Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

Hopefully a good crowd heads up!

Well with a attendance for 3 counties it should be a good atmosphere to say the least....😏

Whats the story with tickets? Nothing on ticketmaster yet

Feck that, play it in Thurles, and they can tell their grandkids they played hurling in Tom Semple's field

A 15 - 20,000 stadium would be perfect and lend to a mighty atmosphere but there’s no such stadium that suits geographically unfortunately. Thurles is the best option.

how many years might we be waiting to play clare again in a minor final , could be decades to get the favour back if you lose the toss

It could be next year, it could be the following year, it could be ten years, but you always have it.

You might also win the toss!

When Waterford played and bet Tipp in the U21 final in Walsh Park in 2016 it was fantastic.

All unreserved.

The mighty Limerick have fallen, Dublin put in a mammoth effort and will be brimming going into the semi final vs Cork. Ya never know and Liam might not be leaving the capital. Liam Cahill back to Croke Park in Championship for the first time since he was with us

Todays win will give hope for counties like ourselves, no doubt Peter Queally is watching on

Ballygunner winning the Féile Division 1 today would add further weight to the talk of a promising group at U15 level currently. Hopefully it bodes well for minor in 2 years time.

That was brilliant for hurling, personally delighted to see that Limerick team being knocked off its perch, they’ve been a massive bogey side for us and some wholly unlikeable characters on the team. It does make you wonder from our point of view, where are we getting it so badly wrong. They looked like a spent force today yet we hardly laid a glove on them in Walsh Park last month. Is there anything between ourselves and Dublin? I wouldn’t think so. But they looked to have incredible hunger and belief that you don’t normally associate with Dublin sides, and a clear strategy to attack and win games. Something maybe be lack

I’d say Limerick feel exactly the way we did after they ambushed us in that 2007 AI semi final. Shell shocked and wondering what just happened.

Unlikely to happen as others have said that Dublin could do it as it’s hard to see them putting in two more performances like that, would love to see it though. Depressing that yet another AI will most likely end up along with the riches of the historical “traditional” counties…

you hit the nail on the head about Dublin getting Limerick later in the season. A lot of them have miles on the clock, and in some ways I think the minefield Munster championship has caught up on them. Dublin had a fairy quiet Leinster championship and won the games they needed to win to squeez through without anyone taking notice, all the while they were being primed for an assault on the Liam McCarthy. I think There’s something special brewing with Dublin hurlers and this manager. His interview after the game; ‘it’s a new championship we have have 4 games to try and win it out with 2 more to go’.

KEARNEY CATERING ALL COUNTY DIVISION 1 HURLING LEAGUE FINAL

LEAGUE TITLE FOR COUNTY CHAMPIONS

BALLYGUNNER 4-16 MOUNT SION 1-21

The Jason Ryan managerial era at Ballygunner is off to a winning start. The county champions added this season’s Division 1 league hurling title to their haul.

Despite both sides missing a number of seasoned regulars this was an entertaining encounter that kept the interest throughout. The Gunners was without Ian Kenny, Paddy Leavey, Peter Hogan and Patrick Fitzgerald while Austin Gleeson, Mikey Daykin and Luke O’Brien were all unavailable due to injury.

The shape and style of Ballygunner side is very much the template that was so successful under Darragh O’Sullivan. Precision passing, creating space in front of goal and relying the potency of their inside line to produce the winning scores.

Goals, as the scoreline suggests was very much the difference between the sides here. Mount Sion showed plenty of energy and endeavour and was in this game right to the end.

Teams was level 0-6 each after 20 minutes with the Monastery men, breeze assisted doing most the hurling without sufficiently working the scoreboard (Sion hit 7 first-halfwides). The goal threat of the winners was obvious with Kevin Mahony hitting the net after 24 minutes after Conor Tobin’s initial blocked effort.

Good points from Jamie Gleeson and Jamie Meaney nudged Sion back in front. Mount Sion then had a goal of their own. A long puck-out from Ian O’Regan broke perfectly for Stephen Roche to pounce and rattle the net, Sion led by 5 points.

However, man of the match in last seasons U20 county final Eoin Cuddihy, having missed 2 earlier goal chances raised a green flag just before the break following a Mikey Mahony run. Mount Sion went up the tunnel at Walsh Park with a slender 1-12 to 2-7 interval lead.

SECOND HALF

There was little flow to the second period with respective free-takers Martin O’Neill and Dessie Hutchinson featuring prominently. Dessie Hutchinson now at 11 was beginning to impact and when his goal effort on 45 minutes crashed back off the woodwork Mikey Mahony reacted quickest to blast the rebound to the net, 3-13 to 1-16.

Mount Sion rallied and reduced the margin to the minimum heading into injury time. However a reckless challenge from Ben Frisby conceded a penalty with Frisby also seeing red. Dessie Hutchinson converted the penalty, closing out a 4 point win.

PRESENTATION

Captain Tadhg Foley received the first silverware of the season from County Chairman Neil Moore.

Ballygunner had good performances form Philip Mahony, Dessie Hutchinson, Mikey and Kevin Mahony with both Jake Foley and Eoin Cuddihy looking the part.

For ‘Sion, Ben Flanagan, Stephen O’Neill and Jamie Gleeson hit plenty of ball with Martin O’Neill, Stephen Roche and Jamie Meaney carrying most of the threat in attack.

Teams

Ballygunner: Stephen O’Keeffe, Aaron O’Neill, Tadhg Foley, Eoin O’Brien, Harry Ruddle, Philip Mahony, Ronan Power, Conor Sheahan, Darragh O’Keeffe, Dessie Hutchinson, Mikey Mahony, Conor Tobin, Jake Foley, Kevin Mahony, Eoin Cuddihy.Subs: Cathal O’Sullivan for Darragh O’Keeffe (42m), Billy O’Keeffe for Philip Mahony(46m).

Scorers: Dessie Hutchinson (1-7, 0-5f, 1-0P), Eoin Cuddihy (1-2), Kevin Mahony and

Mikey Mahony (1-1), Jake Foley (0-3), Stephen O’Keeffe (0-1f), Conor Sheahan (0-1).

Mount Sion: Ian O’Regan, Ben Flanagan, Stephen O’Neill, Gavin Power, Martin F. O’Neill, Evan Curran, PJ Fanning, Jamie Gleeson, Scott Ryan, Martin O’Neill, JohnKennedy, Ben Frisby, Adam Regan, Stephen Roche, Jamie Meaney. Subs: Alan Kirwan for Evan Curran (39m), Emanual Adebayo for Scott Ryan (48m, Jack Byrne for Jamie Meaney (60m).

Scorers: Martin O’Neill (0-13, 0-11f), Stephen Roche (1-1), Jamie Meaney and Jamie Gleeson (0-2), Adam Regan and Stephen O’Neill (0-1).

Referee: Nicky Barry (Passage).

I think the Munster final seemed to take a lot out of Limerick imo. A great team for sure but as you say there's one or two unlikeable characters on that team. Obviously it will be a great boost for hurling in Waterford now if the minors bring the big prize home.