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

redlead wrote: »

Next thing we know PTH will be on predicting a Waterford win against Tipp!

That's it, we're screwed.

IMO i think that as the ground drys up and playing in bigger pitches like Thurlas and Croke park that our defensive style won't be as effective and we'll become more attacking as the year goes on. I felt sorry for Stevie Bennett as the ball coming into him wasn't accurate enough and the extra Galway defender picked up alot of loose ball. I think the Tipp game will tell us alot as i think we are in bonus territory now. Tipp are the team to beat this year and to play them this early is great for Waterford just to see exactly where we are. It will be interesting to see what type of game we play but i would imagine they'll start with a defensive set up and keep it tight early on. If Waterford did fall 6/7 points behind they'll have no choice but to push more players forward. Tipp certainly won't be as naive as Wexford or Galway. They'll have there homework done and their extra defender will use the ball alot better the previous opposition have.

TyrionPower wrote: »

I was thinking there that there is no real hope of seeing the best out the likes of Stephen Bennett with this system.
It can't be too appealing to Patrick Curran to come on to the panel and play that role either...
A guy that could hold up the ball for a few seconds by working and harassing is preferential to the outstanding forward talent we have been producing...
Hopefully I am wrong on that but time will tell

I agree, I was delighted with the work rate yesterday and of course the result. But seeing Bennett surrounded by an extra defender every time, he wasn't able to run at them or utilise his strengths, I can imagine how frustrating it must be for him

Was Soky injured? Iggy performed well making one crucial save but I would like to see a definite No 1 for goal and that has to be Soky on age grounds alone.

Outside of that quibble, it was the most heartening display I have seen in a while. Solid full back line, talented half-backs and midfield (the sky's the limit for that half-back line if they keep their feet on the ground) and hard working honest forwards.

What we are missing is a bit of star dust in the forwards. We know there are goals in Stephen Bennett , Patrick Curran (when he gradates to this level) and maybe Maurice and Brian O'H. The trouble is we will never see it playing one forward up front on two or even three defenders. It was soul destroying in the stand watching Bennett trying to deal with two defenders on his own or watching a half-back, with time to burn, delaying delivery looking for an opening that was never going to materialise until he was eventually swallowed up. God knows what it was like for Bennett, all that hard work only to be the first substituted.

There is no arguing with results though and, like previous posters, I am looking forward to seeing this young skilful team playing on bigger and better pitches. If their handling and execution is that good on a horrible march day in Walsh Park, what will it be like on a sunny Temple Stadium? Exciting times could be on the way back again.

If/when Darragh Fives returns, we could move Austin Gleeson to the forwards. Imagine a forward line with Maurice, Pauric Mahony and Brick in the half forwards, Gleeson at full forward with Colin Dunford and Stephen Bennett in the corners. There would be a read goal scoring threat there and with that full forward line we could well afford to go 15 on 15 (given a half back line of Fives, De Búrca and Philip Mahony).

And that doesn't include Jake Dillon, Shane Bennett, Tom Devine or Brian O'Halloran. And in time we will have Patrick Curran and perhaps DJ Foran in the mix. Hopefully Stephen Daniels will also be returning soon. Could be a bright future for the Déise!

Cistercian College Roscrea 1-13 St. Declan’s Community College Kilmacthomas 0-11

It will offer little consolation to St. Declan’s, but they are to be applauded for their contribution to a marvellously absorbing All-Ireland Schools C hurling final in Carlow last Saturday. This was an excellent game of hurling and you wondered at the end that if is the C division, what must A division hurling be like?

While based in the town of Roscrea, Cistercian College is actually located on the Offaly side of the county boundary which runs through the town, and competes in the province of Leinster. In fact, the school’s rugby team won the Leinster Senior Cup for the first time this year.

Despite the five-point difference at the end, this was a game which St. Declan’s could well have won, given the amount of possession they enjoyed for much of the game. However, their inability to turn this possession into scores, especially in the second half, was to prove their undoing.

The game was dominated by a very strong wind blowing straight down the pitch. With the wind at their backs, St. Declan’s started very strongly, but initially found it hard to make an impression on the scoreboard. However, as their pressure began to force the Roscrea rearguard into fouls, excellent freetaker Jamie Murphy exerted full retribution, nailing five frees and a 65 (plus one from play) in the first half.

Led by their captain, Martin Phelan, at midfield, Cistercian College did fight their way back into the game to put some scores on the board, but St. Declan’s finished the half strongly to go in at half-time 0-11 to 0-4 ahead. Indeed, it could have been more, given that they also shot seven wides. In addition, full forward John Kennedy was unlucky to see his screamer for the top left hand corner go inches over the bar. Against this, at the other end the St. Declan’s goalie Ryan Murray was forced to make a brilliant save to deny the Cistercian College full forward in the 28th minute.

Cistercian College started the second half strongly and got the vital breakthrough with a goal in the 35th minute. St. Declan’s were desperately unlucky when corner forward Craig Fraher’s rasper went inches wide of the post in the 40th minute. Cistercian College drew level in the 43rd minute and just a minute later St. Declan’s bad luck continued when centre forward Ciarán Kirwan’s shot again went the wrong side of the post. Cistercian College were hitting some excellent long-range points and finally went ahead in the 48th minute.

St. Declan’s continued to take the game to their opponents with strong running from midfield and the half forwards, but shooting into the strong wind was difficult while the Cistercian College full backs had the upper hand when the ball was played into their area. At the other end, they made maximum use of wind advantage to tack on further points.

St. Declan’s last chance went abegging when substitute Kevin Cheasty made a great catch in front of the goal but his shot was deflected outside the post with the umpire, amazingly, signalling the ball wide.

St. Declan’s can feel proud, not only of reaching the All-Ireland final, but of putting in an excellent team performance here led by their outstanding centre back and captain, Calum Lyons.

St. Declan’s: Ryan Murray (Ballyduff Lower); Noah O’Brien (Clonea); Craig Tyrrell (Ballyduff Lower); Billy Power (Clonea); Conor Dalton (Clonea); Calum Lyons (Ballyduff Lower); Dylan Reade (Ballyduff Lower); Cormac Dunphy (Ballyduff Lower) (0-2); Eoghan Casey (Dunhill); Ciarán Kirwan (Kill); Jamie Murphy (Portlaw) (0-7, five frees, one 65); Jake Scanlan (Portlaw); Craig Fraher (Portlaw) (0-1); John Kennedy (Ballyduff Lower) (0-1); Eoin Bray (Clonea).

There were other substitutes apart from Kevin Cheasty but I didn’t take a note of their names. The full substitutes list was Niall Power (Dunhill); Alan Fitzsimons (Kilmacthomas); Ben Kennedy (Ballyduff Lower); Colm Dempsey (Ballyduff Lower); Ross Coffey-O’Shea (Ballyduff Lower); Gearóid Murphy (Dunhill); Jeff Halley (St. Mary’s); Jonathan Long (Kilmacthomas); Kevin Cheasty (Ballyduff Lower).