Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

JD. 60

Think Aussie scored 1-5 from play, without really breaking sweat.

Not to many fringe players or newcomers impressed to be honest, apart from maybe Tom Barron.

Shane Bennett faded in the second half ; Patrick Curran played fairly well throughout.

Deskjockey

Cahill not happy.

“We have to find more,” admitted Lohan’s counterpart Cahill. “It is very, very frustrating when you are working continually on stuff in training and the same little mistakes keep appearing. You just wonder are these players able to go up in class when the time comes. It's disappointing when you see the same things breaking down in real live match situations that you’re working on in training. It will take shape as the year goes on and your team will start to pick itself as the matches come."

letowski

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118481660#Comment_118481660

Clare supporter here. I taught Daly, Aussie, Dunford (in the first half) and Curran played well for ye. Kiely flashed a bit too, looks a very good player. Wouldn’t be worried much if I was a Waterford supporter, it was clear Cahill was focusing the team to go for goals, a few times the final pass went astray.. will be different come championship I’d say. Clare had a good few more starters out there than Waterford too. Pretty much your standard January game, loads of touch/handling mistakes, wides, no marking, etc.

Mastermcgrath

Only followed the buffs coverage but O’Brien looked shaky enough in goals, maybe some at the game can shed more light

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118482357#Comment_118482357

Quite a ruthless attitude

blueflame

Watched game on live stream, O'Brien had one shaky moment on the goal from memory, but looked very comfortable under the high ball. Puck outs were not great, dropping short often when going to his corner backs and over-hit a couple when trying to pick out Midfield / Wing backs - not too much to complain about.

In the backs Daly had a right battle with Shanagher and if as someone said on here he played the night before with UCC put in a hell of performance. Lads making their debuts such as Lynch and Dalton both had good and bad moments as expected from young lads starting out., while Tom Barron who has already played a number of league matches did not do himself any harm at all - a lot of room for improvement but plenty of promise. McNulty was McNulty, steady, with some really good plays and then a couple of poor fumbles and decisions, while Conor Gleeson was in general good.

Wadding and Power in the middle of the field started alright but both faded badly - both young players but both also showed inexperience. hard to judge lads playing together as a partnership for the first time, but certainly on Saturday they came out second best. With the likes of Barron, Hogan, the Bennett's, Connor and Austin Gleeson and possibly Conor Sheehan and Paddy Leavy as alternatives, they have a mountain to climb to get near a starting 15 at this stage. but they have time on their side.

Up front, Dunford started like a train, having Lohan in all sorts of trouble then he faded badly, looked a little short on confidence. Shane Bennett showed glimpses of his brilliance but also faded in and out way too much. DJ scored two nice points but really disappeared for the rest of the game. Curran is starting to show what we all hoped for as a young lad and he has certainly grown physically. To me he is now playing a different style of game to what we had become accustomed to , playing as a link from centre forward, much like Paudie Mahony does with BG. Interested to see how this develops because he is a very intelligen player.

Michael Kiely (Abbeyside) continues to show promise, with a mix of good and bad which again is to be expected from young hurlers, while Aussie showed whet he is capable of when he manages to get into the game. For me , as such an influential player, he still tends for go missing for periods in games (could just be lack of ball coming his way) but when his confidence is up, he is a pure joy to watch. Scored on e long range free I think and 1-4 from play, each lovely scores and made look so simple. and did so in about 10 minutes. Subs did not get much time to impress, was more about getting a run under their belts.

Cahill was a bit scathing in his assessment, and this was probably down to the fact that Waterford settled much quicker than Clare and were well the better side come the first water break, but then just faded poorly and started making very basic errors., which is frustrating even at this stage. I suppose he was setting down a marker to say this is not good enough. I would not be at all concerned given the number of players we were missing and it is always very hard for that many "debutants" to shine as opposed to being given a chance in a settled team. Will be very interested to see how the team develops over the coming games.

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118487852#Comment_118487852

I found Cahill comments a bit strange given there were so many young players playing together for the first time. Fair enough if it was an experienced team out but would you not be trying to build confidence in the younger players and encourage them to have a go. Surely the dressing room or training on Tuesday night was the time/place to have a few home truths not going to the media directly after the game…

blueflame

I agree with that sentiment - i thought personally it was very early in the day to be talking about "things in training breaking down" considering every one knows that generally "matches" are always a step up on training.

