Waterford GAA Discussion Thread 3 ***Updated Mod Note Post 1***

Horseboxhead wrote: »

So Cork, who need to start producing performences and results are " Pulling their Punches " in terms of team selection, Sorry just sounds a bit off, if a Waterford man said it about a Waterford side, every one would think thats one serious stupid , arrogant, fool of a man.
We're Holding some aces is bull**** , at Minor Level, when you have no real idea how these guys will react, on their first real taste of Championship Hurling, i Presume it can only be said to soften any blow that might come, it is only a matter of When , that Cork will arrive back as a driving force at this Level , History and Demographics dictate that, but this cute Corkman nonsence, Rubbish.
Cork Have real shot at winning a munster minor title, and need to do so soon, no coach is going to take a chance on Injury or loss of form, or any of the other major or minor blows that can derail a season, it could be just , that in his Opinion he has his best team out.

Have to fully agree with that...this 'not showing the full hand' is real junior stuff, any coach trying that should/would not be let near a minor inter county team, if cork management were thinking that way then they're in more trouble down there...it's a stupid system but a management trying to play it like that would be playing with fire...make no mistake every team will be aiming to win the games in front of them, not trying to outsmart the system like con men...

3ships wrote: »

Minor Team Wed
1 Billy Nolan Roanmore
2 Darragh Lynch Passage
3 Conor Prunty Abbeyside
4 Darragh McGrath Abbeyside
5 Jordan Henley Tallow
6 Calum Lyons Ballyduff Lower
7 Cormac Dunphy Ballyduff Lower
8 Darragh Lyons Dungarvan
9 JP Lucey Shamrocks
10 Peter Hogan Ballygunner
11 Andy Molumby Cappoquin
12 Eddie Meaney De La Salle
13 Aaron O Sullivan Cappoquin
14 Jack Prendergast Lismore
15 Glenn Waters Dungarvan

8 of last years panel named, 4 starters in Nolan Prunty Darragh Lyons and Peter Hogan who will be the stars this year. The Ballyduff Lower Lads provided the engine for the St Declan's schools campaign and the half forward line looks decent. The Prendergasts of Lismore are normally good so hope there is a few scores there. Probably short 2 or 3 to be as good as what went before them but will find out more this week so best of luck to the lads.

Big difference between Colleges C Hurling and inter county minor A hurling.

1 Billy Nolan Roanmore

2 Darragh Lynch Passage
3 Conor Prunty Abbeyside
4 Darragh McGrath Abbeyside

5 Jordan Henley Tallow
6 Calum Lyons Ballyduff Lower
7 Cormac Dunphy Ballyduff Lower

8 Darragh Lyons Dungarvan
9 JP Lucey Shamrocks

10 Peter Hogan Ballygunner
11 Andy Molumby Cappoquin
12 Eddie Meaney De La Salle

13 Aaron O Sullivan Cappoquin
14 Jack Prendergast Lismore
15 Glenn Waters Dungarvan


Of the players starting the game the lads from last year especially Darragh Lyons, should all be standing tall, Aaron O'Sullivan named corner forward is more of a full forward.Prunty will have his hands full at no.3, Molumby will be well watched but can cause havoc.

Some players of interest I'd look forward to seeing;

Darragh Lynch - he wasnt a regular in the De La Salle college Harty team but he should have been very sticky hurler typical Passage man wears heart on the sleeve.

JP Lucey - will do a lot of the donkey work he'd remind you of a Tom Devine kinda player very athletic.

Eddie Meaney - asked serious questions of the management last year as a sub he scored every time he came on very fit,skillful on the ball and knows where the posts are from distance.

Jack Prendergast - this lad has unbelievable skill very exciting to see him play would turn you in a phonebox literally, if he is given enough supply of low ball in fast he will do damage.

Glenn Waters - i wouldn't have him down as a corner forward more of an attacking midfielder/wing forward good on the ball hasnt been fully tested yet interesting position for him.

TheScoringGoal wrote: »

Surely Peter Hogan would be one of the main players? Head and shoulders above anyone else in the county under 21 final last year.

Agreed i was trying to highlight the lesser known lads, Peter Hogan can be a matchwinner definitely..

fricatus wrote: »

Also, does anyone know the throw-in time? I'm looking at waterfordgaa.ie but there is either something wrong with the page or the connection I'm using to view it (faint white writing on a grey background... )

7pm according to the Munster GAA website.

1-7 to 0-9 in tipp's favour at half time. Very unlucky Waterford should have 2 goals and Tipp scored a scrambled goal right before half time

Tipp winning 1-14 to 0-15. Some joke Waterford deserve much more

Pity, but positive. Long way to go yet this year

stumblingblock wrote: »

Hard luck lads. Good to know we werent too far away anyway. Chance to bounce back against limerick. God knows we owe them one after the last couple years....

