Motivator wrote: » I’m still shocked by what I witnessed yesterday. Standing on the terrace watching Waterford attack the goal we were behind in the first half was an embarrassment and having Limerick fans beside us laughing at us 20 minutes into the game is a new low point for me. Behind the goal we were able to see the Waterford plan, or lack thereof, in full view. It was non existent. No movement from the forwards, no attempt to make a move for a player delivering in any balls, no guts. Contrast that to Limerick in the second half where they had three players in their full forward line and each time one of their backs got a ball in his hand it triggered the full forward line into action - making runs, dragging their marker out of position, finding space. Waterford did the complete opposite in the first half and it was demoralising watching Maurice Shanahan standing still waiting for a ball to drop on him only for it to land 10 yards away from him every time. I lost count of the amount of times in the first half where there was one forward within 25 yards of the Limerick goal and a ball just came sailing over into acres of space or out over the endline. It was brain dead stuff from start to finish and you wouldn’t see it happening in an underage game. I have to ask the question, how bad is the standard of training that the senior panel are operating at? There’s multiple All Stars and a hurler of the year on the panel, what goes on at training if this is how the team comes prepared for a game to save their season and more importantly any bit of pride they have in themselves? They look unfit, way underconditioned for the cut and thrust of Championship hurling and mentally they look lost. An inter county team warm up should be high intensity yet for the last three games Waterford’s has been club level challenge match stuff. Awful first touch, misplaced passes to teammates from 15 yards away in a straight line, no intensity. To be honest, they looked like lads that just wanted to turn up and get the match out of the way so they can move on as quickly as possible. Fanning has looked lost from the moment the ball was thrown in against Clare. Baffling team selections, even more baffling substations and a complete lack of in game reaction from him or the selectors. He’s clearly out of his depth and I was reluctant to put the boot into him but after yesterday I think the whole lot of them are fair game. Yesterday cost me €150 to attend the match and the way I’m feeling at the moment I’d nearly write to the Co. Board and ask them to refund me. For nearly 30 years I’d have paid any money and gone anywhere to watch Waterford play but next Saturday they’re playing on my doorstep and I won’t be there. I can’t put myself through another performance like what we’ve seen the last three weeks. I’ll take a break and come back in January when I’ve calmed down. That’s if there’s a team to support in 2020. One more thing, I can see a reaction from the management, the board or the media next Saturday when there will be about 500 Waterford people in Cork. That supporters have abandoned the team etc. it won’t bother me in the slightest if there is. I’ve never before looked at a fixture and said I’m not going but next Saturday is different. I’m always of the opinion that the players deserve respect and support no matter what but after yesterday I think respect goes out the window for all concerned. Imagine a teenager with a bit of ability and ambition to play intercounty hurling for Waterford watching that yesterday? This season will have consequences for years to come and that’s not an exaggeration. We are in the **** big time baby.
spideyman92 wrote: » As bad as it was yesterday, think it was bad form for Dónal Óg to single out Aussie last night. Yea he was poor but so were the majority of his teammates. Pinning blame on the lad for the game when he only played half of it. Didn't go on and single out any of the Clare players afterwards despite their result. Unnecessary and a bit too personal for my liking.
lim4ev wrote: » I can assure you I wasn't one of the Limerick people laughing at you and wouldn't think there was many this wasn't Waterford as we know them, yes teams qualities too and fro but lack of heart and fight should be a constant
friendlyfun wrote: » They're only 9 years old ffs. Are people really that critical of under 10s?
Ri na hEireann wrote: » A huge problem for Waterford is the gulf in class between our forwards and most other counties. Look at the starting forwards for Tipp yesterday. You had Bonnar, Bubbles and Callanan in there. Cork have Hoggy, Harnedy and Lehane. Limerick - Gillane, Hayes etc. Our forwards don’t win enough ball and just don’t put the ball over the bar enough. With the exception of whoever’s on the frees nobody is scoring consistently, and that’s a huge problem notwithstanding what appears to be tactical cluelessness on the line.
