Waterford GAA thread - mod warning post #1 and #51

Jjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

What's happening with Conor Gleeson? Is he out for the season or due back in the squad at any stage?
Similarly with Darragh Fives?

Both injured but not season long issues AFAIK

PTH2009 wrote: »

Very nice pity it clashes with the rugby but what can ya do

Don’t worry about the egg chasing on Saturday,at least you’ll be guaranteed only one anthem played in Walsh Park!!

Is Keirin Bennett still in the squad

PTH2009 wrote: »

Is Keirin Bennett still in the squad

He is. He’s also injured.

Interesting to see who mans the goal Saturday. I’d imagine Sok will get another game in there but if they are considering using Nolan for championship then he’ll need to get the big game exposure.

deise08 wrote: »

cul beag wrote: »

Isn’t it great to see the 2 Bennett brothers benefiting from an attack minded manager. Play to our strengths for a change.

Used to break my heart watching young Shane on his own, week in, week out running himself into the ground.

and then being subbed.flogged to death

I believe Darragh Fives is all but good to go, just being very fearful and trying to manage him in the current ground conditions given his injury history. What is a bit worrying is that we apparently have a few concussion injuries that are taking time to clear up but hopefully the will clear. My understanding of the injury list at present is

Conor Gleeson, Conor Prunty, Shane Fives, Darragh Fives, Tadgh deBurca, and Kieran Bennett - a complete set of potentially first choice backs. Maurice Shanahan, Patrick Curran, Brian O'Halloran, - quite a decent full forward or half forward line.

Considering the above absentees, our achievements so far in the league have been quite impressive. In any other sport we would probably have topped Division 1B based on much superior scoring difference, as opposed to the Head to Head that was an away game.

Hopefully we can get all or at least most of the injuries cleared up in time to get some game time under their belts before the real serious stuff starts.

One comment on the current form without raking up old wounds, how in God's name the previous management never saw fit to play the two Bennett's together is mind boggling. Some might say that they tend to look for each other too much, but honestly how much proof does one need to see the benefits of their almost telepathic understanding on the field and the way they open up defences. In my memory, in almost every game, of any consequence, one was used to replace the other - absolutely mind boggling .

DiscoStew wrote: »

Prunty, Gleeson and Bennett are still a number of weeks away. Shane Fives had a set back as he stepped up his recovery from the calf injury unfortunately so he’s probably 3 weeks or so away still. Curran was named on the bench Sunday which was encouraging. Serious competition for that full forward line now. I’m not sure of the specifics of Maurice’s injury but hopefully we can get some more game time into him to have him as an option for Munster Championship. Brian O’H is still suffering the ill effects of a concussion sustained in the Offaly game unfortunately.

Maurice has a hip injury at the moment. Played a small part in a challenge game with Lismore over the weekend but still not fully available.
When/if we get everyone back fit we will have a serious squad to choose from. The 2 home games are massive for us and credit to all involved for making them a reality for the season ahead.
How refreshing it is to see a positive brand of hurling and players being played in their proper positions.

Jjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

Two good subs for us to bring on later in the year could be Maurice and Jack Prendergast from the same club of Lismore. I've been very impressed with Jack's work rate and use of the ball and he could be fighting for a starting position yet if he keeps it up.

Another positive impact against Galway from Jack, won a lot of dirty balls. He has been a big plus from this league campaign. Has probably jumped ahead of a few forwards.
The 2 Bennett’s and Tommy Ryan look pretty nailed on for the inside line at present. Half forward line will have Mahony certainly but after that is open enough. Gleeson could find himself there but it hasn’t been tried yet so can’t say with any certainty. If he does fall in there then it’s probably 1 from Kearney, Prendergast, Dunford, Maurice, Curran, Roche and O’Halloran.. I think putting Maurice and Aussie in there would require a big change in style from how our half forward line is playing at present. Kearney or Prendergast probably in pole position at the moment for that spot.

DiscoStew wrote: »

Another positive impact against Galway from Jack, won a lot of dirty balls. He has been a big plus from this league campaign. Has probably jumped ahead of a few forwards.
The 2 Bennett’s and Tommy Ryan look pretty nailed on for the inside line at present. Half forward line will have Mahony certainly but after that is open enough. Gleeson could find himself there but it hasn’t been tried yet so can’t say with any certainty. If he does fall in there then it’s probably 1 from Kearney, Prendergast, Dunford, Maurice, Curran, Roche and O’Halloran.. I think putting Maurice and Aussie in there would require a big change in style from how our half forward line is playing at present. Kearney or Prendergast probably in pole position at the moment for that spot.

