Waterford GAA Discussion Thread 2009-2011

KevIRL

Nice article about Tony Browne in yesterdays IT

GAA PROFILE: TONY BROWNE: KEITH DUGGAN looks at the outstanding and extraordinary service which the Mount Sion veteran has given Waterford as a 20th championship season beckons for the veteran

IN THE age of burnout, Tony Browne is the glorious exception. On Sunday, the Waterford man will complete his 20th regular league season for the county and prepare for another All-Ireland championship. Whether or not he starts tomorrow against Galway is irrelevant: he remains a huge part of Waterford’s game plan.

The generation of hurlers with whom Browne shared his first All Star award in 1998 must marvel at the fact that the Mount Sion man is still going. Willie O’Connor, Anthony Daly, Martin Hanamy, Joe Dooley and Charlie Carter were all members of the All-Star selection when Browne, selected at midfield, was also named hurler of the year.

“I say this with the utmost respect but he is one of those freaks of nature,” says Wexford legend Martin Storey, who was named at number 11 that year.

“Tony has a couple of things going for him. He has a natural fitness that is there. So he is not the sort of fella that in January will have to lose a stone and a half. It is a bit easier for someone like that. He really just has to sharpen up. He has two things going for him: one is that he is outstanding. Two is that he is looking for the Holy Grail. He has All Stars and Munster titles and All-Ireland U-21 and he has everything except that All-Ireland medal.

“It is very hard to describe but he has that hunger inside. And he believes that winning it is possible with Waterford. If he didn’t he wouldn’t be there. His performances never reflect his age. He is exceptional. It is something in your biological make-up.”

Storey is well-equipped to talk about longevity and inter-county service. He played with Wexford until the age of 37 and, like Browne, spent much of his career chasing an elusive All-Ireland medal. “I was there 10 years before we won anything. We lost five league finals. It can do your head in because you know that you are as good as any other team.”

And that chase is, he believes, the chief reason that Browne is still lining out for the Déise. “It is extremely rare that you see someone with the longevity and the appetite for the game and still delivering the performance. Because it is not as if Tony Browne is just hanging in there. He is still doing the business for Waterford.”

Storey remembers playing a challenge game about five years ago – when he was in his early 40s – for Oulart against Mount Sion. Inevitably, he and Browne drifted towards one another.

“We beat the head off one another. We boxed and tore into each other because he didn’t want me to get the better of him and I didn’t want him to get the better of me. And that is either there or it’s not there and when it’s there, it’s there forever.”

The peculiar thing is that Browne himself cautioned on the dangers of burnout much earlier in his career. After making his debut with Waterford in 1992, he endured five punishing seasons before the team began going places in 1998. Browne scored 1-3 against Kilkenny in what proved to be an All-Ireland semi-final loss but after the highs of that year’s championship – including the loss of a torrid Munster final replay to All-Ireland champions Clare – Browne felt curiously empty the following season.

He took a few weeks away from the game in the spring of 1999 and that May, he said in this newspaper that he had questioned his desire to continue playing.

“I just totally lost my appetite for the game. There seemed to be nothing else to my life except hurling, hurling, hurling. I was training harder than ever but instead of getting fitter, I seemed to become more exhausted. It got to the point where I was wondering if it was all worthwhile. I felt that I had to put Tony Browne first for once.”

That minor crisis passed but, as he reflected on it that day, Browne said he felt the need to speak out about it because “it’s going to become a problem for the GAA, with future stars who just got burned out”.

That was 11 seasons ago: Browne has seen several of those future stars come and go in the mean time. And slowly but surely the Waterford players that he came through with – like Paul Flynn and Dan Shanahan – have stepped away from the scene. This league produced the most wrenching departure when Ken McGrath called it a day. Browne’s presence is both a testament to his own athleticism and, for Waterford fans, a bittersweet reminder that for all the splendid afternoons they have enjoyed over the last decade, the main prize still eludes them.

But Browne’s contribution remains special. Think back to the Munster final last year, when the veteran swept home a crucial goal in the drawn match and then produced a point in the gloom of that thrilling Saturday night replay in Semple Stadium. Of all the words and comments uttered during last summer’s All-Ireland, surely none matched those expressed by Browne to RTÉ radio’s Pat McAuliffe, who caught the Mount Sion man just after the final whistle.

