Waterford GAA Discussion Thread 2011-2012

fricatus wrote: »

Is the Munster Minor final likely to be televised before the Limerick-Cork game? Can't remember whether I've ever seen a minor provincial final on TV.

Deise Hurler wrote: »

What age is Shane Bennett. Ballysaggart should be hard to beat in the junior championship this year with 3 Bennetts on the team. Wonder what odds they are to win it with the bookies.

noiniho wrote: »

I really enjoyed that game last night, my take on it

I headed into the minor game last night in Pairc Ui Rinn, first off the pitch there was immaculate and it was a beautiful night for it, there was a very slight breeze but nothing that would affect the game, as we walked into the main stand it was like spot the Cork fan, there was a massive Waterford crowd in the attendance of over 3000 people.
Waterford elected to play with the breeze in the first half, and as the teams lined up I was alerted to the placing of the Cork midfielder (No. 8 Michael Cahalane, I think we will be hearing about him again), in the right corner forward position by some Cork fans sitting directly behind us, so even as the teams lined out this player emphasised above all the rest the difference in size and physique of the some of the Cork players compared to their Waterford rivals, he looked like a senior playing minor. The ball was thrown in, it was played instantly into the aforementioned Cahalane, he collected, streaked past the Waterford defence and goaled, the exclamation mark to this act was the Cork fans again proclaim his brilliance, it was an act that was repeated a few more times in the first half but thankfully he decided to settle for the point, Waterford switched the full back out on him but they also stopped the flow in, which is what really curtailed him. After 20 minutes Cork lead 1-7 to 0-1, but it was the strangest game I was ever at, Waterford defended the goal to my left, Cork the goal to my right, for much of the half I was looking into the Cork half of the field as that is where the action was, it would be interrupted by a brief Cork excursion up the field that would lead to a score. It was a pattern that was causing my head some discomfort and I didn’t like how this was going, many a Waterford underage team, with talented players, had been down this road up in Cork and wilted. Waterford with all their possession were so wasteful it was untrue, they inside line seemed to be obsessed with goals, they would work a situation so that an easy point would be on, but instead try that one last pass to work a goal, It would break down and Cork would clear, they also missed six easy points, Cathal Gleeson after brilliant work, missed three certain points.
The feeling was that Waterford, against the wind were throwing this away, the Cork full back line were actually in big trouble and Waterford’s marquee forward Patrick Curran was coming in for very close attention off the ball by a very tight corner back, it was around this time that a high ball into the Cork square was touched down to himself by Stephen Bennett and doubled on, but as it ratted the net the Referee called it back for a penalty, a penalty was subsequently saved. Things couldn’t get worse, but in the scramble the sticky Cork corner back pulled his hamstring and had to go off injured, Stephen Bennett also missed three easy chances for points, he didn’t look himself and looked short of confidence, running away from goal instead of taking on his man and dropping shots into the goalie. In this period when Waterford were on the rack one player started to emerge and that was centre back Austin Gleeson, in fact Cork were finding it difficult to by-pass him and find there danger man in the full forward line, We tacked on the last three points of the half to leave it at 1-7 to 0-4 and even though we were facing into the slight breeze we felt optimistic, we were actually starting to dominate exchanges.
It was in the second half that this Waterford really started to introduce themselves, with too many instances to go into detail, but minutes after the resumption we had 2-01 on the board to bring the sides level, with Patrick Curran and Stephen Bennett living up to their names, taking on their men and causing havoc, it was now resulting in goals. Although they are both small players they were exceptionally strong in the air, very quick, and had an eye for a score. Curran is as cute as a fox already, can win any type of ball that comes in to him, uses his body to great effect to edge defenders out of the way and has an effortless strike over the bar. In fact ever time the ball went into his corner, even when the corner back was clearly favoured to win it, you were confident the Curran would just flick it off him, which invariably happened. I think you could sum him up accurately by saying he is a fast, skilful, brave, intelligent corner forward, who works very hard and can win any ball you send into him and can score from anywhere under pressure, oh and as well as that he is a nerveless free taker? That pretty much ticks all the boxes right?
