Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

JeffKenna

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123463941#Comment_123463941

But the game was at desperation stage yesterday?

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123463941#Comment_123463941

He has taken his place on the bench for the last 3 championship matches, that would imply that he’s fit enough. If not, he shouldn’t be there. Simple.

dilinja1

He is not match fit tho - look I agree with you - why involve him in the previous two and not yesterday. Only mgmt can explain that. He certainly looked fitter warming up yesterday than he did during the clare game.

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464102#Comment_123464102

Maybe there is an element of keep him for the cork game, once Tipp got the goal the game was over so why risk him?

I would imagine at 3 points management felt the game could have been salvaged without the introduction of Aussie as with injury time there were 8 minutes left to play.

I'm guessing by the way.

skaface

Too slow on the line to make changes, got the match ups wrong and the team looked like they were over trained in the last 2 weeks, no energy.. Also our touch and decision making was very poor..Queally asked the Waterford supporter's to travel yesterday, and they did , in their thousands..and turned up.. Unfortunately the team didn't. We levelled with 15 minutes to go, I thought we would kick on, but it was Tipperary that were the fresher looking.. All to do now against Cork next weekend.. with a massive Cork crowd driving them on.. Amazingly, it's still in our own hands.. maybe at the third time of asking we might show the hunger needed to get over the line.. The frustrating thing is we have the players to beat anyone on the day, but need to produce it when needed.. Up the Deise

Jjjjjjjjbarry

Aussie did the warm up and was then out on the sideline with the bib on several times with the others. He looked lean to me. As mentioned by others, he can’t be in the match day squad every game if not fit enough to play a part. But he wasn’t the only unused sub so it’s hypocritical of us all (especially me) to criticize Dessie and then suggest Aussie should walk onto the team on reputation alone.

But we need to try something different now as our other forwards aren’t scoring. As I said last night, we’ve nothing to lose at this stage by playing Aussie at the edge of the square for 35 minutes. At the very least he’ll take some attention away from Bennett and Barron.

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464145#Comment_123464145

So didn’t want to risk him when the game was in the melting pot and then didn’t want to risk him when the game was slipping away? Doesn't add up to me. Management are not happy about something if it’s not his fitness. Maybe words have been said.

thesultan

In reality we have been driven by Stephen Bennett and Mark Fitzgerald this year and with both very quiet yesterday we didn't have enough players to stand up . Barron did well but to see Dessie pulling on a railing coming off was not a good site.

JD. 60

Beating Clare was a good start, even if they were missing their best players. The performance against Limerick was decent enough, after a 6 day turnaround.

But yesterday was a shocker. Felt sorry for Stephen Bennett who carried the fight to Tipp and at least had a few goal attempts late on. If Aussie isn't fit enough to come on as a sub, then why is he in the match day squad. I think the game is up for 2025, sad to say ; I can't see a Waterford win next Sunday.

jamesbond2022

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Deise_2012

Nolan

Ian Kenny, Conor Prunty, Iarlaith Daly

Mark Fitz, Tadhg De Burca, Tom Barron

Darragh Lyons, Gavin Fives

Stephen Bennett, Jamie Barron, Jack Prendergast

Shane Bennett, Michael Kiely, Patrick Fitzgerald.

I’d go with this team on Sunday. To be honest, a few lads need to be dropped. Dessie hasn’t done it in a long time. Paddy Leavy isn’t up to it imho. Kevin Mahony needs another year or two before we can pass judgement. Michael Kiely has no business anywhere bar on the edge of the square. He gets tackled and harassed too easily when he’s out the field. Tom Barron hasn’t played at all but I’d go for him or Kieran Bennett at wing back. The Cork backs need to be run at, there’s pace there with Stephen, Jack, Shane and Patrick Fitz. Cork will have a few injury doubts through Rob Downey and O’Leary… they don’t exactly have like for like replacements in them.. we have to go for it and take our chances when they come.. which we didn’t when we were ahead of Tipp yesterday

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464353#Comment_123464353

I'm only speculating as opposed to suggesting their is any issues/trouble between a player(s) and management.