Ye have huge chance against limerick who looked poorly coached tonight no surprise to me as daly isn't a coach
Limerick will play a sweeper but once Waterford attack them with pace after winning physical battle could win
How did tipp look

Were they in full flow???

Tipperary 1-14 Waterford 0-16

Missed goal chances, the concession of silly frees and various other unforced errors cost Waterford what would have been a famous, and deserved, victory over prematch favourites Tipperary in tonight’s Munster minor hurling championship game in Thurles. If you were told before the game that the starting Tipperary forwards would manage just a single goal from general play between them, and that their overall total from play would be 1-3, you would surely have expected Waterford to win this game.

And, in truth, they should have won comfortably. While Tipp had their moments, Waterford were the better team here and were a credit to their mentors who had their charges well prepared, well drilled, well focused and on top from the word go. They led for most of the first half, fell behind to a fortunate Tipp goal just on half time, went ahead again immediately after the restart, were still ahead after 50 minutes and had enough possession in the closing stages to close the game out.

That Waterford failed to win can be put down mainly to their failure to convert four clear goal-scoring chances and the needless concession of frees in scorable positions which were routinely punished by Tipp sharpshooter Daragh Cary who nailed eight in all, assisted by centre back Brian McGrath who converted two 65s and one long-range free.

Even the late converted 65 which gave Tipperary victory in the end was a result of an unforced error in the Waterford defence. Corner back Darragh McGrath, under pressure, passed the ball back to unmarked full back Conor Prunty. However, Prunty (who otherwise had an excellent game) failed to control the ball which allowed the Tipp forwards to surge in on goal. Some desperate defence managed to keep them out, but the ball was deflected out for the converted 65 which gave the home side the narrowest of victories.

On a beautiful evening, before an official attendance of 2,821, Waterford quickly got into their stride, driven on by captain Darragh Lyons who lined out at centre back. They had their first missed goal chance after just two minutes, when a poorly struck shot from the edge of the square was hit straight at the goalie. They were having some problems against a strong Tipperary half back line who were very good in the air, but with their own defence dominating proceedings, they were getting enough ball into the inside line to force Tipperary into conceding frees which were unerringly converted by full forward Jack Prendergast. Meanwhile in the right corner Aaron O’Sullivan was having a dream game, nailing four points from play by half time, with Glenn Waters in the other corner also landing a lovely score.

Another goal chance went abegging in the 12th minute when Waterford got the ball into the Tipperary square but no one could get the vital touch to send it over the line. One of O’Sullivan’s points should also have been a goal, as he drove the ball inches over the crossbar from point blank range in the 28th minute. That would have put Waterford four points ahead and really in the driving seat coming up to half time. They were to rue these misses when, as often happens in these situations, Tipperary managed to find the net with their first goal-scoring attempt one minute later. After a shot had been blocked out to the left, the ball was returned to the Waterford goalmouth where a defender crucially failed to keep possession and in the ensuing melee, which looked like an old-fashioned rugby foot rush, the ball was eventually forced over the line leaving Tipp ahead, 1-7 to 0-9, at the interval.

Two quick points after the restart put Waterford back in the lead and, with their defence continuing to do well, they reached the 50th minute still ahead, 0-14 to 1-10. However, they were unable to extend their lead beyond the bare minimum. JP Lucey, with an easy tap-over point at his disposal, decided to take on the Tipp defence looking for a goal and was eventually forced out over the end line and I think it was the same player who, some minutes later, missed the fourth goal chance when his point blank shot was stopped on the line when he should have done better. If either of these chances had been converted, I reckon there would have been a different result to the game.

Tipp eventually drew level before going ahead with the aforementioned 65. The referee played four minutes of added time which gave Waterford ample opportunity to get the equaliser. However, nothing went right (or was done right) in those four minutes. Peter Hogan’s hurried shot went wide of the post. Darragh Lyons, running onto a lateral pass in midfield, failed to control the ball and was then adjudged to have handled it on the ground. Substitute Eoghan Murray, attempting to round his man on the right, was forced out over the sideline.

Big-hitting goalkeeper Billy Nolan, instead of letting the ball down the field, attempted to find Darragh Lyons out on the right but overhit his puck. Then, in the dying moments, Conor Prunty did well to gain possession and pass the ball out to Jordan Henley. However, instead of driving the ball up to the forwards, inexplicably he attempted a lateral pass to Darragh Lyons which again was overhit and went out over the sideline. The ensuing sideline was followed by the final whistle.

Apart from conceding unnecessary frees, the Waterford defence gave an excellent account of themselves. Apart from the scrambled goal, they conceded just two points to the opposing forwards, both scored by substitute Lyndon Fairbrother shortly after he was introduced late in the first half. However, the defence quickly got to grips with this new threat and little was seen of him afterwards. Tipp’s only other score from play was landed by midfielder Liam McCutcheon.

