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Waterford GAA Discussion Thread 2011-2012

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 426 ✭✭lovelypoint


    Its annoying to have no more games but if you had offered me 4th at the start of the league Id have snatched it off.

    All in all a positive league campaign. I think we know our best team in about 12 positions now and have some exciting prospects like J Barron coming through.

    Very exciting prospect in Barron coming through. I remember seeing him a few years ago, and he just seemed 2 steps ahead of all around him with his touch and ability. Really hope he makes the grade at senior, as he seems to be doing, with the chances he's gotten so far this year.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,144 ✭✭✭seananigans


    I'm glad to see that it's all positive ,just think ,we were supposed to fade away so much more than this, it looks like lkast year we hit the bottom, meaning we can only move on form here

    Thosnaíonn creidimh arís


  • Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭boodiebhoy


    Strange league, we could have won all the games, could have lost them all. Highlight for me is the attitude of the players, never gave up in any game.



    Pity we won't have another competitive game before the championship but I would rather that than the prospect facing Cork or Clare.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,243 ✭✭✭deiseach


    Mountainlad, if I hadn't read your posts before I would have thought your last contribution was an April Fool. Such insight and reason does not belong on the madhouse that is the internet. Maith an fear.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,851 ✭✭✭Mountainlad


    deiseach wrote: »
    Mountainlad, if I hadn't read your posts before I would have thought your last contribution was an April Fool. Such insight and reason does not belong on the madhouse that is the internet. Maith an fear.

    Haha thanks, that sure put a smile on my face anyway :D


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,807 ✭✭✭deisedude


    In todays examiner Tony Considine ponders what team impressed most in the league and namechecks every other 1A team apart from Waterford. Forgotten again it seems


  • Registered Users Posts: 229 ✭✭deisefolife


    deisedude wrote: »
    In todays examiner Tony Considine ponders what team impressed most in the league and namechecks every other 1A team apart from Waterford. Forgotten again it seems

    wouldn't worry to much about what that gob shi-te thinks


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,807 ✭✭✭deisedude


    I think the dungarvan game is on TG4


  • Registered Users Posts: 83 ✭✭parish girl


    Table Quiz on tonight in Lawlors at 7.30 for Colaistí Dhúngarbhan. Tables of 3 or 4. Any support would be greatly appreciated. Best of luck to all involved on Saturday.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,971 ✭✭✭teednab-el


    deisedude wrote: »
    In todays examiner Tony Considine ponders what team impressed most in the league and namechecks every other 1A team apart from Waterford. Forgotten again it seems

    He has a point though. Waterford in pole position in the table, before yesterday and couldnt even beat Galway and now Waterford end up fourth in the table and nothing to play for, It serves Waterford right that he doesnt make any reference to them. Considine is a very good writer and calls it the way it should be.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,851 ✭✭✭Mountainlad


    deisedude wrote: »
    In todays examiner Tony Considine ponders what team impressed most in the league and namechecks every other 1A team apart from Waterford. Forgotten again it seems

    I never had much respect for his opinion, the amount of negativity in his articles in the Examiner during the summer is just not something I can hack. Don't think he's very insightful either, and is very Clare focused, which is the problem with a lot of GAA opinion journalists as they tend to be quite biased.

    Coming in under the radar in June would be no bad thing though I'm sure.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,147 ✭✭✭hardybuck


    I think what cost Waterford most yesterday was a lack of physicality and intensity, mostly among the forwards and midfielders. Playing against the breeze, Galway managed to steam through time and time again with strong running. Ball which was being played upfield kept coming back with interest. It wasn't until around half time when the referee's terrible decisions started to frustrate the players and the crowd before we saw some life out of the lads.

    Once again I was quite impressed by the backs, who look to be developing into a tidy unit. If they can build upon that form in Championship we'll have one less thing to worry about. I think that this current group of defenders may be one of the best we've produced in a long time.

    Barry looked well off the pace yesterday. I'm not sure what he did to merit inclusion over the likes of Shane Walsh and Martin O'Neill. I'd say the same for Shanahan also - his workrate needs to seriously improve.