There were a few dodgy decisions yesterday, no changes at half time, Curren not being introduced earlier, Kiely coming off despite our only aerial threat (maybe fitness/injury), a number of players struggling but featured a large part of the game.

The lack of attempting to being players into a game, example, a short free, have Dessie stand over it, get a point as a confidence booster.

A half forward line that seems to be half the height of any other sides half back line.

Three years of Eoin Kelly being involved and our forward and attacking threat seems to have gone back the way since the Cahill days.

Not introducing Aussie is a small part of many issues in my eyes.

Jjjjjjjjbarry

Daly may be an injury worry for the Cork game. Hopefully it's nothing major but he wasn't moving too well when he came off.

Deskjockey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464062#Comment_123464062

Stating the blatantly obvious here but of course we would ALL love it if 2016 Aussie trotted out into the field next Sunday and ripped it up, and I'm sure management and Aussie himself are all doing their very best to see if we can get him back onto the field, but the reality is that it was always going to be very hard to get him back to the physical level he would need after missing a season at his age and with the miles he has on the clock. So I don't think there's any conspiracy here, my guess is that he is just not ready physically unfortunately.

decies

I know both teams do it and players need to get their eye in but yesterday was a very hot day for Ireland out in that sun, is there any benefit of all that running around in the sun in warm ups for half an hour , certainly didn’t help that shooting in first half . Maybe try something different next Sunday .

dilinja1

Just watched the majority of the game back there. I thought Dessie was poor yesterday but watching it back he got absolutely no service. He barely played the ball. How can we expect him to score when he doesn't see the ball. How many times were we in control of the ball on the attack and one of our players fumbled it or left it behind them. There were 3 occasions in the first half when players were in a better spot for a pass but we shot wide instead. The worst one was Jack p - little pop pass to mahony in front of the posts was on -went for his own score. Wide. We should never of been behind at half time and Tipp were excellent at drawing fouls from our backs, morris and ormonde caused chaos for our half back line the whole game. Even with all the mistakes and wides we were still within a score going into the last 2 mins. Two more bad wides and tipp get the killer goal. Very frustrating

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464966#Comment_123464966

Yep, shooting and decision making has been a issue for the past few years and the most frustrating part.

Another area we seem to struggle with is not judging the breaking ball. We often seem to get caught ball watching, and 2 or 3 of our lads go for the one ball, break it down and the opposition pick it up and come away with it.

On opposition puck outs we drop back and yet the opposition still find a free player in attack, I can't get my head around it.

I think our full back and half back line is decent and I'm relatively confident in them winning ball, so why not just push up man for man on the puck outs.

Mastermcgrath

Piece from todays examiner;

Peter Hogan will miss next weekend due to a hamstring injury. Austin Gleeson didn’t come on, but that decision wasn’t injury-related.

“Just a decision,” Queally clarified. “He's still part of the squad. He's still part of our plans. We just decided not to bring him in today.”

decies

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123465768#Comment_123465768

wasn’t injury related code for it was part of a master tactical plan !!

deise man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464832#Comment_123464832

Looking at our warm up over the last few matches it seems very intense compared to other teams. Especially yesterday looked like a lot of energy was burned before it started

MUFC91CS

In regards to the round robin systems the Leinster champs have always had an easier passage to the latter stages of the all Ireland by virtue of winning their provincial championship. Waterford get four good tests a year, with two homes games, which is probably as much hurling as they would have done under the old system. If a team is not good enough to get out of the current round robin system they are not good enough to win an All Ireland so keeping them hurling into June and July is pointless just so people can have a day out later in the year. Gives the club game some structure too.

decies

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466145#Comment_123466145

it certainly not pointless that Waterford fans could have a day or 2 out in July / august instead of crashing out in bloody may if you don’t get it you don’t get it .

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466145#Comment_123466145

I'd agree with that, I think there is scope to make both groups more even and competitive by have a 10 team All Ireland series.

Munster and Leinster champions are ran as they previously were straight knockout, the winners of each province get 2 bonus points which is carried into the AI group phase.