I thought that, apart from his late error, Conor Prunty did very well at full back, using his height and reach to repeatedly bat away high incoming ball. Darragh Lyons played some marvellous hurling at centre back, but was in trouble in the air against his marker. However, this threat was well countered by the judicious switch of Jordan Henley to the centre after half time.

Calum Lyons did well at midfield and notched two excellent points. However, his partner, JP Lucey, never got into the game and, having been moved to the forwards, was eventually substituted after his two second-half misses. The Achilles heel of the Waterford team was the half forward line, which always struggled against strong opponents who were very good in the air. Andy Molumby did some good work, but Peter Hogan made no impression and, while Eddie Meaney looked threatening when he did get possession, his lack of physicality and failure to compete for ball were key problems throughout.

In the full forward line, Aaron O’Sullivan failed to repeat his first-half heroics after the change of ends (due, in no small part, to a reduced supply of good ball). While unerring from frees (he scored six in all, some from difficult angles), Jack Prendergast was unable to contribute further from general play, while Glenn Waters’s impact was also limited. Ballyduff Lower’s John Kennedy, who missed this game due to injury, should certainly be able to strengthen the forward division if he is fit for the next game. This will be away to Limerick on May 6 and, with the latter shipping a heavy defeat in Cork tonight, Waterford must have a good chance of qualifying for the semi-final which would be in Walsh Park against Cork, as far as I am aware.

Waterford: Billy Nolan (Roanmore); Darragh Lynch (Passage); Conor Prunty (Abbeyside); Darragh McGrath (Abbeyside); Jordan Henley (Tallow); Darragh Lyons (Dungarvan, 0-1 from free); Cormac Dunphy (Ballyduff Lower); Calum Lyons (Ballyduff Lower, 0-2); JP Lucey (Shamrocks); Peter Hogan (Ballygunner); Andy Molumby (Cappoquin, 0-1); Eddie Meaney (De La Salle, 0-1); Aaron O’Sullivan (Cappoquin, 0-4); Jack Prendergast (Lismore, 0-6, all frees); Glenn Waters (Dungarvan, 0-1). Substitutes used: Michael Roche (De La Salle); Eoghan Murray (Cappoquin).

Other substitutes listed: Donagh Looby (Ballinameela); David Cullinane (Ballygunner); Jake Beecher (Tallow); Cárthach Barry (Brickey Rangers); Mikey Daykin (Mount Sion); Mark Mullally (Ballygunner); Andrew Casey (Ballyduff Upper).

Great effort, good display and unfortunate result.

While all played well thought Prunty at full back was excellent and really led by example. Couple of unfortunate errors, and not helped by a referee who was extremely inconsistent. Not saying he favored either side as some of his decisions were hard to fathom at times but there were at least two major calls that went against Waterford, particularly with about 4 minutes to play when the Waterford player blew the Tipp half back over the side line to win the ball with a fair shoulder only to be blown up for a what the ref indicated was a shoulder charge into the chest. The Tipp lad didn't complain and in fact hopped up off the ground straight away, but such was the ferocity of the hit, had it been in the chest as indicated by the ref, the Tipp lad would most certainly have been at least winded or injured. At this stage of the game Waterford were 1 point down and had won possession in a threatening position, instead Tipp drove the free down field scored a point and put daylight between the two sides. On such small margins games like this turn. Maybe it was the tinted glasses but i just thought ref was dreadful all night.

Have to ask again what story was with score board as once again coming into the last few minutes of a game, that was this tight and had several injuries the time clock went back to zero, with about 5 minutes to play. If memory serves me right this is not the first time it this has happened in Thurles at a minor game.

As regards next game, I said yesterday and will say again feel there is nothing between the five sides on any given night. Limerick will provide a very stern test on their home ground, but i believe this very talented and well prepared side can overcome that. One thing is certain we have shown again we can compete with the best and we have nothing to fear.

Five times in the days before the backdoor we lost at Minor level by a point - twice after replays. I think I'd have opened a vein if there wasn't a second chance after last night.

Giveitfong wrote: »

Waterford beat Cork in Walsh Park in the Munster Under 21 semi-final in 1992 on their way to winning the All-Ireland title.

However, I agree with your general argument. Waterford have under 21 teams most years which, on paper, are capable of competing for the Munster title but rarely deliver. Last year was the worst ever, as Clare showed in the Munster final just how weak that Cork team was. The County Board executive should be intervening to remedy this situation but their performance over the years has been even worse than the Under 21s.

How can it be rectified in the county though? For instance probably 12 or more of the u21 squad are with the senior set up and won't be released anytime soon. Then you have club championship 3 weeks away so clubs will want their players for the weeks leading up to that so it isn't exactly easy planning. I agree the challenge games with the senior club sides will not have unearthed too many options so we'll still be relying on the senior players and that will be at the discretion of Derek McGrath. Not an easy job for the u21 management team to get right to be fair.