    Lads like Dillon, Barron, Halloran etc. all look like players who have a lot of potential, but will all need a lot of minding from players like Prendergast and Shane Walsh.

    I'm also quite disappointed not to have seen any of Eoin Madigan in the league. I think he's a player we should be looking at as a future centre forward.

    Going into the summer, I think the lightness of the forwards in particular will cost us when we play teams like Tipp, Galway and Kilkenny if we get that far. I think those three will still be a bit ahead of teams like ourselves, Cork, Clare, Limerick and Dublin.

    Overall I think we can be quite satisfied by the league performance, but the lack of ruthlessness against Galway is a bit disappointing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 jibsalot


    Heard Eoin madigan gone for year injured


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,810 ✭✭✭Cake Man


    Disappointing result on Sunday lads, just seemed we bowed out of the league on a limp enough note which didn’t reflect the performances and some of the results we got in the previous games. Going into the last game top of the group and looking good for a semi spot, it’s tough to accept our league is finished and as KevIRL mentioned earlier, it’s unfortunate it comes just at a time when the sod is starting to firm up and players like Dillon, Barron, O’Halloran et al would thrive with their pace.
    Overall though, I’m delighted we avoided relegation despite being tipped by all to go down. Most of the performances have been decent and the lads showed great character especially in the games against Cork and Tipp (two games where we snatched 3 crucial league points from the jaws of defeat). We can go into the championship with renewed optimism and knowing about 12 or 13 of what our team for Clare in June will be. Some positions still up for grabs, some players have done enough to warrant a start (Shane Fives, Dillon, O’Halloran etc.), some players with the jury still out (Brian O’Sullivan, Paudie Mahony, SOK/IOR).
    Fair enough, it’s sh!t not having anymore competitive games until then but when you think about it, Clare (and Cork) just have one more than ourselves which will be played in the next week or two so it’s not as if it’s much of an advantage really. We’ll all be going into June with a long gap since our last competitive game.


  • Registered Users Posts: 602 ✭✭✭Giveitfong


    In the first half yesterday I thought Waterford showed all the symptoms of a team which was unable to handle the new level of expectation which had been placed on them after the win over Tipperary. For the first time they were being widely expected to win this game, and the weekend papers devoted acres of space to the new pretenders.


    You could even see in the prematch warm-up that Galway meant business, and they got stuck in right from the throw-in, playing with confidence and drive. Waterford, by contrast, had the jitters. Their first touch was desperate, their decision-making was poor and they made loads of mistakes. Watching the replay, I counted nine Galway scores (and four missed chances) which came directly from Waterford errors.


    Fair dues to the management who got the team’s heads right at half time, and they played much better hurling in the second half. Unfortunately, playing against the wind made it difficult to land scores from distance, while Galway crowded the goal area to snuff out goal chances, as Waterford persisted with long balls into that area.


    While it is true that Galway probably would have won the game more comfortably if Joe Canning had been even half his normal self, the fact is that Waterford also missed a lot of good chances. The referee’s eccentric refereeing didn’t help their cause either. I counted eleven incorrect decisions that he made which went against Waterford. Most of these came in the first half when Waterford could have made better use of the frees they should have got. I was amazed to read in today’s paper that Stapleton gave Waterford thirteen frees in the second half and Galway just one. I presume someone let him know at half time that he hadn’t been exactly fair to the home team in the first half.


    While Waterford’s skill level is high and their attitude has been top-class, they need to go beyond this if they are to be serious contenders. The supply of ball going into the forwards throughout the league has generally been poor. This is particularly important when you have a lot of small forwards who find it hard to gain possession in one-on-one situations. They need early, low, ball played into space and not to players.


    If they are going to play a ball-winner at full forward then the ball needs to be played into him and he needs support players to feed off breaking balls or hand passes. When Waterford had the gale force wind against Cork they were playing only one or two players in the full forward line. Last week against Tipperary when playing with the wind they put Seamus Pender in full forward but wouldn’t send the ball into him. I remember at one point yesterday when a long ball was played in and Pender had four Galway defenders in attendance while there was no other Waterford player within 30 yards.