The All Ireland is two groups of 5 teams in each group, groups are seeded, or a Munster drawn then Leinster then munster and so on,

The top team from each group go into AI semi final, 2nd and 3rd placed teams play off in quarter finals.

Bottom of each group play a relation play off with the loser being relegated and the Joe Mac winners promoted.

The groups would be drawn each year and an example of groups could be

Group 1, Limerick, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Offaly

Group 2, Cork, Galway, Tipperary, Dublin, Clare.

The option could be to reduce the above to 2 groups of 4 or increase it to 6 per group to try and make the so called weaker counties strong by getting games against the top sides.

I think it's important to retain the Munster and Leinster championship and by giving bonus points it should give teams a reason to win it.

Finally I do think Munster presently is amazing, it's like an All Ireland in itself, so the GAA need to work on making Leinster more competitive or try something else.

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466232#Comment_123466232

We had an amazing chance to get out last season. Won V Cork. Tipp had a 6 day turn around after playing Limerick and we had the two week break and we drew at home V Tipp and took nothing from the next two games.

This year is also similar, won the first game, Tipp with a 7 day turn around and we with the two week break and are defeated. We have one last chance against Cork and if we don't take it that is two years in a row where not getting out of Munster is purely down to us and not the system.

Deiseen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464573#Comment_123464573

Swap Tom Barron for Kieran Bennett and this is my team. Shane Bennett is a proven threat and bringing him on for 10 minutes is doing no one any favours. I feel he needs a good full half of hurling to really get into the swing of things.

I criticised Dessie before but I have to say the ball delivered to him half the time does not suit him.

Re: management's comments about not bringing Aussie on. What bollicks. Definitely a wild card and nothing might have come of it but at least they'd be trying something and he'd get a few minutes of championship hurling under his belt.

MUFC91CS

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466232#Comment_123466232

Why though? The whole thing starts and finishes earlier which is good as it gives the club calendar more structure. Under the old system you could lose your provincial tie and lose your first qualifier and be gone after two games without ever getting to play a game at home. The Munster championship format has been a massive success and the argument against it is not logical. It's only because we haven't performed in it.

JohnMcClane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466232#Comment_123466232

But what is there to get? What is the point in playing in July if you've had 4 chances to prove your worth and didn't?? A meaningless scalp of a 4th or 5th place team in Leinster(Wexford, Dublin, Offally, Antrim) would do what exactly for the players?? Send them off in to their Summer break with a pat on the back saying well done, you couldn't beat the Limericks, Corks, Tipp or Clare's of this world but ye're still better than the worst in Leinster or the potential to be told well we're not only not good enough to get out of Munster but also got beaten by the 4th or 5th best team in Leinster! In the current system they are getting 4 games against 4 of the top 5 or 6 teams in the country every year, if players/management aren't improving by playing the best that is around then what hope have we for all-Irelands? Isn't that why the Joe Mc winners get promoted so they can make themselves more competitive by playing the best teams, we get that opportunity every year!

A game against the 4th or 5th place team in Leinster isn't going to turn your year around and all of a sudden make you contenders for the all Ireland if you've lost 2 or 3 or possibly 4 matches against the best teams already!

Marsher555

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466433#Comment_123466433

Would it not make more sense to have Fives play at wing back as selected and allow Leavey play in his natural position at midfield.

Shane had at least a half hour on Sunday and was quite anonymous.

decies

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466489#Comment_123466489

It’s nothing to do with we haven’t performed in it I would say the same thing if we did . Am sorry the rushed championship and that’s what it is imho is a joke and if you don’t agree that’s fine . A lot of people will be switching off from hurling championship next Sunday and that’s just the way it is .

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466701#Comment_123466701

Shane Bennett only got about 12 mins of game time ok he didn’t get into the game at all but it was too late brining him in the game was slipping away. I’d start him the next day in the forwards, he’s very strong in possession and can cause problems for the opposition The Paddy Leavey experiment is over I think, he was cleaned out on Sunday again, even the way he uses the Hurley he’s not senior intercounty standard end of