Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

Billy Ocean

From Wexford but like to think I've decent idea of the dynamics having gone to WIT and having a brother in law from the city, i do think there's alot of merit in the suggestion of a Ballygunner hurling and football club and Gaultier hurling and football club, the problem looking from the outside if a lad say 15 or 16 has grown up hurling for Ballygunner and suddenly now he has to hurl for Gaultier would the buy in be there.

Deisegodeo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117975442#Comment_117975442

It's not just Ballygunner though, Passage are involved here too. Gaultier caters for the football for both Ballygunner and Passage. Dunmore East , where Gaultier are based, is traditionally a Passage catchment area so I would think there would be huge opposition in Passage to Gaultier playing hurling.

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117975539#Comment_117975539

Fair enough but the point I'm making is if another club which caters for hurling ( doesn't necessarily have to be Gaultier) was established in the locality due to the Ballygunner runaway train on and off the pitch it could be difficult to get buy in from young lads to a new club who grew up aspiring to play adult for Ballygunner.

Just on what you said about Dunmore East been part of the Passage catchment, i taught the Hutchinson's are from there.

TheScoringGoal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117975877#Comment_117975877

I'm not sure about Dessie but if I recall correctly Wayne and JJ started out with Passage.

PTH2009

Any news on who the new selector will be ?

Cake Man

Yeah disappointing county final as has been said, always a danger when a novelty/unexpected side reach a final against seasoned champions. A bit like when we reached an AI final in '08 against KK! I mean it in the nicest possible way to Roanmore but realistically the "wrong" team got to the final, I think from a neutral perspective it would have been preferable for the likes of Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Lismore or even Mount Sion for old times sake to have faced them in the final. Obviously Roanmore got there on merit and I take nothing away from their great run to the final, the abovementioned teams likely wouldn't have beaten BG either but I also don't believe would have gotten as big a beating and made more a game of it. A team reaching their first county final in 31 years were never going topple a side who won the previous seven titles in a row.

Onto the Munster club championship now for BG, away to the Clare champions at the end of November. Anyone know why the Waterford championship was run off so early when all other counties seem to be only starting their knock-out stages? Or indeed, why the club championship starts so late? It never started so late in the year before if I recall with the Munster final scheduled for the first weekend of Jan.

Unfortunate to see Ballysaggart relegated, they were far from the worst senior side and luck of the draw meant themselves or DLS were to go down. Don't think many would argue that a Bennett driven Saggart would offer more than Clonea at senior level but if they play like they did this year they should get back up to senior for 2023. Then again, intermediate is a dogfight (particularly will be in the west next year). Probably for the best that DLS didn't go down, Waterford hurling needs them strong and to be fair they put in a good performance to keep them up and showed what they can do when they aren't in a slump.

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117977300#Comment_117977300

Should be someone from the west based on the traditional structure of one selector from the east and one from the west. Cahill seems to go for former players he played against in his own era such as Frampton and Feeney

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117977708#Comment_117977708

The hurling was run off first so the football can be played in one hit aswell

it could backfire on Ballygunner who have an 8 week break now until the Munster club

DiscoStew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117977747#Comment_117977747

Molumphy hardly played against Cahill?

Frampton & Feeney were on the panel which appointed Cahill. A very unusual situation that 2 of them then ended up on his selection team. I think realistically Cahill & Bevans have the main say in proceedings & whoever is appointed is unlikely to have too big a role in training.

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117980025#Comment_117980025

Remember in the League games in 2020 Molumphy was doing a few drills pre match

Wishing him the best in Kerry and never if he does well he might be a future Waterford manager

HelloHello1234

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117975379#Comment_117975379

I think even if Micky wadding himself was reffing the game he still wouldnt have been able to make it a draw. Crazy comment Thomas one of the best in the county

seananigans

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117980848#Comment_117980848

i didnt say he would achieve a draw i said he was playing for a draw,an expression meaning he was being soft to one team, bit of exaggeration for dramatic effect

Mastermcgrath

It was Cahill that wanted both Frampton and Feeney on board as his selectors. Feeney declined it and recommended his club mate Molumphy instead. Covid interrupted the first season and by the time the championship started Molumphy had to move to UK for work so Feeney came in for this year.

Giveitfong

Ballygunner 2-27 Roanmore 0-13

Following their close shave in the semi-final against Mount Sion, Ballygunner left nothing to chance in last Sunday’s final, charging out of the blocks and keeping their foot on the pedal (excuse the mixed metaphors) right up to the end.