The Cork full back line was being ate alive at this stage and the platform for Waterford was the half back line, firstly it was the performance of young Shane Bennett, younger brother of Stephen who again was yielding bulk and size and presumably age to his direct opponent, but what he lacked in inches in made up for in tenacity, speed and skill. He was out in front for every ball, he won it in the air, he came out of rucks, he sidestepped oncoming challenges and sent perfect ball into the full forward line time and again, for a player of his age to dominate to that level in an intercounty minor game really was a sight to behold, remember the name he is a star. Inside him was centre back Austin Gleeson and I am at odds to decide if it was Gleeson or Shane Bennett was the best player on the field, I suppose a mitigating factor is taking into account Shane Bennetts apparent disadvantages, but definitely the most spectacular player on the field was Gleeson, a tall player with a physique similar to Daragh Fives, when Waterford were going bad he was very good and when Waterford began to dominate the only word for this guy is ridiculous, almost everything he did was ridiculous and he caught every single ball that came near him, danced out of defence and drove the ball 100 yards up the field. I am talking Ken McGrath sh!t here like, in fact his performance was reminiscent of Ken McGraths first outing at Centre Back for Waterford against Clare (the game Dan scored 3 goals), he was utterly, utterly dominant, as well as having a brilliant hand his touch and striking where a pleasure to behold, the ball was controlled and his hand faster than any other player on the field seemed capable of, in fact faster than most inter county players seem capable of, time after time he left the more physically intimidating Cork attackers in his wake as they ferociously attempted to chase him down, he breezed past them or sold them a deadly side step and seemed oblivious to their efforts, another ball was driven down the field.
Special mention also goes to DJ Foran who came on as a sub in the second half and sent the Cork half back line going the other way as he won primary possession in the air and drove forward time and again. Waterford were clearly the better side but Cork hung on in there, and with time almost up and the sides level the ref blew up early as Waterford were in an attacking position to send the game into extra time. Some boo’s reigned around the ground but I was happy enough, another 20 minutes of this please! On the resumption it was nip and tuck for a while and a Cork half back was given a second yellow for a high tackle on Patrick Curran, It was a harsh enough call because Curran is a small player and ducked into the tackle, but it looked alot worse than it was and you will always get a booking for it. Cork upped their game after this but the sides still went in level at half time of extra time if memory serves me correctly.
The second half of extra time was a real worry as Waterford players were dropping like flies with cramp, with sometimes multiple players down at the same time, for which the ref allowed no stoppage and the game went on around them. Austin Gleeson was still prominent the second half of extra time belonged to Shane Bennett, as everyone else got weaker he got stronger and I was tempted to pass Pairc Ui Rinn on the way to work this morning in the expectation that he would still be out there on the field harassing somebody and striking ball!
With the teams level there was an unreal passage of play in front of the Cork goal, with the keeper off his line and the defence stretched it felt like 3-4 Waterford forwards had a chance at goal before DJ Foran eventually found the net, Waterford were 3 up but Cork fought back and with a minute to go Waterford lead by the dreaded scoreline of two points. In this time Cork hit the side netting and I was literarily shaking. But Waterford steadied the ship by adding 3 points, the last to the deserving Cathal Gleeson who after creating so many chances only to fail at the last, but he kept going until the end, I was delighted for him. A ridiculous game had a ridiculous end as Shane Bennett ran the length of the field, weaving in and out between desperate Cork players flicking the ball over heads and going this way and that for what seemed like over a minute before collapsing in a heap. But no matter the game was over. Our first victory over Cork on their soil ever at minor grade and you know, isn’t it great being from Waterford? They may have beaten us over fifty times, but never has one of their victories felt as good for them as it did for us last night!

Ando's Saggy Bottom wrote: »

Savage write up noinhio.