Moran deputised for hamstring victim Austin Gleeson last Sunday. Jamie Barron thrives in his box to box midfield role and doesn’t mind helping out in defence.
While a reinforced back line seek to contain the trouble makers, an attack full of movement and pace will aim to test out a reorganised Wexford defence. Pauric Mahony will spend most of the afternoon around centre field to give the home side another dilemma over whether to send out a man marker. A blip in the Offaly game was corrected with five points in open play last Sunday. The improved goal return can be attributed to the addition of the Bennetts and Brian O’Halloran. Management offered Shane Bennett a month off from the panel following the Offaly win to concentrate on his studies. Stephen Bennett stepped in to blast 1-4 during an exciting 42 minute contribution. Even though McGrath warned that we may only see glimpses of the Ballysaggart forward, he will be hard to leave out. Colin Dunford settled back in straight away and when the games against Offaly and Antrim were still competitive, he asked probing questions of the defence and created game breaking scores. After a rusty start, Michael Walsh has adjusted to life in the half forward line. He has been involved in four of the nine green flags. Maurice Shanahan reminded everyone of his 2013 form with 2-5 in the space of 28 minutes. Free of injury, he appears fitter than before and hungry for action. He must be a close to a spot in the first fifteen.
While playing away from the bright lights comes with benefits for teams in rebuilding mode, a golden opportunity presents itself for these two counties to speed up their development. Wexford have spent the past four seasons in Division 1B and victory on Sunday would continue last year’s progress. Waterford have shown consistency throughout this campaign however compared to the erratic nature of the other challengers. They bring a high level of work rate and a short passing game that they are comfortable with. They will seek to lay down the terms and conditions of this contest in the opening quarter through their shape and structure. With the lessons of last July absorbed, their defence can limit McGovern and McDonald and direct them towards a three point win.
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