“I can hardly catch my breath,” said Browne. “It goes to show the character of these young lads. It is just an honour and a pleasure to still be involved with them.”

He turns 38 this July: still a young man in most walks of life and once a common enough digit in the hurling arena also but not anymore. It remains to be seen if Davy Fitzgerald can summon another summer whirlwind from the south east and if that happens, it is hard to imagine Browne won’t be at its centre.

“Tony is an exception. There are not 20 lads like him in Ireland. But at his age, they can’t expect leadership in the way he used to give it,” says Storey. “They can expect advice and co-ordination but I don’t think they can see expect to see him leading the charge. But wouldn’t you have some confidence if you were standing in the line beside him?”

flahavaj

Phew! Great win to round off the league on a high note.

deisedude

Fantastic result with a very inexperienced team. Glad to be proven wrong!

Toss up between Shane Walsh or Darragh Fives as our best player in the league

Cake Man

Good game, thought we were going to throw it away at one point near the end but Paudie Mahoney held his nerve in fairness to him to send over the winning point. Excellent games by Moran, Brick, Tony and Shane Walsh. Casey and E. McGrath actually did fairly well, as did Darragh Fives. My man of the match though was Sully, he was immense throwing himself everywhere and hitting and winning a pile of ball.
Clinton was very suspect a few times, subjecting us to some heart in mouth moments. Got blocked down while trying to flick the ball away(Galway should have goaled from the mistake but over-elaborated), tried a short puck out that went horribly wrong and the Galway forward put it straight back over. I also thought he could have done better with Cannings goal, it was at a reasonable height and I think Power/ O'Keeffe would have saved it. His place will be under scrutiny for championship.

Still though, good win and I was pleased with the performance. The work rate was impressive, we hassled, harried, chased, blocked, hooked all game so it's a definite improvement. We didn't make the final (pity, as Tipp drew v Wex and Dub beat Cork by 1 so we were kinda only a point off making the final!)

PTH2009

not a bad league campaign if dublin had of lost we would be in the final. Hopefully we will not pick up any injuries in the club games in the next few weeks. June 12th is only 8 weeks away (its hard to belive)

kkdela6

a great game and a much deserved win. played excellantly despite missing mullane, foley, connors, molumphy, shanahan and (dare i say it) kelly. just goes to show how waterford is overcoming the problem of relying on the main figures and are starting to play more as a full team. cant wait to see how they fare out this championship.

KevIRL

An enjoyable game today for sure. Great weather, a nice crowd and good intensity to it throughout. A great result for us really and leaves us with lots of reasons to be optimistic especially considering the players who were missing. Some very strong performances from Brick, Shane O Sullivan, Tony Browne, Darragh Five, Paudie Mahony and Shane Walsh. A good few of the other younger players did themselves no harm at all also.

I was pleasently surprised to have gotten my predictions on this one very wrong, thought that Galway were going to win handy. Its such a pity that we didnt close out the first league game against Dublin like we should have and we'd be going to a league final now, which would be great to continue the development of the team and bring back some of the experienced players

Finally, can the management please instruct our goalkeepers not to bother with a short puck out, we make a mess of it so often. Even when it actually goes to the intended player they arent ready for it or dont know what to do with it. On the plus side, the low puck out to midfield seemed to work well today

KevIRL

Oh and a couple of other points.

Galway really didnt seem up for it today, very unusual I thought considering they had a league final place for the taking should they have won.

I'm not a knocker of Davy, I think he has done a reasonably good job. But he has to take a long look at his decision to throw young O Halloran in at full forward last year for the semi final, even back then the dogs on the street knew it should have been Shane Walsh, and he's really proven that during this league campaign

Daysha

I'm trying very hard not to get too carried away with today's result, but it's not working so far! This is a fantastic result for us and a great way to end what's been a very satisfactory league.



A 3rd place finish after using (at a guess) as many as 30-35 players over the 2 months, and when you think of the number of games Kelly, Mullane, Molumphy and others missed it makes it even better. But it's quite unbelievable to think we finished with a negative points difference despite only losing 2 games.