At the same time, while Ballygunner were never likely to be in trouble in this game, Roanmore certainly made life easy for them with their setup and game plan. In their previous games, they had very effectively concentrated on moving the ball between the lines and running at opposing defences, mainly in the hope of drawing frees which were then duly converted by the outstanding Gavin O’Brien.

With an extra man – and sometimes two – in defence, against Ballygunner, Roanmore had plenty of options for short puckouts from which they could set this game plan in motion. Instead, for some reason, they concentrated on long puckouts which were routinely gobbled up by a Ballygunner defence with an extra man or two under the incoming ball. In addition, when the Gunners had puckouts, they concentrated on short puckouts to spare defenders from where they could start their highly-practised and very effective passing movements.

The overall upshot of this is that Ballygunner repeatedly were able to get spare men in space in the midfield area, from where it was easy to just put the ball into the right corner for Dessie Hutchinson to run on to it. Granted, Hutchinson is turning into a superskilled genius, but Roanmore’s tactics made it very easy for him to do his thing.

Previous games had clearly shown that Ballygunner can be discommoded by a man-to-man marking strategy with pressure being put on them to go long with puckouts by making sure that none of their defenders is allowed to get into the clear.

In the second half, out of necessity, Roanmore did push up and won a lot more ball. This was reflected in how Paddy Leavy, who was revelling in the short-passing movements in the first half, disappeared from sight after the change of ends. A lot less good ball was also going into Hutchinson, although he continued to make maximum use of the reduced supply.

The second big problem for Roanmore was that the close skills which had been a feature of their earlier games deserted them on this occasion, with a lot of fumbling and misplaced balls. This presumably came from a combination of inexperience with the big occasion and the pressure they were put under by a dominant and hard-working opposition. After a couple of goal attempts from frees failed to come off in the middle of the second half, Roanmore basically threw in the towel and Ballygunner ambled to victory.

On Saturday night, De La Salle provided a glimpse of what might have been with their big win over Ballysaggart. One wonders why this level of effort was not seen in DLS’s earlier games, as it is clear that they are otherwise the best-equipped team in the county to mount a challenge to Ballygunner. For me, Shane McNulty is by far the most effective player in Waterford club hurling, and one wonders if Liam Cahill might try him in the deep-lying, sweeper-type, role he executes for De La Salle. Reuben Halloran (with 1-6 from play as well as five points from frees) also showed glimpses of the form he showed for the county under-20 team earlier in the year, although one has to take into account the quality of the opposition on this occasion.

In the county intermediate final, Dunhill had a better spread of good hurlers than An Rinn. They also had something else that An Rinn lacked – a couple of class hurlers who can make a big difference at this level, in the shape of Michael Harney at the back and Shane Casey up front. A lovely striker of the ball, Casey hit five points from play as well as eight from frees, and one wonders why An Rinn did not use the extra man they had from early on to double-mark him. Further back, Harney showed than invaluable knack of always seeming to be wherever incoming ball was landing. With good assistants to Harney’s left and right, the Dunhill half-back line put up an impenetrable barrier on which a disappointing An Rinn team perished. It will be good for Harney to have a window at senior level next year to show what he can do.

PTH2009

https://www.wlrfm.com/sport/seven-waterford-players-nominated-for-all-stars-213237

Congrats to Calum Lyons, Kieran Bennett, Conor Prunty, Jamie Barron,Stephen Bennett, Austin Gleeson, Dessie Hutchinson on getting all star nominations

upthedeise16

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117986962#Comment_117986962

Hard to know will we get any this year after the dominance of Limerick. Our best shouts are Prunty, Barron & probably Stephen Bennett? Others can probably be pleased with their deserved nominations and look to build on their performances for next year.

Prunty is up against Dan Morrissey who only played 2 and a half games but was excellent and sured up the Limerick defense when introduced at half time against Tipp. Prunty was very good but missed the Clare game and despite Prunty outperforming both, Callanan got 2 goals off him against Tipp and Gillane got one for Limerick. I think Morrissey will get full back.

Barron missed the Clare game and came on against Laois but was excellent against Galway and Tipp but ineffective until he went inside against Limerick when the game was probably over. He's no doubt the player that makes the Waterford team tick and when he is tied up, Waterford are not as strong a force. Unfortunately, I could see O'Donoghue and Kelly getting the midfield positions.

