Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

I think the belief and mental state is a big issue in Waterford as it is in Mayo.

When you look at the teams we had from the late 90s into the 00's

When the current squad won minor and u20 they really looked the real deal as they came to senior but it just never materialized.

When we won the league with Cahill we looked like a side that only had our eyes set on the AI yet failed to get out of Munster.

When Ballygunner won the club AI we left that could be the turning point in the belief system and yet here we are.

There's no doubt we have had the hurlers over the years so it has to come down to a belief system or mental state.

Stability and support could also be issues. Since Derek McGrath was in charge we have 4 managers so there also seems to be constant change.

Commitment is also an issue, and this is not me having a go at players, we have had players who left the setup for work or travel reasons, whereas that seems to happen less is other counties

Abbeyside are struggling at this level, mount Sion bet them the week before 3-20 to 1-4 also.

Close enough games

Is it Ballysaggart vs Tallow and Ballygunner vs A/C/T now?

Can you back up that statement with some substance? What game this year did you think we lost because we were mentally frail?

Do you think the magic formula is a top sports psychologist and bingo we’re beating all around us?

County board don't seem to have any interest in doing anything about Ballygunner's dominance at all levels including underage like encouraging another hurling club in that area or enforcing parish boundary rules.

Ballygunner are a very well run club so it's nothing against them but they do have a massive area to pick from and one team dominating so much isn't good for interest in club hurling.

The psychology problem ye have is down to yere county board picking the most negative managers out there. Ye are like the northern football teams in yere outlook. Always defensive, sweepers, corner forwards out around midfield, 10 players in yere own half trying to hand pass the ball up the pitch. Which is a pity because ye have some very good forwards. Only Waterford could ruin a gem like Dessie and put his confidence on the floor and play a fitzgibbon cup goal scoring machine like Michael Kiely anywhere but full forward. Doesn't matter who yere sports psychologist is when ye don't have the right managers picked to suit yere players.

You might laugh but I genuinely felt we could have beaten both tipp and cork this year. We started well against both but in my view lacked the belief to push on and go for the win.
It’s all opinions, but mine is that we’re mentally frail and have been for ages. Look at the tipp match last year, the final in 2017, etc.

agreed, there's a fine margin between winning an ai and finishing 4th in munster, clare showed us that

like cahill and bevins ? cahill is the only manager to win minor u20 u21 and senior AI . Davy won an AI a munster and a leinster(ignoring his plaing club and county AI's) , only manager to ever do so , gerald mccarthy won 2. Skully ryan won 7 all Irelands as manager and selector ,drew KK for the first time in 50 years only to be fucked out by the players .in fact the Michael Ryan cup is given to the winners of the ladies Munster football winners, such is his dominance .

we have had plenty of AI winning talent in managers.players and fans alike liek to therow the toys out of the pram and find someone to blame , other than themselves

BG seem to have really upped their game this season. They have made light work of DLS, Roanmore and Abbeyside, you would have expected either of those to give them a game of it.

I know teams might be conscious of meeting BG again but you would still like to think that they would put in a performance against BG.

Lismore join mt Sion in QFs. Preliminary QF line up

DLS v Ferrybank

Passage v Brickeys

Clonea v Dungarvan

FMW v Abbeyside

Did the clubs ask for all the games to be Saturday? It's unusual none are on Sunday.

The lad just needs to remain center back. He has always been far better facing the ball than having to win it and turn his man.

Also playing center back he is less likely to be man marked. As a young fella his best was at center back and both club and county failed to play him there for a long time.

Granted in the county setup it would be hard not to have TDB center back.

I would sincerely hope so. One thing for certain though, we cannot go another year with a No 6 who cannot wash his own face.