I only got to watch the game on TG4 but from I could see Sully, Fives, Padraig Mahony and Brick were the stand out players. I'm delighted that Davy has put Sully at no.11 the last 2 games and he's done excellently in both of them. I think it's nailed on that Brick will continue to play at centre-half but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a Moran-Foley partnership in the C'ship with Sully staying where he is.

I think for the most part our defense held up quite well. A full-back line of Fives-Lawlor-Maher was up against players like Joe Canning and Damien Hayes and really held their own for the majority of it. I would've said before the game that Eoin Murphy should still start at no.2, and personally I still think he should, but given how well Fives has come on it really wouldn't surprise me to see him get the nod against Limerick.

3 of our forwards haven't even played a second of C'ship hurling so fair play to Mahony, little Sully and Crotty for giving it their all. From what I could see Crotty put in a trojan amount of work, O'Sullivan had his moments while Mahony was absolutely fantastic on the frees. He's only 19 yet to stand up and take the points like he did, especially at the end took some load of nerve. I don't expect any of them to start in June but our options on the bench and for the future just seem to be getting better and better.

On a side note, MM please use the if you have a major issue with a post. Deise Tom knows the rules about player rumours and me and mods well let him know if or when he oversteps the mark. Today's a good day for Waterford hurling so let's not let anything spoil that

KevIRL

Daysha wrote: »

I only got to watch the game on TG4 but from I could see Sully, Fives, Padraig Mahony and Brick were the stand out players.

Surprised you can leave Shane Walsh out of this list Daysha, he was outstanding again

mount misery

Daysha wrote: »

I'm trying very hard not to get too carried away with today's result, but it's not working so far! This is a fantastic result for us and a great way to end what's been a very satisfactory league.



A 3rd place finish after using (at a guess) as many as 30-35 players over the 2 months, and when you think of the number of games Kelly, Mullane, Molumphy and others missed it makes it even better. But it's quite unbelievable to think we finished with a negative points difference despite only losing 2 games.

I only got to watch the game on TG4 but from I could see Sully, Fives, Padraig Mahony and Brick were the stand out players. I'm delighted that Davy has put Sully at no.11 the last 2 games and he's done excellently in both of them. I think it's nailed on that Brick will continue to play at centre-half but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a Moran-Foley partnership in the C'ship with Sully staying where he is.

I think for the most part our defense held up quite well. A full-back line of Fives-Lawlor-Maher was up against players like Joe Canning and Damien Hayes and really held their own for the majority of it. I would've said before the game that Eoin Murphy should still start at no.2, and personally I still think he should, but given how well Fives has come on it really wouldn't surprise me to see him get the nod against Limerick.

3 of our forwards haven't even played a second of C'ship hurling so fair play to Mahony, little Sully and Crotty for giving it their all. From what I could see Crotty put in a trojan amount of work, O'Sullivan had his moments while Mahony was absolutely fantastic on the frees. He's only 19 yet to stand up and take the points like he did, especially at the end took some load of nerve. I don't expect any of them to start in June but our options on the bench and for the future just seem to be getting better and better.

On a side note, MM please use the if you have a major issue with a post. Deise Tom knows the rules about player rumours and me and mods well let him know if or when he oversteps the mark. Today's a good day for Waterford hurling so let's not let anything spoil that

Fair enough Daysha. Will take it down. But on the record, I disapprove of his rumour mongering.

Daysha

KevIRL wrote: »

Surprised you can leave Shane Walsh out of this list Daysha, he was outstanding again

Ah I knew I was leaving out someone! Yup, 1-4 from play and giving their FB's hassle time after time. Another great performance.

EDIT: This is completely off-topic but I found the link that show's the highest number of posters in a particular thread. No shockers as to who got number 1 here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/misc.php?do=whoposted&t=2055647422

Pride Fighter

Well done to Waterford, great win for them today. I'm also particularly delighted it meant Dublin got to a league final:)

The hurlers are there in Waterford, this league proves it. You's have a good, deep panel going forward. Keep it up hurling needs a strong Waterford.

Cake Man

Things looking good alright, some real good options available. It's good that we can go into June 12th with plenty to be optimistic about. Plenty of competition for places.

