Waterford v Kilkenny

Daysha

2.30pm, Walsh Park, Sunday 1st March (live on TG4).

Haven't heard the Kilkenny team yet (or whether the Ballyhale lads are returning), but Waterford lines up as follows:

1. Clinton Hennessey
2. Eoin Murphy
3. Declan Prendergast
4. Noel Connors
5. Richie Foley
6. Michael "Brick" Walsh
7. James Murray
8. Shane O'Sullivan
9. Jamie Nagle
10. Gary Hurney
11. Ken McGrath
12. Stephen Molumphy
13. Jack Kennedy
14. Seamus Prendergast
15. Shane Walsh

So, Dan Shanahans been dropped for the returning Stephen Molumphy (about time too), and Davy Fitz continues with Ken McGrath in the forwards with Brick Walsh back at centre half. Will be interesting to see how Ken fares against the best half back line in the country!

I'd love to head down to the match but I'm tied up in Dublin for the weekend so I can't make it. That said, I expect us to put up a decent fight. I don't think we'll win, but it goes without saying it'll be nowhere near the mauling of last September. I'll go for Kilkenny by anywhere between 3-6 points.

premierstone

Deise them backs look very poor to me, just thinkin back to the Tipp game they were very poor aswell and only for some poor finishing by Tipp and a MOTM performance from Hennessey Waterford would have been destroyed, if KK field a strong team I think it could be quite a trimming tbh although home advantage and the memories of September should keep it respectfull enough.

Podge2k7

C'mon the Cats.!!:D:D

Daysha

premierstone wrote: »

Deise them backs look very poor to me, just thinkin back to the Tipp game they were very poor aswell and only for some poor finishing by Tipp and a MOTM performance from Hennessey Waterford would have been destroyed, if KK field a strong team I think it could be quite a trimming tbh although home advantage and the memories of September should keep it respectfull enough.

Hennessy, Murphy, Brick Walsh will obviously be fine, but apart from that, I guess you're right. Neither Prender or Murray are the greatest backs in the world, and it'll be a pretty huge day for Connors, starting only his third competitive game for us. Still only 18/19 too.

I may have to rethink my prediction if Shefflin, Cha and co all return that's for sure.

premierstone

deise59 wrote: »

I may have to rethink my prediction if Shefflin, Cha and co all return that's for sure.

Highly unlikely I would have thought and judging by hes performance last Sunday I dont think Cha is anywhere near over he's illness and maybe quiet a while before we see him back in action.

Daysha

premierstone wrote: »

Highly unlikely I would have thought and judging by hes performance last Sunday I dont think Cha is anywhere near over he's illness and maybe quiet a while before we see him back in action.

Ah yes, forgot about that. Thanks for the heads up.

skinnyfatman

Fair play to waterford, they were a better team, worked harder and it's clear that they were fitter than Kilkenny today. It was a good game and tough and hard going. I'm sorry to be abrupt but i am ****ing disgusted by the referee. eddie brennan got sent off for nothing today and it was a disgraceful decision to send him off. I won't say anything about the pull, everyone knows what Prendergast did!

ShamoBuc

Good tough game. Both sets of players will have 'enjoyed' it. Waterford I'm sure won't get carried away with this win, but anytime you beat the cats is a good time.

KevIRL

Just back from the game. A real cracker played at high intensity throughout. Some great performances from Waterford, Brick Walsh, Richie Foley, James Murray and Ken McGrath standing out.

One thing though, these new rules are rubbish and will ruin games. The game deprived of Eoin Kelly, Seamus Prendergast, Tommy Walsh and Jackie Tyrill for one incident in the first half. Hurling doesnt have the same problems football does in regards to discipline so stop ruling both games with the same measures please

Orizio

KevIRL wrote: »

Just back from the game. A real cracker played at high intensity throughout. Some great performances from Waterford, Brick Walsh, Richie Foley, James Murray and Ken McGrath standing out.

One thing though, these new rules are rubbish and will ruin games. The game deprived of Eoin Kelly, Seamus Prendergast, Tommy Walsh and Jackie Tyrill for one incident in the first half. Hurling doesnt have the same problems football does in regards to discipline so stop ruling both games with the same measures please

I particurly dislike this new bizarre rule, where you get sent off for getting hit over the head with a hurley off the ball...