If memory serves me correctly he made a similar comment after the final League Game against Limerick in 2020 - which in fairness was at the end of a League Campaign and not just after a first competitive game.

Cahill probably wants to set down an early marker, setting out on his third year, and he is known for this tough love - in fairness to him he did not appear to single out anyone in particular or any group for criticism, it was more a general observation.

keeponhurling

Normally, your first game of the championship might be in June, so the January pre-season games are 5 months out from that.

This year we start in April, so it's only 3 months away.

Players will simply need to be getting up the pace of things quicker, so I wonder does that influence a manager's thinking also.

Giveitfong

Clare 2-24 Waterford 1-22

The key factor in determining the outcome of this game was the fact that Clare put a much stronger and more settled team on the pitch. While they were missing Tony Kelly, John Conlon, Aidan McCarthy and David McInerney, they had only one new player in the starting lineout – corner back Darragh Lohan, who only lasted to half-time. And they were able to bring on the two Galvins to further strengthen things up in the second half.

The Waterford panel had a threadbare look about it. They only had 22 players togged out and I counted 14 players from what I expect to be this year’s normal starting 20 who were missing. By the end of the game, Austin Gleeson was the only regular starter on the pitch (compared with about ten on the Clare team). The shortage of players presumably explains why Iarlaith Daly started, despite having put in 40 minutes the night before in a hard-fought game between UCC and the Cork senior team. 

I was also surprised to see Abbeyside’s Michael Kiely starting, as he has only just recovered from injury. He seemed to find it difficult to get into the game, although he did score a good point that could have been a goal and was also involved in the move that led to Austin Gleeson’s goal. This was after he was reintroduced after being substituted earlier, a reflection of Waterford’s player shortage on the sideline.

Despite all this, Waterford did manage to dominate the first quarter, and it was interesting to see Colin Dunford being played in a Dessie Hutchinson role, with a lot of good ball going into his corner. However, although he got a good deal of possession, his use of it was poor at times.

Waterford should have been further ahead, but seemed focused on creating goal chances which broke down on several occasions with close passes going astray. Having said that, I believe that a lot more goals should be scored in hurling, and welcome Cahill’s attempts to pursue this.

After the first water break, Clare settled a lot better and began to produce the kind of interplay you would expect from a team with a practised playing pattern. However, the goal which gave them their half-time lead (1-10 to 0-10) was a bit fortunate as Mark Rodger’s marker slipped as the ball came in, allowing him a free run at goal. Clare dominated the second half as Waterford’s play became increasingly ragged as substitutes were introduced, many of whom ended up playing in unfamiliar positions. However, a late scoring blitz from Austin Gleeson put a respectable look on the final scoreboard.

A feature of the game was the way Clare dominated in the air all over the pitch. Despite this, Waterford persisted with long puckouts, especially in the second half when they were regularly gobbled up by the Clare half backs. DJ Foran was wearing No 14 on his back but played in an ineffectual roving role out around midfield. He did score two nice points, but the ability to win ball in the air, which is what originally drew attention to him as an underage player, seems to have deserted him completely. Waterford would have been better off assigning a marker to keep track of David Reidy who was listed as centre forward but did an lot of damage picking up possession all around the middle third.

Of the fringe players, Tom Barron impressed most, playing in the same centre back position where he played for Fourmilewater last year. He is strong and a good hurler, and his repeated ability to go past his marker gave him good front-foot possession, although his distribution at times was poor. Conor Dalton took a bit of time to get to grips with the game, but kept at it and showed some good touches, as did corner back Darragh Lynch who, for some reason, was replaced at half time. I also thought that Sam Fitzgerald showed up well when introduced in the unfamiliar position of midfield in the second half.

I, too, was surprised by Liam Cahill’s after-match public criticism of the players for not executing the moves they had been practising in training. This was a cobbled-together team playing its first competitive game in the middle of January against good-quality and well-organised opposition, and which lost all shape with the confusing introduction of substitutes (five of whom were making their debuts) in the second half.  He could have cut a bit of slack here.

Scorers for Waterford: P Curran (0-9, 8f), A Gleeson (1-5), S Bennett (0-2), DJ Foran (0-2), C Dunford (0-2), M Kiely (Abbeyside) (0-1), B Power (0-1).