What did ye think of Lawlor today? Wasn't too bad but did make one bat that went askew straight to a Galway forward. I think it'll be a tough one for Davy & Co. to pick either himself, Hutchinson or Fives for FB. Ditto for Clinton, Power or SO'K for no.1.
Also, is Brian O' Sullivan the younger brother of Shane?

Daysha

Cake Man wrote: »

Also, is Brian O' Sullivan the younger brother of Shane?

Nope, no relation. Brian's older brother David did play a game or two earlier in the campaign though.

KevIRL

Daysha wrote: »

Nope, no relation. Brian's older brother David did play a game or two earlier in the campaign though.

David came on today as well. He impressed me in the second half in Kilkenny and also when he came on today.

Deise Tom

Congrats to the Camogie team on their League Final win over Antrim Today. The final score from Ashbourne was 0-16 to 2-9.

deisedude

Daysha wrote: »

Ah I knew I was leaving out someone! Yup, 1-4 from play and giving their FB's hassle time after time. Another great performance.

EDIT: This is completely off-topic but I found the link that show's the highest number of posters in a particular thread. No shockers as to who got number 1 here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/misc.php?do=whoposted&t=2055647422

Jaysus, thats more than me, Cakeman and deisegirl combined!:eek:

PTH2009

So how far do you think we can make it in the hurling championship this year ??. I believe the limerick game will tell a lot.

If we win were through to a munster final and more importanly an All Ireland Quarter final or Semi final.

If we lose were in the All Ireland Phase 2 Qulifers which could possibily include Wexford,Dublin,Galway,Kilkenny,Antrim,Loais, Clare,Cork or Tipperary.

Which would be the better route to go?? Tipperary won the all ireland last year by going the backdoor (they beat Wexford, Offaly,Galway,Waterford and Kilkenny to win it) and Kilkenny have won many all irelands by going the direct route by winning Leinster titles

nkay1985

Where does everyone reckon the Limerick game will be on? It'll surely be Semple, won't it?

This is a very exciting period for Waterford hurling with more underage promise than we've had in a long time. Hopefully we can have some success at underage level this year. I'm not too sure how this championship will go for us though. I don't know if we have enough firepower to win the big games. Hopefully I'm proven wrong and we can have another long summer campaign!

deisebhoy17

PTH2009 wrote: »

So how far do you think we can make it in the hurling championship this year ??. I believe the limerick game will tell a lot.

If we win were through to a munster final and more importanly an All Ireland Quarter final or Semi final.

With respect to Limerick who are a fine side we need to be beating them in the Munster semi final. They are a division below us in the league and are after after a few years in turmoil and are only trying to bounce back. Whereas this is Davys third year in charge and while the team has gone through a major transition in those 3 years, it really is do or die and time to deliver. A Munster final appearance and if we avoid Kilkenny in an all Ireland quarter or semi final were more than capable of beating anyone else and getting into an all-Ireland. Those I think are realistic expectations.
Just on Eoin Kelly I dont know what these rumours are and I think if theres ever a place to discuss them its surely boards.ie!! I only saw him against Kilkenny when he came on as a sub and I thought his attitude was awful, didn't look interested at all. While weve already lost Ken and Dan to retirement in the last 6 months we could do without another big name loss and I hope Kelly will be back for championship. With the hunger and enthusiasm of all these young lads coming through though its not difficult to see how someone like Kelly who struggles with attitude and motivation is finding himself lagging a bit behind.

Deise Tom

PTH2009 wrote: »

So how far do you think we can make it in the hurling championship this year ??.

Semi Final at very best

deisedude

deisebhoy17 wrote: »

Just on Eoin Kelly I dont know what these rumours are and I think if theres ever a place to discuss them its surely boards.ie!!

Rumours were the reason Up the Deise had to be closed down so i'd disagree with that. Personally i dont care what the rumours are, all i will say on the matter is that he doesnt deserve a starting place based on his current attitude and performances. Would Cork, Tipp or Kilkenny put up with it if in a similar situation? I dont think so

horselips

Does anyone have the full panel from the programme from yesterday? Did Steven Daniels get a run out in the league at all? Cheers.

deisedude

horselips wrote: »

Does anyone have the full panel from the programme from yesterday? Did Steven Daniels get a run out in the league at all? Cheers.

