Waterford GAA Discussion Thread 2011-2012

noiniho wrote: »

Watched the minor games last night on sky plus, was at the replay in Thurles but was at te opposite end of the field for Bennett seconds goal so was hard to see. Watching it last night the finish was absolutely class, he threw up the ball but delayed his strike and struck alot later than expected and the Limerick keeper had already hit the deck, he did this under pressure fromthe Limerick defence it was a cracking finish.

Hes some hurler to be fair to him, that point he got in the secon half over his shoulder, his balance to pick up the ball was class I thought. Didn't look as good on tv as it did at the pitch just on account of the angle.

But bar the first ball he got played into him, his touch was magnetic all night. In fairness they've no issues in the full forward line which is good to see.

The blue blaa wrote: »

Did aussie an bennett get sent off tonight while playin against each other in minor club championship??? An if so what for??

dont know what happened or dont care. these things happen in club games all the time. stop talking about these younglads as if their some sort of celebrities.

As long as they're both fit and ready for Sun week I'm not too bothered. While we all love seeing these players playing together for the county, the reality of course is that they are mainly in opposition and these things happen, same as whenever there is a meeting of any two from DLS, Mount Sion or Ballygunner in particular.

On a slight aside, could anyone point me towards a match report from the Dungarvan and Passage game?

doz wrote: »

Hoganstand have finally got wind of the John Mullane story;

http://www.hoganstand.com/Hurling/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=197834

Reading this again, it actually has made me quite angry. He had retired and stressed on numerous occasions that he wouldn't return, why should management have to pick up the phone and call him in advance of a high profile game? If he wanted to make himself available he could easily have done so. It's a bit like the ridiculous quotes that Stephen Ireland trots out every now and again when he needs media attention:rolleyes: I hope John reflects on these comments and realises that they were unfair on the panel of players who had been training hard all year in advance of the Championship.

The article also reminded me of a couple of players who were 'retired' well before their time during the Davy era. Always thought Bull Phelan was a fine hurler but Davy didn't want to know. Declan Prendergast was another who went before his time when he still had plenty to offer.

Declan Retired when Michael Ryan came on board, probably got told he wasnt in his plans and was left witht he oppurtunity to retire himself before getting dropped from the panel.

Mullane would want to get off the stage, dont know what he had to gain from that interview, he spent most of it talking rubbish about himself.

Lets face it he has a gripe with Ryan, evidenced by his comments before the Offaly game, with Waterford showing up well against Kilkenny he had nothing else to criticise Ryan about other than not asking him back, sad really, he was making out on one hand he was disappointed he never got the call and was on the other hand saying he wouldnt have returned. so in essence, he was disapointed he didnt get the oppurtunity to say no to Ryan when he came crawling back for him... As good and all as you were John, let it go, it is a sad fact of every GAA team in the country that when you retire it is not long you are forgotten about... that the way it always is, harsh and all as it seems, because when you retire you are of no use anymore.

Deise_2012 wrote: »

Seems to be a lot of interest for the managers job from both inside and outside the county, the county board would want a kick up the backside fairly lively and just offer Michael Ryan another term because there's great progress been made this year and it can only improve next year based on the amount of players returning and the experience the younger players have gained from this year. Unless Mr.Cody fancys a few years down in carriganore ha, there should be only 1 outcome really

Ironic that there was no such interest when Davy went and the job was free, a lot of people see an opportunity to piggy back on Ryan's good work all of a sudden! I notice a number of his most vocal detractors have also disappeared from the forum in recent weeks.

It would be pretty shameful stuff if he didn't get at least another year but trusting our county board to do the right thing is not a bet I'd ever take.

robopaddy wrote: »

Under Davy we got to to 4 AI semis in a row and an AI final. this manager we got to a quarter final in his first season and only the second round qualifiers in his second season. From a results point of view is that really huge progress??

Just throwing the argument out there......

