Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

Billy Ocean

For the record in Munster last year 4 home wins, 1 draw and 4 away wins, nothing counting Clare v Cork as it was in Thurles.

tommylad1212

They don't own carraiganore every game that's played there is paid for

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120088258#Comment_120088258

My thoughts exactly. Good riddance to the old shack of a stadium not like it’s a fortress we could scarcely win a game there anyway it was embarrassing. Davy will have our lads riled up no matter where the game is on who better to turn a negative into ammunition

PeggyShippen

It's a big blow. Home advantage is home advantage and its the late timing of the announcement that makes it worse. Waterford really do have an incompetent county board. I'd say the Munster council will probably want one game in Cork. The Limerick game could be on there. Whatever way you look at it Limerick will have the majority of the support . 2 to 1 at least id say. Nobody likes playing in Walsh Park . Clare and Limerick have both won there recently enough but they ll be delighted with this announcement. Why wouldn't they be.

whiteandblue

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120088258#Comment_120088258

I would be shocked if Tipp made Semple available for both Waterford's home games. Tipp have home advantage on Waterford in the last game so why would they give Waterford 2 runouts in their stadium before that? If I was Liam Cahill, I'd be pushing my county board to deny Waterford access.

Similarly, people might say Cork would be an alternative but if Waterford play Limerick in PUC, they are again giving Waterford a runout on the pitch before Waterford play Cork in PUC.

My thinking is that they may get the Limerick game in Thurles and the Clare game will be in Limerick. Both far from ideal as Limerick supporters will outnumber Waterford supporters in Thurles and Clare will outnumber Waterford in Limerick. Although it probably won't happen as it is not in Munster, but I think Nowlan Park would be the best alternative for Waterford.

It is shocking administration from the county board to let this happen. People may say home advantage doesn't count for a lot but I'd disagree in terms of as playing on a familiar surface, the logistics & routine of the day & the support behind the team are all advantageous. I'm sure Davy is raging.

Deise Vu

Building inflation is running at something like 22% the last two years. Postponing the development any further is not an option. I would criticize the board for a lot of things but we need to get this done asap.

Hopefully we get Thurles or maybe Cork for one, I do not do the Limerick road. Full stop.

whiteandblue

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120088989#Comment_120088989

https://www.beat102103.com/sport/waterford-gaa-announce-plans-for-new-walsh-park-933170

I totally agree and this is why the county board have already cost themselves thousands and perhaps even hundreds of thousands of €uro!

The article above from February 2021 stats that the county board agreed on plans and this line is included, "The project will see the capacity of the ground increased to 16,000, which the county board were hoping to be complete by May of last year - however as of yet, no work has begun". It also states that they were told in February 2020 that they would receive €3.8 million funding.

So the county board had the funding approved in February 2020, wanted to be started by May 2020, have the plans drawn up since February 2021 and turn the sod on in December 2022 on a 6 month build just 4 months out from championship? I don't care how much red tape there is, surely this construction work should be well completed at this stage. And as you stated, in the last 1 or 2 years, costs have skyrocketed. so the budget & funding they have won't cover as much of the cost as originally! They have shot themselves in the foot.

After waiting this length of time, I would have said wait the 5 months until the Munster championship has been completed to give the intercounty hurlers their best chance of qualifying by playing their home games in their home county.

I really can't believe how much of a shambles this whole situation is.

Pudz2180

I have been impressed with the new county board it seemed like there was some kind of professionalism to them but this whole episode has me wondering if that’s true! I find it hard to believe that it was only yesterday that they realised the place wouldn’t be ready for championship in April. I think the priority should have been playing our home games in the championship and if that meant delaying the construction until May so be it.

I know our record at home isn’t great but if you were to ask Clare and limerick id say they are delighted to not be playing us in Walsh park. Limerick support will probably outnumber us 3 or 4 to 1. Clare had good wins in thurles last year against cork and Tipp and also performed well in Munster final. They also beat us there in the 21 championship. We are not the only county that ‘likes’ playing in thules!

It’s also working out very nicely for Clare as they will only have one away game, two home games and one at a neutral venue. It was the same for them last year as they played cork in thurles as there was a concert on in cork. Having only one away game definitely increases a teams chances of getting out of Munster and vice Versa having no home games surely decreases a teams chances of coming in the top 3.

I’m sure management and players can’t be happy with the situation. I presume they would have been given some kind of assurance that they would be playing their games in Walsh park.

All in all a mess that I think could have been avoided

Deise Vu

I’m involved in a large building project myself. You think you have everything in place, then the builder can’t start, certain materials are in short supply, getting sign off on the finishings, suppliers want deposits, banks want certificates, the builder is not ready again. It’s like the proverbial minding mice at the cross roads. In this case you can be sure that stuff has to be approved by Munster and or Central Council or Govt (if we are getting anything).

In short, I’ll forgive the board anything to do with timing on the build but if they agree to play Clare in Limerick as a neutral venue, I will burn down the new stand.

DiscoStew

There’s a lot of very understandable frustration at this news, as despite what the board repeated time & again it was pretty obvious once work began it would not be completed sufficiently to allow us to host our home games.

I can also understand people giving out about the repeated messages that it would have started previously. This was ongoing, mentioned at numerous county board meetings but there was also the explanation that while funding had been approved, there was a lot more information required at the time to actually receive the funds.

Covid obviously didn’t help with construction closing around the same time & the increase in the price of materials will certainly have an impact now also.