KevIRL

Orizio wrote: »

I particurly dislike this new bizarre rule, where you get sent off for getting hit over the head with a hurley off the ball...

That was a diff incident Orizio. Declan Prendergast recieved a straight red for that (and rightly so)

Orizio

KevIRL wrote: »

That was a diff incident Orizio. Declan Prendergast recieved a straight red for that (and rightly so)

Uhhhhhh...what?

I was having a go, sarcastically, at Eddie Brennan getting sent off for getting hit over the head.

KevIRL

Orizio wrote: »

Uhhhhhh...what?

I was having a go, sarcastically, at Eddie Brennan getting sent off for getting hit over the head.

Eddie Brennan struck Prendergast first as Prendergast walked back. Prendergast retaliated and struck Brennan. Both got deserving reds. Prendergast will get a long ban though

Diabhal Beag

Brennan and Walsh out for Galway match Good performance from Waterford and hopefully its not another false dawn.

Daysha

Wow, didn't expect that for one minute!

I've just got home so I haven't had time to watch the match yet, but Prenders pull on Brennan does sound pretty nasty. If it's as bad as people made it out to be he should be out for the rest of the league. Can't really comment on the yellows either until I see them. Nice to see Dan get on the scoresheet too, sounds like he had a good game when he came on.

That's twice in as many games we've won when I've gone for the opposition. I guess I should have more confidence in our own ability

Erin Go Brath

Great game this one. Waterford looking good at the moment. Fair play to Dave Fitz, looks like he might have turned things around after last Septembers debacle.

Formosa

Little Shyte wrote: »

Brennan and Walsh out for Galway match Good performance from Waterford and hopefully its not another false dawn.

'Fraid not, Walsh just got a yellow so no suspension.

Brennan's red will most likely be rescinded too, whether in time for next weekend or not though is a different story.

Mossy Monk

deise59 wrote: »

Nice to see Dan get on the scoresheet too, sounds like he had a good game when he came on.

Maybe shaving off that beard a cutting his hair helped.

Daysha

I gotta say, we've given ourselves a great chance of reaching the league final now. I'll be fairly confident of victory over Dublin in three weeks. Following that is Galway at home who we can definitely beat, then we travel to Limerick, again very winnable. Then we finish it off with a trip to Cork to relegate the Rebels :pac:

Obviously Kilkenny v Tipp in 3 weeks will be a big match, but Tipp can definitely win, They've been pretty impressive in the league so far.

room18

Why is Tommy Walsh always involved in some sort of tussle on the field? Today for example he did an awful dirty strike on Eoin Kelly. In last years final he started a row with Seamus Predergast before the ball was thrown in.

bricky10

Yeah, he does seem to get himself involved in these "tussles". And always ends up on the ground after them!

Annuv

room18 wrote: »

Why is Tommy Walsh always involved in some sort of tussle on the field? Today for example he did an awful dirty strike on Eoin Kelly. In last years final he started a row with Seamus Predergast before the ball was thrown in.

Tommy Walsh did not start the row with Prendergast in the 08 AI final, Prendergast did and it has been widely acknowledged that Waterford decided before the match to soften up a few of the Kilkenny players before the ball was thrown in. This was out of character for most of the Waterford players and back fired in a big way. Even some Waterford players have since been quoted as being disappointed by this approach that was introduced by Davy Fitz e.g Dave Bennett for one

Having said all that, and despite being a Kilkenny man I agree that Tommy has been guilty of a few wreckless swings over the last season or two, and todays was wreckless but I do not think it was really malicious. If the referee who had an awful game had given the free for it and black/yellow card for it, the incident that followed would have been avoided and the game would not have lost 3-4 great players

The stroke on Eddie Brennan has no place in hurling and he should get 3+ months for it

Bduffman

In fairness lads, everyone is judging the Prendergast / Brennan incident by what they saw on TV. The camera didn't catch what happened before that when Brennan struck out with the hurley. Maybe Prendergast should have thrown himself on the ground & rolled around like Brennan did rather than lashing out himself?

Erin Go Brath

Brennan is no angel. He has a history of getting sneaky digs in which often go unpunished. The '07 final springs to mind when he struck Stephen Lucey in the head with the butt of his hurl away from the refs view. The ref (and linesmen) completely missed the incident and he got away scot free on that occasion. Cogniscent of his history i think the ref didnt give him the benefit of the doubt and decided to give him his marching orders along with Prendergast.