It's a fair point. From my own personal point of view I think Davy did a lot of good things with the team, there was a very good team spirit and never day die attitude, a very professional set up and the players were in great condition. However in comparison to today's relatively inexperienced team he had a lot of battle hardened experienced individuals and good players and I never subscribed to the theory that he was doing well with a poor group, he was just unfortunate that Tipp and KK were so strong at the time.

He also did a fair bit of damage to Waterford hurling. He destroyed the confidence of a number of players (Seamus, Nagle, Dan, Shane Fives, arguably even Ken) who have subsequently come good under Ryan (Ken and Dan excepted). His style of hurling was awful to watch; constant handpassing and I always felt like the players were playing in a tactical straitjacket, never really going for the game in the true Waterford style because they were so focused on being tight and disciplined. Many might lambast or ridicule me for the last point but there is a tradition of open and skilful hurling in the county and I think most supporters prefer to see the team playing in that manner. I don't think it's like soccer or Donegal playing football where it's just win however possible; Waterford people take pride in the fact that they have established a tradition of playing exciting hurling. I know a fair few people who stayed away from games during Davy's reign on that basis, rightly or wrongly, because they found the team difficult to watch.

I believe we are now on the cusp of potentially a very exciting era for Waterford hurling. There is a good amount of quality in the panel and hopefully more to come through. Despite the results the last two years I think there is a sense of optimism returning to our support that had disappeared under Davy. Ryan brings a wonderful level of honesty and hard work to the table which really shows in how the players perform and I think fans have warmed to that. He may not be successful results wise in the long term but whoever comes after him should have plenty to work with.

At the end of the day once I see the lads going out there, trying to play the game the right way and leaving nothing behind it makes me proud to be from Waterford. Isn't that why we all travel around the country every year after all, to show the lads that we are proud of how they represent our communities and our county?

Mountainlad wrote: »

Their form so far has been to back Davy, when they initially came in even though it was the perfect time to shaft him and say they wanted their own man, and again 2011 when they could have pointed to the Munster Final they didn't want him to go even though we couldn't possibly afford him.

Michael Ryan is the first appointment under the new secretary and chairman. He's cheap, and he has kept Waterford up twice in the league despite being favourites for the drop both times. Last year's quarter final was disappointing but unfortunate. This year we got Kilkenny in a round three qualifier, only one team has had to deal with that before I'm fairly sure (and I suppose Tipp this year who got them in round two). And we ahve never run them more close.

Now that's the purely positive spin on it but I think that's likely to be how they will see it. Board's generally aren't in the habit of intentionally undermining themselves.

The other thing is, we all seem to be quite fond of having a cut at the County board. I'm not sure to be honest the make up of the board at the moment, how many people have been their for years. But I wonder does anyone here actually now Cunningham or O'Keeffe, I certainly don't. The financial mess is terrible but in the positions they are in now it was inherited really. Still, I'm don't think they're doing a great job of fixing it but it's not easy.

Just saying that (not you particularly Kev) that there is a tendency to criticize just about everyone here, from managers of all the underage teams and the higher profile members of the board and even some people had the neck to criticize minors aged 16-18 and not only that but namecheck them as well, just think maybe it goes a bit far sometimes.

Without meaning to sound like the glass is half empty, I felt there there was this huge sense of moral victory after losing to a tired looking KK team when in fact they were there for the taking this year. Cork and Dublin seized the opportunity but we couldn't.

Im not dishing the work Ryan has done in the 2 years hes been there but the question the co. board should be asking is he really the man to take us to the next level? We want to be back challenging for winning All Irelands again (which were not as far away as some are suggesting... look around at the other results this year plus we have some real quality minor and u21s coming through the next couple years) I think we need a man behind us that can push us on again and knows what it takes to win AI's at this level. And with due respect I dont mean ladies football. Look around at every other top 9/10 hurling county, every manager has won a Senior AI either as player or as part of a management team and that's the route other counties are taking I think its what we need aswell. Now is the time to change it again when we are entering a new era. Ryan has done well to steady the ship in the 2 years hes been here but expectation wasn't that high anyway. If last years championship finished up the way it did under Davy he'd have been hung drawn and quartered from the top of Rice Bridge.