Up top, Bennett, Gleeson & Hutchinson all had some excellent performances and good, consistent years but I don't think their performances merit All-Stars this year. Dessie is improving year on year and Aussie was much more consistent this year, contributing well in every game while Bennett put up big scores but probably had a better 2020.

We could see a huge haul of All-Stars for Limerick this year with all 15 nominated and seen as Cork were runners-up without overly impressing and Kilkenny similarly won Leinster without having a range of outstanding performers.

seananigans

https://www.wlrfm.com/podcasts/lar-na-pairce/hes-been-waterfords-best-ever-goalkeeper-213496?post_type=podcast

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117995165#Comment_117995165

McGrath talking bollox as usual. He needs to get over this love affair he had with his class pets that won him success with DLS college it’s cringeworthy to listen to.

TheScoringGoal

I haven't listened to that podcast yet but for me O Keeffe is still by far the best goalkeeper in the county and I'm not even sure who could be mentioned as being a contender to have ever been better than him. For some reason, right through his career, he was always judged at a different level to others. If he made a great save it was almost expected and if he misplaced a pass it was highlighted. He never got the credit for his organisational skills, the goalkeeper is the only player who can see all the pitch in front of him and who can organise suitably.

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117999801#Comment_117999801

Haven't listened to it either but I'll say in my 25 years watching hurling he is by a long way the best Waterford goalkeeper I've seen.

SeanieW1977

The Ballygunner express train is going no where soon - aren’t they having a new €1 million euro development (check their social media) if that’s the case they’ll have spent more on development then the county board have in last decade.

one thing about them they have facilities to match their ambition and don’t talk out both sides of their mouths.

you can bet that development will be done & paid for before a sod is turned in walsh park….

and people say Ballygunner are bad for waterford gaa!

PTH2009

Limerick final taking place on the 24th October (Killmalock vs Patrickswell). Clare, Cork and Tipperary finals not til mid November

Ballygunners big gap in matches could go against them esp with the Clare and Tipperary champs having that momentum

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118001998#Comment_118001998

Think Wexford and Carlow had there championships over fairly early too

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118002149#Comment_118002149

Rapperees and Mount Leinster Rangers both playing football championships at the moment, Rapperees are defending football champions in Wexford under the Starlights name, there off the next 2 weekends after qualifying for the QF today. A big hitter gone in Limerick with Na Pairsaigh getting turned over by Patrickswell although the loss of the Casey brothers and Shane Dowling possibly told.

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118002273#Comment_118002273

Ballyhale supposedly very impressive in the Kilkenny QF

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118002278#Comment_118002278

They haven't lost a knock out game of any sort since the 2017 KK Semi final. Mad how they seem to park group phase defeats in KK and time their run perfectly.

thesultan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117999845#Comment_117999845

Aren't they applying for grant money from the county board for a new pitch?

seananigans

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117999005#Comment_117999005

hard ot argue he is the best keeper we have had in living memory

SeanieW1977

Any word on appointments for the county teams next year?

Surely football mgmt for 2022 would want to be viewing the players in champ in next few weeks!

Deskjockey

Modern Best 15 for Waterford but with a hitch... You can only name only 1 player out of each club and the positions need to make some kind of sense. I havent gone back to the 70s/80s as I wasn't old enough. 

1.Clinton Hennessy (Ardmore) 

2.Eoin Murphy (Shamrocks)

3.Conor Prunty (Abbeyside) 

4.Shane Fives (Tourin) 

5.Peter Queally (Ballydurn) 

6.Ken Mcgrath (Mount Sion) 

7.Tadhg De Burca (Clashmore) 

8.Jamie Barron (Fourmilewater) 

9.Stephen Molumphy (Ballyduff Upper) 

10. Michael Brick Walsh Stradbally

11. Dan Shanahan (Lismore) 

12.Stephen Bennett Ballysaggart

13.John Mullane (De La Salle)

14. Eoin Kelly (Passage) 

15. Paul Flynn (Ballygunner) 

Hard to leave out some greats due to the one club rule including Tony Browne, Stephen O'Keeffe, Aussie Gleeson, Seamus Prendergast, Fergal Hartley, Kevin Moran etc etc (am probably forgetting people) and particularly Noel Connors is very unlucky (but I couldn't leave out Eoin Kelly) 

Does anyone have any suggested changes?