Annuv

Bduffman wrote: »

In fairness lads, everyone is judging the Prendergast / Brennan incident by what they saw on TV. The camera didn't catch what happened before that when Brennan struck out with the hurley. Maybe Prendergast should have thrown himself on the ground & rolled around like Brennan did rather than lashing out himself?

For people that could not make the match, they can only judge the incident on what they clearly saw on tv and that was a strike across the head with the hurl by Prendergast. This deserves a ban.

Regarding what provoked the strike and whether Brennan deserved red, those who were not at the match will have to wait for the refs report to find out, stating that Eddie Brennan struck with hurl before this based solely on the reaction from Prendergast and Hennessy consulting with the umpire is not enough.
For those who state that Brennan did strike with the hurl, were you at the match and did you see the strike? I am not saying that Brennan didn't do anything but I am interested to know what it was and did it warrant such a reaction from Prendergast?

I agree that Brennan was very lucky to get away with two dangerous strikes in the 07 All-Ireland, but I don't think he could have been regarded as a dirty player prior to that final and don't think he has done much wrong since then unless my memory fails me. I was surprised by those incidents that day especially the swing back with the hurl, and they seem to have earned him a reputation with opposition fans

Browney7

Erin Go Brath wrote: »

Brennan is no angel. He has a history of getting sneaky digs in which often go unpunished. The '07 final springs to mind when he struck Stephen Lucey in the head with the butt of his hurl away from the refs view. The ref (and linesmen) completely missed the incident and he got away scot free on that occasion. Cogniscent of his history i think the ref didnt give him the benefit of the doubt and decided to give him his marching orders along with Prendergast.

+1 on this one

Bertie Buncle

Bduffman wrote: »

In fairness lads, everyone is judging the Prendergast / Brennan incident by what they saw on TV. The camera didn't catch what happened before that when Brennan struck out with the hurley. Maybe Prendergast should have thrown himself on the ground & rolled around like Brennan did rather than lashing out himself?

Michael Duignan last night said he watched the build up to the incident and said "Brennan never even raised the hurley".
Davy Fitz has turned the two Prendergasts into a pair of dirty tramps in less than a year.
Davy is leading this team into the stone age, the brillaint hurling mind of Justin Mc carthy replaced by a swearing, hysterical, hurl thumping hot head.
Watch the video (ie reality and not pub gossip) and watch the filthy skelping of Seamus when Tommy Walsh is pinned to ground, cowardly and deadly dangerous. It wa sthis striking that sent Tyrell barelling into Seamus Prendergast in absolute fury.

Waterford should pray they don't collide with Kilkenny at any stage again this year.

Hope Tommy gets a month and Cody uses it to finally rid these one or two blights from his otherwise sublime armoury.

Daysha

Bertie Buncle wrote: »

Michael Duignan last night said he watched the build up to the incident and said "Brennan never even raised the hurley".
Davy Fitz has turned the two Prendergasts into a pair of dirty tramps in less than a year.
Davy is leading this team into the stone age, the brillaint hurling mind of Justin Mc carthy replaced by a swearing, hysterical, hurl thumping hot head.
Watch the video (ie reality and not pub gossip) and watch the filthy skelping of Seamus when Tommy Walsh is pinned to ground, cowardly and deadly dangerous. It wa sthis striking that sent Tyrell barelling into Seamus Prendergast in absolute fury.

Waterford should pray they don't collide with Kilkenny at any stage again this year.

Are you basing this "tramp" like team on every match we've played under Davy Fitz, or solely the Kilkenny matches?

I'm telling you now, every other match apart from the KK matches has been no where near as physical or dirty. Waterford have continued to play as they always do. Watch the Tipp match last year, the Wexford QF, the Clare match two weeks ago. Was there anything there to back up your claim that we play stone age hurling?

The Waterford-Kilkenny rivalry is unlike anything else in hurling as far as I'm concerned. They are always going to be no-holds-barred, no-love-lost between the two sides, unlike say the Waterford-Cork matches where deep down there's still a bit of respect for each other.

If we meet again this year, of course it's going to be seriously intense and very physical. It's bound to happen every time the two counties meet. But that doesn't suddenly mean there should be this stigma attached to us evertime we play a match.

