Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

Best of luck to the lads today, can’t imagine there will be much in it. Get the shooting right and keep the wide count down and we’ll be in with a shout at least.

will there be any ‘away’ fans at the game…bar family of players and a few ‘die-hards’ , it’s miserable in this part of the country at the minute and met Eireann is showing similar for Galway……it will be Kieran O’Connor on the radio for the majority of us….😀, more than capable of winning this one…….would be great facing tipp next week knowing that div 1A status is safe

HT London 3-9 Waterford 2-5. Two late goals, both really well worked, giving Waterford a chance with the wind in the second half. Ref, obviously a man who knows his history, riding the Brits.

by the sounds of the first half another tactical masterclass by quelly

a few came up yesterday with the camogie girls playing in Athenry yesterday evening

we need a couple goals here

Galway bringing a big performance today

it’s the lack of hope that kills you

It’s March 1st lads, let’s not be too downhearted. Always disappointing to lose but we all know what the big aim this year is.

I thought Waterford were in with a great chance of winning this game, especially when Galway needed a late burst of scores to put some gloss on their final winning scoreline against Offaly the last day. I still think ye'll be dangerous opponents in Walsh Park for both Cork and Tipp come the championship though.

Evening

Just back in the door after a long trip home from Galway with plenty of time to think and talk through what we saw in Salthill.
Let’s exclude the first 10 minutes when we were good , fast ,flash and like ourselves.

The rest was played like one would approach a challenge match with severe disinterest.

The conclusion we arrived at ( and genuinely hope for) was that there was a few seriously physical training sessions this week to build strength and conditioning for the championship which begins just next month. Only that could leave us as leaden legged , slow and off our normal game that we witnessed for the vast majority of the game.

We were out fought , out ran and out muscled for 60 plus turgid minutes. Having driven that distance , and out of habit , stayed to the end.
The surreal lack of engagement was evidenced in the last ten minutes. In that time not one score was registered ( to our recall) by either team.

So - this was not the Waterford we know . They are a whole lot better and a whole lot tighter than what we saw today. Hopefully we are right and the week gone by saw some hard miles done in preparation for the real hurling that starts next month.
All that matters is then and the only important thing is getting out of Munster. If we do that , and this team on song is capable of that , today in Salthill will be forgotten very very quickly.

Of positive note , TDB back in and playing. Survived his comeback and looked fit and sharp.

Poor performance overall, very very flat. I don’t buy into this ‘tough training during the week’ we had 2 important games this week and next to regain div 1A status then we’ve a 7 week break until championship. I thought it was more that we looked a bit deflated after the KK defeat last week where we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, the tough away venue and journey up probably and crap conditions didn’t help either.
we have to come out and fight like dogs next week it’s the last chance for lads to stake a claim before Munster round robin.
I said it during the week we are worryingly dependent on Bennett for scores, a man with the hips of an 80 year old with all due respect. We need more scoring forwards, that means Dessie, Patrick Fitz, Aussie, whoever else is still to come in.

We are down then if we lose next week from looking at the league table there as we will have lost to Kilkenny, Galway and Tipperary so they will have us on head to head and if it goes to points difference ours is the worst. Division 1a is where you want to be next year so I'd find it hard to believe that the team was trained hard during the week to put that at risk today.

I’d be surprised if losing a league game against Kilkenny in Nowlan Park derailed our season. The performance wasn’t too bad on the day and having a chance to win it should have increased confidence and eagerness to prove themselves. I’d also be shocked if Galway aren’t also training hard in preparation for a big year.

Some saves from Billy!

puckouts again are a massive problem, just lump the ball up no structure or nothing,