It’s a sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in again, when it seemed the board were becoming more progressive.

Dunmoreroader

Thankfully the redevelopment has finally commenced after the usual predictable torturous delays for anything major seemingly to get built in Waterford (North Quays, UHW Mortuary + Cath Lab, Waterford Airport runway extension, WIT/SETU Engineering building etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc).

Can anything get done in this city anymore involving government and/or major national organisation that gets delayed so much that we can't celebrate it, even on completion, as the good gets taken out of it by the excruciating delay?

blueflame

The major problem i have is that once again we the supporters have been led down the "Garden Path" by our county board. everyone I knew was absolutely amazed at the repeated assertions that Walsh Park would host league and championship this year, but our County Board reassured us repeatedly that this would be the case, and encouraged supporters to purchase Season Tickets. The same day that the Season Tickets are released our County Board issue their press release.

I do not believe for one second that they only discovered yesterday, what every dog in the street already knew for months, so this comes down to an issue of "Trust" - we simply cannot believe or trust a word that comes out of them - can we honestly believe that they will secure proper venues for the benefit of the team or supporters or will it be as normal when they sell out to the highest bidder

Five years down the road and we are in the same spot - so i for one have no trust or belief in our board.

TheScoringGoal

Until the official confirmation comes through we can only dread where the games will be played. As another poster has stated, trust in the county board has now been eroded so we can't believe a word they say.

Our record with the Munster Council for fixing games isn't good. We somehow ended up playing Clare in Limerick just before Davy's first term. I say "somehow" but it the reason was the other counties voted that we should have to go there. Similarly in 2018 it was voted that we should play Tipp in Limerick. To this day I challenge anyone to name another team that had to pass through the place they were playing to get to a "home" game.

Relhcstirt

What is the current capacity of Fraher Field. I have it in my head as 8K!!

DiscoStew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120090362#Comment_120090362

Closer to 3k I’d think at present. Nothing other than the stand would be open as the rest is all grass bank which I’m nearly certain isn’t permitted to have patrons for health & safety.

PTH2009

Could they hardly bring in Tempaory tiered seating for Cariginore ?

Remember the Carlow match in 2019 under lights in Fraher Field, people seating on the steps in the stand

PTH2009

Going by the Déise Am (or whatever its called) "the Munster Council are so brilliant giving us funding"

So we're definitely not going to be rocking the boat and it's fully there choice. Once we don't have too play in Limerick

Junior Hurler

Waterford's home championship games should be in Nowlan Pk, Kilkenny. It should be nominated as Waterford's home venue for now.

1. It means all teams have a dedicated home venue and are on an an equal footing in the tournament.

2. It's the same distance to drive from Ennis/ Limerick to Kilkenny as to Waterford City

3. KK is a shorter drive than Thurles from Waterford City (and environs) and the same distance as Thurles from Dungarvan

Only some questionable rule that mandates playing championship games in Munster means otherwise, introduces politics and in doing so creates a lop-sided tournament where opponents get to decide on where a team plays and discommodes Waterford fans. (Scheduling a game V Tipp in Limerick for example)

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091039#Comment_120091039

Stop making sense

It should also be noted that a 'Leinster Final Replay' took place in Thurles a few years ago

TheScoringGoal

In further signs that we are treated equally by the Munster Council, the allocation of club grants has been announced. Guess which county gets the least?

https://munster.gaa.ie/2023/01/munster-gaa-announce-e1-8m-investment-in-club-development-grants-for-2022/

evolvingtipperary101

1.8 million for over 400 projects is poor.

How much is the other provinces getting?

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091182#Comment_120091182

Munster council have a different mindset to Leinster, remember a few years back when Ballygunner played Borrisoleigh in Cork when Kilkenny was the logical netural venue for that, Munster council won't leave the 6 counties.

Jjjjjjjjbarry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091039#Comment_120091039

This would be a good option. As blueflame mentioned, it's insulting timing to season ticket holders for our home games to be given away but at least, KK is not too far. Moving our "home" games to Cork or Limerick would be a disgrace. But again, the politics will probably get in the way.

And valid point about Tipp potentially blocking Thurles. You wouldn't blame them.

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120092457#Comment_120092457

Cork also could be up in arms if the Limerick game is fixed for PUC as we face Cork there in Round 2

Could see us playing Limerick in Thurles and Clare in Cork

evolvingtipperary101

Tipp won't block that. If Waterford want Thurles they'll get Thurles. There are agreements and protocols since the last time it happened. Naturally, I don't see why it's surprising, Munster Council won't want Munster championship games played in another province - it's not ideal. I'd have no issue with Waterford playing their games in Nowlan or anywhere else but Munster Council is Munster Council. Munster delegates and councils represent Munster and Waterford reps will want the games in Munster too, you can be sure of that.

Gardner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120090597#Comment_120090597

don't ever mention Dungarvan on this thread. it's an absolute kip of a ground and probably one of the worst in Ireland. Should be sold and the proceeds used to develop hurling within the county. pumping money into football is a waste also and should be diverted into hurling.

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120093786#Comment_120093786

Ah give the Munster Council some credit - they didn't object to soccer and rugby in their grounds! Therefore they'll hardly object to hurling being played in a GAA grounds!

PTH2009

DLS bow out of the Harty Cup in the QFs losing 0-16-2-15 against Midleton CBS

PeggyShippen

Hard luck DLS. Goals win games.

evolvingtipperary101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120094720#Comment_120094720

Who said they would?