    One of Waterford’s potentially greatest attacking assets is the way Kevin Moran is able to break forward from midfield. However, very little ever seems to come from these sorties, with Moran either running into trouble or out of ideas. The management need to work on making the most of these situations, with support players running alongside Moran, or moving into designated places to receive through balls. Alternatively, once Moran breaks the line in midfield, he should find the spare man when the next defender comes up to face him, rather than taking him on too.


    The management surely must also realise that placing Maurice Shanahan at full forward is a waste of time, and you can see that he is just not comfortable in that position. I thought he did much better in the half forward line in the second half. There were also signs of improvement in Pauric Mahony’s play when he came on as a sub. I think that our championship team should have Shanahan, Prendergast and Mahony in the half forward line – three tall men who will cause opposing half back lines a lot of problems.



    Although things didn’t go well for Ray Barry, he still showed signs of having something to offer. He took up a lot of good positions and showed on occasion that he could win his own ball. Anyone who has seen him play for Waterford under-age teams and for Lismore will know that he is a very talented and versatile hurler.


    I was amazed after the match when someone remarked to me that he didn’t think Darragh Fives had much of a game. I thought watching the game “live” that he did very well, and after seeing the replay on TV I would say he was possibly Waterford’s best player on the day. His constructive use of the ball is a key feature of his game.


    Despite being a super wing back and then centre back for the county minors, and being a star centre back on two winning UCC Fitzibbon Cup teams, I suspect that yesterday was the first time that Fives started a competitive game for Waterford in the half back line. He had the misfortune of starting off with Waterford two years ago as a corner back when they were stuck and then, when he did well there, was left there. He is the kind of player who would play well anywhere, but playing him at corner back was a waste of his talent.



    The same fate befell Jamie Barron who started off with the county minors at corner back when he was 16 and was then kept there for two more years. Last year he was still there with the under 21s, despite being the top scorer in the county at senior level with his club.


    I also think Stephen Daniels has more to offer Waterford in the half back line than at corner back. His strength, drive and ball-winning ability are perfectly suited to wing back. With Shane Fives doing an excellent job in one corner and Noel Connors now available for the other, I think a half back line of Darragh Fives, Brick and Daniels and a midfield of Shane O’Sullivan and Kevin Moran would give us a unit in this sector of the field better than most other counties.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 990 ✭✭✭robopaddy


    jibsalot wrote: »
    Heard Eoin madigan gone for year injured

    thats a big blow to the lad if true


  • Registered Users Posts: 426 ✭✭lovelypoint


    Giveitfong wrote: »
    I was amazed to read in today’s paper that Stapleton gave Waterford thirteen frees in the second half and Galway just one. I presume someone let him know at half time that he hadn’t been exactly fair to the home team in the first half.

    This I find particularly irritating from lazy journalists who have probably not even seen the game, counting frees, instead of analysing incorrect decisions.
    Giveitfong wrote: »
    I was amazed after the match when someone remarked to me that he didn’t think Darragh Fives had much of a game. I thought watching the game “live” that he did very well, and after seeing the replay on TV I would say he was possibly Waterford’s best player on the day. His constructive use of the ball is a key feature of his game.


    Despite being a super wing back and then centre back for the county minors, and being a star centre back on two winning UCC Fitzibbon Cup teams, I suspect that yesterday was the first time that Fives started a competitive game for Waterford in the half back line. He had the misfortune of starting off with Waterford two years ago as a corner back when they were stuck and then, when he did well there, was left there. He is the kind of player who would play well anywhere, but playing him at corner back was a waste of his talent.



    The same fate befell Jamie Barron who started off with the county minors at corner back when he was 16 and was then kept there for two more years. Last year he was still there with the under 21s, despite being the top scorer in the county at senior level with his club.


    I also think Stephen Daniels has more to offer Waterford in the half back line than at corner back. His strength, drive and ball-winning ability are perfectly suited to wing back. With Shane Fives doing an excellent job in one corner and Noel Connors now available for the other, I think a half back line of Darragh Fives, Brick and Daniels and a midfield of Shane O’Sullivan and Kevin Moran would give us a unit in this sector of the field better than most other counties.