LeoB

Bet if Tommy Walsh was from Dublin or Laoise or Wexford he would get 6 months. One of the reasons so many lads choose football over HURLING is the hurlers are treated differently by authorities. Some Counties get hammered and penalised for any indiscretion at all yet we have heard Cyril Farrell, Pete Finnerty talk about "heat of battle" and softening or sizing up when there is fairly dirty strokes being pulled by players from stronger counties. Tommy Walsh will always be in a bit of hot water because he never backs off, its his style, great to watch and he gets as much hard pulls as he gives.. Long may he play with such flair, within the rules

run_Forrest_run

room18 wrote: »

In last years final he started a row with Seamus Predergast before the ball was thrown in.

you have it the wrong way around there, if you were at it you would have seen what happened clearly, try to watch it again...if you can bring yourself to do so;)

But sure listen, tis over now, Waterford get the victory and even if Brennan didn't get sent off I don't think the result would have been any different.

Bertie Buncle

deise59 wrote: »

Are you basing this "tramp" like team on every match we've played under Davy Fitz, or solely the Kilkenny matches?

I'm telling you now, every other match apart from the KK matches has been no where near as physical or dirty. Waterford have continued to play as they always do. Watch the Tipp match last year, the Wexford QF, the Clare match two weeks ago. Was there anything there to back up your claim that we play stone age hurling?

The Waterford-Kilkenny rivalry is unlike anything else in hurling as far as I'm concerned. They are always going to be no-holds-barred, no-love-lost between the two sides, unlike say the Waterford-Cork matches where deep down there's still a bit of respect for each other.

If we meet again this year, of course it's going to be seriously intense and very physical. It's bound to happen every time the two counties meet. But that doesn't suddenly mean there should be this stigma attached to us evertime we play a match.

The two Prendergasts are supposedly clean hurlers but in the only ywo games they have played against Kilkenny since Davy arrived, they have on each occassion got themselves involved in foula nd even filthy strokes.

If Noel Hickey did to Joe Canning what DP did to Brennan yesterday, it would be on Joe Duffy and there would be calls for life bans.
But because it's "poor old Cinderella Waterford and big bad Kilkenny" it's being glossed over and many even saying Brennan deserved it.

I repeat however, Seamus skelps were twice as cowardly and twice as dangerous.

BTW
Waterford Kilkenny is not by a long way hurling's firecest rivalry.
Waterford tried that nonsense with Cork for a while, trying to hang onto the coat tails of Cork's success "2nd best team in Ireland" rubbish.

You are the second best team in Ireland, jointly with about six more and there is an almighty chasm in between, a chasm that will be again confirmed later this year if they clash again. Don't mind Cody's kind words, the blackguarding Kilkenny got in Walsh Park yesterday won't be forgotten by the players.

adrian522

LeoB wrote: »

Bet if Tommy Walsh was from Dublin or Laoise or Wexford he would get 6 months.

Eh? For what exactly? He got a yellow which was the proper sanction.

Daysha

The two Prendergasts are supposedly clean hurlers but in the only ywo games they have played against Kilkenny since Davy arrived, they have on each occassion got themselves involved in foula nd even filthy strokes.

So 2 players deciding to approach certain opposition in a different way = tramps?

Prenders pull was bad, I'll give you that, and he deserves a long ban. But like Davy Fitz said yesterday, there's two sides to every story, and the pictures only showed one side of it. It happened right in front of the umpires who advised the referee. I highly doubt they told him to send Brennan off because of the odd shoulder or two. Something must've happened.

England approached the Ireland game in a certain way. They tried beating us in the physical aspect of the game. And given some Kilkenny players are far from angels, Davy Fitz decided to approach the game the same way. Did I agree with it? No. But I'm not going to slanderise the players by calling them tramps for getting overtly physical in one or two matches.

If Noel Hickey did to Joe Canning what DP did to Brennan yesterday, it would be on Joe Duffy and there would be calls for life bans.
But because it's "poor old Cinderella Waterford and big bad Kilkenny" it's being glossed over and many even saying Brennan deserved it.

A few questions. First off, who are you quoting there with the Cinderella remark?

Secondly, whose been saying Brennan deserved it? We both know any sane GAA fan will tell you Brennan didn't deserve what happened to him, regardless of what happened beforehand. So quoting idiots who think Brennan got what was coming to him doesn't really hold much value.