Spatters wrote: » Since yesterday, all I’m hearing from friends and supporters alike is about a waste of a ‘Golden Generation’. What are we on about? What Kilkenny, Tipp and Cork had were a Golden Generation because they produced numerous minor and u21 teams close together that formed the backbone of all Ireland winning teams. We are expecting to win one on the back of the same players who won minor & u21- they are the same team. We need at least another minor & u21 success to follow these lads. Every County now has at least 1/2 marquee forwards, we don’t have any. Our backs can’t defend because they’re used to having a sweeper Our good players are getting old and struggling with the pace. Senior Club championship is attrocious. There is so much wrong that its hard to know where to start but Co Board are at the center of the issue.
Road-Hog wrote: » Waterford have plenty of talented forwards every bit as taleated as those you mention.......Lehane and harnady........??? Up until last year nobody had heard of gillane Hayes etc. Tipp lads yes. They have had serious talent in forwards but failed to deliver post 2010 when everyone thought they would dominate. Kk gave them an massive hiding in the semi in 2011 and it toook another 5 years for them to get back to winning ways
Mac_Lad71 wrote: » I know from a Cork perspective John Meyler has used the league to blood young players from underage and UCC Fitzgibbon cup teams. John Kiely has been doing the same as Paddy O Loughlin who made his debut yesterday was part of this years UCC Fitzgibbon cup winning team. What has happened to the likes of Patrick Curran who was v prominent with DCU?
Spatters wrote: » Disagree with you completely. Give me one forward that is in the same league as Harnedy, Gillane, Bubbles, Horgan, Callinan, John McGrath, Lehane. If we had any one of those we’d be delighted. Tipp won another All Ireland since 2010, they mightn’t have dominated but they have always been there or there abouts- we are still waiting. Not one of the current forward line would have made the 2002-2008 Waterford forward line. We have no Paul Flynn, Ken McGrath, Eoin Kelly, John Mullane, Seamus Prendergast, Dan Shanahan. We are so devoid of forwards, we’re playing backs up there- Shane Bennett, Austin Gleeson, Brick Walsh. We have good players but no marquee attacking player of the calibre of Joe Canning, TJ Reid, Callinan Lets take the blinkers off please.
JesusRef wrote: » McGrath was there for five years, how could we have no succession plan with a bit of continuity? On the Deise colleges, Waterford Schools have enough pupils from Hurling clubs to stand on their own two feet at colleges. But to do that scrap development squads, target 5-10 Secondary schools and let them be the new breeding ground for players or a replacement for development squads
Motivator wrote: » I wasn’t saying to have a dig at Limerick fans, they were laughing at what they were seeing and I can’t blame them. From one of the big counties to put in a performance like that it was shameful. Limerick are the All Ireland champions, they were coming off the back of a poor performance against Cork. These used to be the type of games that Waterford relished - fans and players alike. Yesterday it looked like the players and management would rather have been anywhere else but Walsh Park. God be with the days of the flags, bunting, air horns and excitement that surrounded Waterford in the summer. We didn’t realise how good we had it from 1998 to 2007. Those were the glory days for Waterford and their supporters. Since 2007 we’ve had about 3 good days out with the county and it’s actually depressing to see how we’ve ended up. Looking back we were probably lucky to reach the final in 2017 and Jesus with a bit of luck we could have nicked it from Galway. Since 5 o clock that day in 2017 it’s gone from bad to worse for us.
Road-Hog wrote: » Waterford have plenty of talented forwards every bit as taleated as those you mention.......Lehane and harnady........???
Ri na hEireann wrote: » Are you serious? What Waterford forwards are on a par with any of the players I mentioned? Lehane and Harnedy are better than anything we’ve to offer.
Road-Hog wrote: » Where were these two in the semi in 2017...... What about Clare after yesterday.......they are not gone yet but most likely will join Waterford next weekend......is there talk of Clare becoming the next offay by their ‘fans’
cul beag wrote: » Some very productive ideas being posted and having spoken to fellow supporters today there is definitely an undercurrent of dissatisfaction growing with the whole regime including management and county board. To change the cartel that is running both Eastern/Western boards along with the county board will take years. It’s something that definitely needs to be done along with the dismantling of both divisional boards.
thesaturdayman wrote: » It won’t happen, like any thing remotely bad, those stooges will need to be surgically removed. Our secretary will happily draw down his weekly wage, no plan to change, no accountability. Maybe a protest march might show them how pissed off people are with it all.