    The handling and positioning of promising young half backs has been very poor for many years now. It must be terribly frustrating for guys like Fives (Darragh), Daniels, etc to be ignored, or placed in the corner when they do get their chance, while players from midfield or others who have been proven not to cut it at championship time, are shuffled back into wing back spots. Thankfully, at least now, some of our more promising half backs are getting chances where they may offer the most.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 990 ✭✭✭robopaddy


    The first round of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship is next Wednesday night (tomorrow week) we take on Tipperary in Walsh Park. Really big ask for the lads involved in the AI Colleges Final on Saturday to go out a few nights later and hurl at is a much higher level again. Youd really have to question the timing of the competition and at least give it a couple weeks under after the school competitions are over.

    I know you have lads doing exams but the football competition dosent start until late April. If we win wed be home and hosed until late June and a Semi Final with Limerick, lose and we'd be out the following week against the other first round losers


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,185 ✭✭✭kensutz


    robopaddy wrote: »
    The first round of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship is next Wednesday night (tomorrow week) we take on Tipperary in Walsh Park.

    Nope, it's moved to the 11th.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 990 ✭✭✭robopaddy


    kensutz wrote: »
    Nope, it's moved to the 11th.

    that put a halt to my rant lol


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7 jibsalot


    Looking forward to club championships starting hard to see anyone beating ballygunner


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭Ando's Saggy Bottom


    jibsalot wrote: »
    Looking forward to club championships starting hard to see anyone beating ballygunner

    Erm, DLS?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,293 ✭✭✭Deise_2012


    My starting team for the championship
    SOK
    noel connors, lawlor, daniels
    jamie nagle, brick, darragh fives
    moran, shane o sullivan
    maurice shan, brian o halloran, seamus pender
    jake dillon, shane walsh, paudie mahony

    tough decision between shane fives and noel connors but just going on championship experience, the last forward spot was also a tough call but i think mahony will come good for the championship. brian o sullivan, jamie barron, ray barry, paudie pender, shane fives in reserve and and also richie foley to come back aswel so it's looking a very competitive squad for the summer!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 421 ✭✭ManFromCheese


    Erm, DLS?

    DLS are lacking forwards, it really showed last year in munster, after mullane and dillon, very good upto midfield but after that they are coming up a bit short, but the co cship is releastically between DLS and BG, be interested to see how D'garvan fare after last year, they are still a bit young, may take a few years. Ring / Roanmore favourites for the drop.


  • Registered Users Posts: 229 ✭✭deisefolife


    i got this of the hoganstand




    Kingpins Kilkenny remain at the top of the class in our latest hurling rankings while Waterford and Clare both move up a spot. Cork slip two places but that could change if Jimmy Barry-Murphy's charges get the better of Clare in the Division 1A relegation play-off on Sunday week. How is your team doing?

    1. KILKENNY (no change)

    The All-Ireland champions and Division 1A holders have timed their run to perfection. They lost their opening two rounds against Galway and Tipperary but successive wins over Waterford, Clare and Cork booked their place in the knock-out stages of the league. They came from behind to get the better of Cork on a scoreline of 0-20 to 2-12 at home last Sunday. Brian Cody welcomed back JJ Delaney and Jackie Tyrell against the Rebel County.

    2. GALWAY (no change)

    Last year's All-Ireland finalists finished third in the Division 1A table with two wins, a draw and two defeats to their name. Their reward is a semi-final date with Kilkenny. They produced the goods when it mattered most in last weekend's 0-15 to 0-12 victory over Waterford in Walsh Park. The manager will have been particularly pleased with the performance of Davy Glennon - who scored four points - in attack.

    3. TIPPERARY (no change)

    The Premier County's 3-19 to 1-4 win over neighbours Clare last Sunday propelled them to the top of the Division 1A table and they now await the winners of the Division 1B final between Limerick and Dublin in the last four. It is a far cry from their embarrassing 1-11 to 0-26 opening round defeat to Cork. Eamon O'Shea, to his credit, refused to panic and has managed to turn things around.