Lastly, I don't know where you're getting your newspapers or anything, but the DP pull certainly isn't being glossed over. The general jist of what I've been reading is it was a very bad pull, deserves a lengthy ban, but considering it was very unlike DP, it's important to wait for the ref report to see what exactly caused him to react in such a way.

Hardly glossing over.

Waterford Kilkenny is not by a long way hurling's firecest rivalry.
Waterford tried that nonsense with Cork for a while, trying to hang onto the coat tails of Cork's success "2nd best team in Ireland" rubbish.

Not getting into this now. There's another thread on the subject.

You are the second best team in Ireland, jointly with about six more and there is an almighty chasm in between, a chasm that will be again confirmed later this year if they clash again. Don't mind Cody's kind words, the blackguarding Kilkenny got in Walsh Park yesterday won't be forgotten by the players.

Lol, and you think the Waterford players won't be forgetting last September in a hurry?

room18

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

if you were at it you would have seen what happened clearly, try to watch it again...if you can bring yourself to do so;)

I was at the match last year! I would also have no problem watching it again as I am a Dub
How can you defend Walsh saying he's only fighting because others are basically having a go? Many times in Croker have I seen that lad lash out for no reason, eg. DOC O'Connor of Wexford about 2 years back.

skinnyfatman

Run forest run, i have watched the match back and i was sitting 2 rows back from the front and the tommy walsh thing was styarted by Prendergast scraping his right boot down tommy walsh's right leg. if it was accidental or not i don't know but that is what happened. Walsh isn't so much a clean player and very few backs get away with what he does. that said he does get a lot of player targetting him. His tap on kelly yesterday was not overly bad but merited a black book, however Eoin Kelly yet again over stepped the mark and caused 4 players (including himself) being replaced. I said it already Kilkenny were off the ace and waterford deserved their win. Prendergast wil get what he deserves. i have spoken to 6 different people at the match, one said brennan was walking on DP toes all the time when he moved in, but all six fail to see a "swipe" by brennan. 6, include John Allen, and mac Dara mac Donnacha and Duignan in that and it's looking like everyone missede something or nothing happened.

Lastly kilkenny aren't as dirty as everyone makes out, I have spoken to 2 wexford hurlers who maintain tht Galway are by far and away the worst county for this carry on. They do say Kilkenny hit harder but that's the other body strength and not fouls!!

corcaioch

Just saw the footage of the Prendergast incident...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flhbja6gaMo

run_Forrest_run

Just heard that Eddie Brennan's suspension has been quashed. Glad to hear common sense finally prevails. A lot of umpires are just sheep, and those 2 muppets there on Sunday are a prime example.

brettmirl

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

Just heard that Eddie Brennan's suspension has been quashed. Glad to hear common sense finally prevails. A lot of umpires are just sheep, and those 2 muppets there on Sunday are a prime example.

Source?

run_Forrest_run

mick_irl wrote: »

Source?

radio, papers...media generally!

brettmirl

Can't find it on the interweb anywhere.

run_Forrest_run

mick_irl wrote: »

Can't find it on the interweb anywhere.

turn on yer radio! I heard it on Radio 1 at 6:50 this morning and newstalk have regular bulletins...trust me!

skinnyfatman

Now....

http://www.hoganstand.com/Kilkenny/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=107950

Pity they have Richie hogan in the pic!!

Erin Go Brath

Brennan being cleared of wrong doing. Good news for the cats.

eastcat

Ah lads come on. Kilkenny are not a dirty team, neither Galway or Waterford. Hurling is a tough sport and there are gonna be wild pulls and scrapes here and there. If we cut that out of the sport then we might as well give up. This is not pull, drag and draw the Football is, this is Hurling.

Anyone calling Eddie Brennan or Tommy Walsh dirty either have never played a serious game of hurling, or are just a tad envious. Don't rate the Penders dirty either. OK, the pull across Brennans head and the two nasty digs at Tommy by the other lad while he was on the ground are not what we want to see. But come on, Kilkenny are a tough team to beat and it is a compliment that teams try to rough them up a bit. Moreover they can give it back if need be.

That is part of the game since the beginning and there isn't a county in Ireland that hasn't pulled or felt a tough stroke. Long may it continue or else we'll get softies leavin the soccer feilds and diluting this great game.