Heard he dropped off the panel again

deiseach

Bit of a blunder on the match programme yesterday:



Still, if you like typos and errors you'll love my match report here.

Cake Man

^^^
An Gallaimh!??

Team yesterday was:

Hennessy
D. Fives
Lawlor
J. Maher (Connors listed at 4 though)
Browne
Brick
Philip Mahony
Moran
E.McGrath
Pauric Mahony
S. O'Sullivan
G. Crotty
B O'Sullivan
S. Walsh
S. Casey

As for championship prospects, well with all due respect to Limerick, we'd really want to be beating them. I don't mean that in a complacent way but if we want to have any aspirations of reaching the business end of the summer, we'd want to be beating a team that has played Div.2 league hurling. We kind of need to take advantage of the fact that we got a bye into the Munster semi's and avoided Tipp and Cork in the process. I think its fair to say we couldn't have gotten a better draw.
From then on, who knows? If we reach another Munster final, it will most likely be against Tipp. I'd say we'll probably go as far as the semi's with yet more heartache!

deiseach

Cake Man wrote: »

As for championship prospects, well with all due respect to Limerick, we'd really want to be beating them. I don't mean that in a complacent way but if we want to have any aspirations of reaching the business end of the summer, we'd want to be beating a team that has played Div.2 league hurling.

Absolutely right. I tire of this 'we play best as underdogs' tripe. We were underdogs for most of the 1980's and 1990's and boy, did it show! We will be favourites for the Limerick game and we should embrace that fact

deiseach

Lads, what's the deal with Declan Prendergast. Presumably he is injured, can we expect him back for the Championship?

Deise Tom

deiseach wrote: »

Bit of a blunder on the match programme yesterday:

where did not notice anything, but only scanned through it

Deise Tom

Cake Man wrote: »

^^^
As for championship prospects, well with all due respect to Limerick, we'd really want to be beating them.

How many people said that in 2009. If i remember, some people were saying it was going to be very easy for Waterford, all they had to do was turn up

Fentdog84

I expect a savage match from Limerick in the S/f. Those lads always stand up and fight. We were strong favorites against them in '01 and 07' and they beat us and in 09' we needed a replay to get over them. Anyone who suggests its a sure thing or we should be beating them is only codding themselves. They have been improving throughout the league and Donal O Grady will have them well drilled. Its anyones game IMO.

deiseach

Fentdog84 wrote: »

Its anyones game IMO.

So if we played them 100 times, it'd split 50:50? We will be favourites. Doesn't mean we will win, but we should

deise_boi

Deise Tom wrote: »

where did not notice anything, but only scanned through it

I think its in reference to Noel Connors' appearance on the cover and the fact that he didn't actually figure in the game due to injury!

deiseach

deise_boi wrote: »

I think its in reference to Noel Connors' appearance on the cover and the fact that he didn't actually figure in the game due to injury!

I was more thinking of 'An Gallaimh'. Maybe I'm wrong but isn't it 'An Gaillimh'? It even says 'Gaillimh' on the crest on the cover!

Speak Now

Na Gaillimhe
An Gallaimh
Gallaimh

My Irish is well rusty

deiseach

Jerry Seinfeld wrote: »

Na Gaillimhe
An Gallaimh
Gallaimh

My Irish is well rusty

Aye, that makes two of us. But searching for "Gallaimh" on Google directs me to "Gaillimh". And wouldn't 'Gall' be pronounced 'gawl' as in Dún na nGall?

Straight Talker

The guy's kicked up a major stink about Justin McCarthy being the reason that they did not win the all ireland.Davey came in and in his first year we barely beat Offaly and Wexford and the team bottled it big time in the all ireland final.Forget this talk about Kilkenny being too good i read Damien Tiernans book and the team were not mentally ready for the challenge.In 09 Kilkenny despite not being as good as 08 still beat us comfortably enough.We got a goal in the last few minutes to only lose by 5 points.Last year we needed a dodgy free to get a draw against Cork.In the replay we only barely beat an average Cork team in extra time.Tipp showed us were we really are at in the semi final.If the fella's could have just applied themselves properly over the years we could have won loads of all ireland.I do think a lack of bottle when it really mattered,no settled full back,a lack of application compared to the great Kilkenny and Cork teams and also the fact that we seem to be just happy enough to win munster.All these things are the reason this team has ended up without an all ireland.However the league wen't well and maybe this Waterford might produce the goods when it really matters in August and September not May and June or at least we might stop thinking were the greatest thing since sliced bread after a Munster title and focus on winning the all ireland.