    4. WATERFORD (up 1)

    The Deise narrowly missed out on a place in the last four of Division 1A on account of last weekend's 0-12 to 0-15 defeat by Galway. Considering they were top of the table prior to throw-in it was a difficult pill to swallow for Michael Ryan and his players but they can reflect on plenty of positives from their campaign as they turn their attention to a Munster SHC semi-final showdown with Clare on June 2.

    5. CLARE (up 1)

    Clare will put their Division 1A status on the line when they take on Cork in the relegation decider. Davy Fitz's men prevailed when the two sides met in round three on a scoreline of 1-22 to 1-16. Last weekend's heavy defeat by Tipperary will have dampened expectations in the Banner County which their manager has suggested will be a good thing as he goes about his rebuilding work.

    6. CORK (down 2)

    The Rebel County defeat Tipp in round 1 but draws against Waterford and Galway coupled with defeats by Clare and Kilkenny saw them finish in the wooden spoon position in the Division 1A table. All is not lost for Jimmy Barry Murphy's young charges, however, and if they can turn the tables on Clare in the relegation play-off they will approach the Munster SHC in a positive frame of mind.

    7. LIMERICK (no change)

    John Allen's men went through Division 1B unbeaten and a dropped point in the last round versus Wexford at home was the only blot on their record sheet. They will look to repeat their 1-21 to 1-15 round 3 defeat of Dublin when the two sides meet in Semple Stadium with promotion and a semi-final place up for grabs. Corner-back Tom Condon is back in contention following an elbow injury which means the Shannonsiders will be at full strength with the exception of Donal O'Grady who is a long term injury.

    8. DUBLIN (no change)

    Manager Anthony Daly and captain Johnny McCaffrey both reckon the Dubs will be underdogs when they travel to Thurles to take on Limerick in the Division 1B final. They enter the game on the back of a 13 point victory over Carlow but the manager admitted he was concerned at their first half wide tally of 13. You wouldn't imagine that they will get away with a similar tally against Saturday's opposition.

    9. OFFALY (no change)

    Ollie Baker and his team rounded off their Division 1B campaign in style with a narrow 0-21 to 0-19 win over Antrim in Casement Park. They finished in the bronze medal position in the table following wins over Wexford and Carlow. They now have a Leinster SHC quarter-final against Kilkenny on Sunday, June 9 to look forward to!

    10. WEXFORD (no change)

    Liam Dunne's men restored some pride following the previous week's mauling at the hands of Dublin when coming away from the Gaelic Grounds with a share of the spoils against table-toppers Limerick last Sunday evening. Overall, it won't go down as a memorable league campaign for the Slaneysiders and they now start planning for their Leinster SHC date with Dublin on Saturday, June 8.

    11. ANTRIM (no change)

    The Saffrons face Carlow in the Division 1B relegation final on April 14th, after being edged out by Offaly at Casement Park last Sunday. Relegation to Division 2A would be a 'brutal disappointment' according to Conor Carson and you would expect that Kevin Ryan's men will get the win they need. They ran out convincing 3-14 to 0-13 winners when the sides met in round 4.

    12. CARLOW (no change)


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 jibsalot


    Gunners definitely worth a bet telling ya dls have never put back to back titles together


  • Registered Users Posts: 497 ✭✭The blue blaa


    jibsalot wrote: »
    Gunners definitely worth a bet telling ya dls have never put back to back titles together

    Ballygunner are by far the best hurling club in waterford jaysus sher they only left DLS have a little loan of the county cup and rumour have it their training hard to win the World Series in fact they won it already the Yankees shat the bag and everyone else panicked, paddy power's money back special if Ballygunner fail to win the senior club championship you get a full sized indoor astro pitch for the club of your choice...


  • Registered Users Posts: 543 ✭✭✭solarith


    DLS have 1 on their jerseys this year, first time going for back to back titles.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 jibsalot


    Be very open championship madigan big loss to de la salle


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 990 ✭✭✭robopaddy


    jibsalot wrote: »
    Be very open championship madigan big loss to de la salle

    DLS & Ballygunner a class ahead of the rest of the field, on paper anyway.

    Lismore, FMW, Mt Sion & maybe Dungarvan on a par behind them but very hard to see anyone other than the big 2 winning it


This discussion has been closed.
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