Why Mahony certainly?

If he's not taking frees how much does he contribute?

A total of 33 players saw game time for Waterford in the regular series of the current National Hurling League. These are listed below in alphabetical order. Two of these, Michael Harney and Shane Ryan, only got about five minutes each at the end of the game against Carlow. Billy Power got about 20 minutes against Laois, with Maurice Shanahan getting ten minutes in the same game. The only player who featured in a match-day squad but who got no game time was Seanie Barry, who was sub goalie for the first three games. I was surprised he did not start, or at least come on at half time, in the game against Carlow, in order (if for nothing else) to thank him for standing in while Stephen O’Keeffe was tied up in the club championship with Ballygunner.

Three regular squad members missed all five games due to injury: Kieran Bennett, Darragh Fives and Conor Gleeson. These three, plus the 33 named below, presumably make up the senior panel. There are probably a few more in the training panel.

Of those who have seen game time, the following are currently injured: Shane Fives, Tadhg de Búrca, Brian O’Halloran, Conor Prunty, Maurice Shanahan. According to a report in today’s Irish Times, Waterford were without nine regular first-choice players for the game against Galway on Sunday. While it is difficult to say who exactly is a first-choice player at the moment, I would say of the injured players named above, only five (Shane and Darragh Fives, Tadhg de Búrca, Conor Gleeson and Conor Prunty) could be considered first-choice players, with Maurice Shanahan also in contention. The remaining two, Kieran Bennett and Brian O’Halloran, have been regular match-day squad members.

In an interview on RTE Radio last Sunday week, Páraic Fanning said that he has a least 30 players of intercounty standard at his disposal. While there are three or four of the 36 identified here who are not of this standard (at least at the moment), one can well see from this list where Fanning is coming from. He will be particularly happy to see several newcomers showing up well in the current campaign. I would suggest that only Limerick, Galway and Clare of the other top hurling counties have similar depth in their panels at the moment.

Players who got game time in the league:
Barron, Jamie
Bennett, Stephen
Bennett, Shane
Connors, Noel
Curran, Patrick
De Búrca, Tadhg
Dunford, Colin
Fives, Shane
Foran, DJ
Gleeson, Austin
Harney, Michael
Henley, Jordan
Hogan, Peter
Kearney, Mikey
Lyons, Callum
Lyons, Darragh
Mahony, Pauric
Mahony, Philip
McNulty, Shane
Moran, Kevin
Nolan, Billy
O'Brien, Mark
O'Halloran, Brian
O'Keeffe, Stephen
Power, Billy
Prendergast, Jack
Prunty, Conor
Roche, Colm
Roche, Stephen
Ryan, Shane
Ryan, Thomas
Shanahan, Maurice
Walsh, Michael

Deise Gael wrote: »

Why Mahony certainly?

If he's not taking frees how much does he contribute?

I’m being a little presumptuous.. I think Paudie will take over the frees again come championship. I think he is a more reliable free taker overall, and Stephen will serve as deputy. Stephen did superbly on frees, with only a few misses against Dublin and again Sunday. To be fair to him the conditions Sunday were disastrous for a free taker too.
If Paudie wasn’t on the frees I still think he’d start but he would be under more pressure certainly.

Jjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

Two good subs for us to bring on later in the year could be Maurice and Jack Prendergast from the same club of Lismore. I've been very impressed with Jack's work rate and use of the ball and he could be fighting for a starting position yet if he keeps it up.

Maurice would be a starter on the half forward line for me anyway .one of the best ball winners in the group .there is not many better ,plus he gets his fair share of points , the one year we relied heavily on him ,he done fantastic .all star

sitkaspruce wrote: »

Did you mean to post that in the Wales vs Ireland thread lol

I suppose Wales will give Ireland a good thumping... 12 or 13 point victory surely haha

PTH2009 wrote: »

Lots of rain the next few days hopefully the match can go ahead Saturday

expect a heat wave on Saturday....