Waterford GAA Discussion Thread 3 ***Updated Mod Note Post 1***

tomwaterford wrote: »

Who here is good enough to tell him what to do??
While it's hard/frustrating to watch (remember that minor final)...


There is nothing worse than a person of less talent telling someone better than them what to do with the ball

Si if you are better than everyone else you can do what you want is it?

It's a team sport bud, being part of a team and doing what's right for the team, has nothing to do with ability

Just watching john mullane on laochra gael what a fantastic hurler he was, great shame he and so many of that panel never won a all ireland, is he still hurling club?

It was what it was yesterday. A good league win in February against the All Ireland champions.Good strong defensive display in difficult conditions.
Thought Gleeson and Jake were outstanding.

Wayward shooting up front could have lost it for us.

Time now for Bennet and Curran to start winning their own ball. They can't be spoon fed forever.

Solid start to the league. The intensity from Waterford was good and the superior fitness levels won the day. As regards Derek McGrath giving Gleeson room to express himself is all well and good but he must express himself within the team dynamic. The difference between a good player and a great player is consistency in performance and that includes taking the right option at the right time most of the time. He's a young player with loads of potential but this is the time for the management team to mould the young players on the panel into consistent performers who make the correct decisions.

I have no problem with Gleeson making those runs from wing back but he must learn to let the ball go at the right time. As he's soloing through, the oppositions defenders will close in around him which means that we should have one or two loose forwards. The more runs he makes without passing the more likely those loose forwards will stop making their own runs to receive the ball. This of course would be to the detriment of the team. Obviously Gleeson is still very young and we shouldn't be too harsh on him but i think the reason why people are getting frustrated with him is because he is so talented. It makes it much easier for defenders to stop him if they know he's unlikely to pass the ball when on the run. I honestly don't think he's not passing the ball out of selfishness, its just a little naivety as he probably gets away with it at club level against lesser quality players.

Can we dare dream and retain the league ???. Can see kilkenny having a say later on also Limerick looked very good (missing the Na piarssgh players too). Best thing for us is to take it one game at a time, beat cork and tipp and where going in the right direction

cul beag wrote: »

Good piece by Colm Keys on the indo today on Waterford. He states that in the 4 championship games last year McGrath only used 21 players. Continuity seems to be the key here so it must take strong personalities to stick with the extended panel while knowing deep down you are only there to make up the numbers. Understandable so that Paudie Prendergast has left as he must surely be thinking that way and add to that the fact that Paudie O Mahoney, Tadgh De Burca and Stephen Bennett will be back at different stages then surely the likes of Gavin O Brien, Mark O Brien, Mickey Kearney, Tommy Waring etc must be thinking the same way. It must take a strong mind to train week in week out for 10 months of the year and play no game during that period only with your club. It is understandable so why players,not just in Waterford decide that they're better off returning to their clubs where at least they will be better off gaining match fitness while playing club matches.

How far off returning is O'Mahoney?

conditioned games wrote: »

Who'll be on the frees for Sat. Maurice was excellent last year but seems to be back at old habits again hitting them up into the clowds.

I would imagine Maurice will start on the frees again. Anyone can have an off day. TJ missed a few even and Patrick Curran also missed some, as well as Gleeson although admittedly from greater distance.
Given how well he did on them last year I couldn't see Maurice being whipped off them straight away. It's not like Shane Bennett hit a number of unbelievable frees towards the end when he was on them, he put over 2 relatively simple frees to my eyes.

cul beag wrote: »

Jamie Barron has been a consistent free taker for his club over the years but I can't imagine he would be in line to take them. I would think Maurice will be put on them again Saturday night.

There's a heap of them take frees - Shanahan, Curran, Bennett, Dillon, Brick even used to take them for Stradbally at one point although I doubt that is still the case. Gleeson sometimes does for Mt Sion, Barron like you said. de Burca takes them for Clashmore, Darragh Fives possibly for Tourin?
If you were to go deeper into the panel Colm Roche takes them for Shamrocks, Mikey Kearney for Ballyduff, Tommy Ryan for Tallow up until last year when Ryan Grey took over.

Overall though I don't think there's any need to panic about Maurice's frees after 1 poor game on them.

Incidentally, I just saw that Colin Dunford was sent off for Carlow IT tonight, could this rule him out for Saturday or is it a separate suspension seen as wasn't a county game? He was very impressive on Sunday.

Austin Gleeson sent off for WIT today in the Fitz

Deise_2012 wrote: »

Definitely targeted by Davy

Probably right. It was off the ball. The lad has a v short fuse.

willietherock wrote: »

Probably right. It was off the ball. The lad has a v short fuse.

He has gotten a few reds for a young lad but I think that's more down to the treatment he gets.

robopaddy2 wrote: »

Its the flaw in the genius I guess. Some of our most talented players in the past had temperament issues; Mullane and Kelly spring to mind. Guys who can lose you a game as easily as they can win one for you. Its been to our detriment over the years. I believe Gleeson is a genuine lad whose heart is in the right place but also needs a serious kick in the a***e in my opinion. A lot of flaws in his game need to be knocked.
Derek McGrath has a big role to play here. We know hes a great one for blowing smoke up younglads arses no wonder they all love him, but he needs to know when to pull lads down a peg or 2 aswell. Any manager worth his salt will have a great knack for doing that. Our problem over the years is that we didn't have strong enough managers to deal with the ego's in the dressing room.

Well said. The fact that Gleeson was made MOM on Sunday last only adds to the problem where he'll feel he can go on those solo runs with no end product along with shooting aimlessly for scores instead of keeping to the possession game plan. The ironic laughs from the crowd when it was announced last Sunday said alot. Again I am not doubting his natural ability and he is a joy to watch at times but McGrath needs to curb that enthusiasm and make him more team orientated. On his sending off for WIT have no doubt he was targeted by Davy as he would have had inside info from his assistant up there.

mountgomery burns wrote: »

When did John Mullane ever lose Waterford a game? There's one man now who seems to have had his achievements completely forgotten since he retired. The stick he gets on here at times is just unbeleievable.

He was Mr Waterford, and would have done anything for the team.

Well said and the crap being written here about Austin Gleeson is unbelievable. Brick hasn't pucked a ball in 3 or more matches and theres not a word about it and a young lad learning his trade is constantly derided. Unreal.

carter10 wrote: »

Well said and the crap being written here about Austin Gleeson is unbelievable. Brick hasn't pucked a ball in 3 or more matches and theres not a word about it and a young lad learning his trade is constantly derided. Unreal.

People are being overly harsh on aussie and I was about to thank your post when I started to read it, but then you defend him by having a completely unnecessary cut off one of our other players. I know players aren't immune from criticism, but do we really need to attack our own players as we do?