kkdela6

waterford are looking good this year, and i think the match against galway was great proof. almost half of the team playing had barely a minute of championsip experience between them yet still managed to pretty much dominate the game and i reckon when mullane and the boys are back, the team could be serious contenders for liam if they all put their minds to it.

eoin kelly was once a favourite of mine but id almost rule him out for this season, and paudy mahoney is showing potential to take his place. even if we dont make it this year with the underage players showing so much potential i reckon waterford will make an all ireland within the next few years.

dont stop believing!!! (cringe)

Fentdog84

kkdela6 wrote: »

waterford are looking good this year, and i think the match against galway was great proof. almost half of the team playing had barely a minute of championsip experience between them yet still managed to pretty much dominate the game and i reckon when mullane and the boys are back, the team could be serious contenders for liam if they all put their minds to it.

eoin kelly was once a favourite of mine but id almost rule him out for this season, and paudy mahoney is showing potential to take his place. even if we dont make it this year with the underage players showing so much potential i reckon waterford will make an all ireland within the next few years.

dont stop believing!!! (cringe)

We had some good underage teams in the early - mid 90's but were unable to win an All Ireland. Time will tell if these new lads coming through are the real deal. They might be good enough but will they have enough bottle to make it over the line in the big games?

kkdela6

Fentdog84 wrote: »

We had some good underage teams in the early - mid 90's but were unable to win an All Ireland. Time will tell if these new lads coming through are the real deal. They might be good enough but will they have enough bottle to make it over the line in the big games?

mahoney held his nerve very well when he scored that free in injury time, the point that won us the game. he's only just gone 19 years old this month. gives us a lot of hope!

deisedude

kkdela6 wrote: »

mahoney held his nerve very well when he scored that free in injury time, the point that won us the game. he's only just gone 19 years old this month. gives us a lot of hope!

Read in the paper that Tony Browne made his debut for Waterford before young Mahoney was born:eek:

STIG83

deisedude wrote: »

Read in the paper that Tony Browne made his debut for Waterford before young Mahoney was born:eek:

Mahoney wasnt the only player not to be born when Tony started for Waterford.

Fentdog84

STIG83 wrote: »

Mahoney wasnt the only player not to be born when Tony started for Waterford.

Would love to see Tony win that coveted All Ireland after so many years of trying. Saw my first waterford game in 94 v Limerick in the championship and Tony was playing, seems like he's always been there. Legend.

STIG83

Fentdog84 wrote: »

Would love to see Tony win that coveted All Ireland after so many years of trying. Saw my first waterford game in 94 v Limerick in the championship and Tony was playing, seems like he's always been there. Legend.

I agree with ya there and im sure everyone in Waterford and other counties would say the same thing .

Fentdog84

Is Molumphey captain again this year? Whats the story there rather see it being moved around surely Mullane or Browne are due a go at it? I have no problem with Molumphey only i dont see much sparks out of him..

Deise Tom

deisedude wrote: »

Read in the paper that Tony Browne made his debut for Waterford before young Mahoney was born:eek:

Came on as a sub in the league towards the end of 91. I think it was against Galway.

Deise Tom

Fentdog84 wrote: »

Would love to see Tony win that coveted All Ireland after so many years of trying. Saw my first waterford game in 94 v Limerick in the championship and Tony was playing, seems like he's always been there. Legend.

If (and he should) play for Waterford in the championship this year it will be his nineteenth year doing so since first playing in 1992. The only year he did no play in between was 1993, the year KERRY beat Waterford in Walsh Park.

Fentdog84

Deise Tom wrote: »

If (and he should) play for Waterford in the championship this year it will be his nineteenth year doing so since first playing in 1992. The only year he did no play in between was 1993, the year KERRY beat Waterford in Walsh Park.

Please dont ever mention that game on this board ever again

Deise Tom

Fentdog84 wrote: »

Please dont ever mention that game on this board ever again

Some of us are old enough to remember worse days that that.