WATERFORD: S O’Brien; C Gleeson, I Daly, D Lynch; S McNulty, T Barron, C Dalton; C Wadding, B Power; M Kiely (Dungarvan), P Curran, A Gleeson; C Dunford, DJ Foran, S Bennett. 

Subs: C Daly for Lynch (HT), S Keating for Wadding (47), S Fitzgerald for McNulty (47), G Fives for Foran (54), I Beecher for Kiely (54), M Kiely (Dungarvan) for Daly (54), M Kiely (Abbeyside) for Bennett (56), B Nolan for O’Brien (65).

Cake Man

Yeah maybe a little too much too early from Cahill with those types of comments. You only get so many of those in your managerial career with the one team and you kind of need to use them sparingly, usually best reserved for when the team delivers a dreadful performance it's warranted but not a pre-season glorified challenge match. Particularly when there are so many fringe players getting their first chance to impress, hardly does much for their confidence.

I'm sure Cahill and Bevans are nearly obsessed with perfecting a system around going for goal at every reasonable opportunity (hence why he may be so upset when players aren't executing it to a tee). I'm sure they're well aware that if we've any hope of trying to beat Limerick this year we'll need to stick a few goals past them. We've played Limerick something like 7 times between league and championship since 2019 and by my recollection have only scored 2 goals against them in all of those matches. So it seems fairly clear cut we just can't beat them in a points shoot out and will have to start working Nicky Quaid to have any chance.

Any challenge matches lined up between now and the league opener against Dublin in two weeks time? Any word on Tadgh being back to fitness?

Mastermcgrath

You probably had 5 or 6 of the starting team that will be in contention for a place in the first 15 come championship, and out of the other 8/9 and other 5 that came on as subs it looks like not too many grabbed their chance. Was it not for Aussies late flourish and a much improved looking Patrick Curran we wouldn’t had many scores on the board. Maybe that’s the aspect that will have disappointed Cahill. It will be interesting to see the starting line up in our first league game and if many of the new guys on Saturday have broken into Cahill plans

Cake Man

Just noticed the Fitzgibbon Cup starts today, plenty of our lads in action. That could also factor in who we’ll see line out against Dublin in a few weeks depending on whether anyone picks up injuries here.

Wednesday 19th January

Mary I v UCC, 2pm

NUI Maynooth v DCU, 7pm

WIT v IT Carlow, 7pm

UCD v NUI Galway, 7:45pm

Thursday 20th January

GMIT v Trinity, 2pm

UL v TUS Midlands, 7pm

I take it WIT and maybe UCC make up the bulk of the Waterford representation in this?

TheScoringGoal

Just to add for anyone interested that the UCD & NUIG match is being streamed by electric Ireland on YouTube. I'm not sure if either team would have any Waterford representation though.

PTH2009

Looking forward to Ballygunners game on Sunday. Let's hope they can get over the line and get to Croke Park.

tommylad1212

PTH2009

Listening to the OTB club show podcast and they mentioned a few things that could worry Ballygunner. Parnell Park been so narrow could go against them and its a venue Slaughtneil could thrive in especially if the pitch is heavy.

JD. 60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506010#Comment_118506010

Is Parnell Park any tighter than Walsh Park or Fraher Field. As for the pitch being heavy, its very unlikely if the weather forecast is anything to go by.

IanVW

Parnell Park is actually 2M wider and only 1M shorter

Mastermcgrath

Fitzgibbon cup update, WIT beaten by Carlow IT quite a strong Waterford representation as above post shows

However UL had a big win over LIT with Michael Kiely (Abbeyside) showing strongly with 0-6 from play. Billy Power also scored a couple of points

Cake Man

Yeah disappointing result for WIT, they've a must win match next up against DCU. Should beat Maynooth handy in the last group game but will mean nothing if they lose next day out. Iarlaith Daly played the full game in UCC's win over Mary I and recall seeing a lad from Balinameela in with one of the Dublin colleges (on the subs list I think).

Are any of the Ballygunner contingent involved with any of their colleges? In other words, if they weren't involved in the club championship would any have been involved in the Fitzgibbon?

Speaking of BG, had only realised they're out on Sunday in their AI semi final - the very best of luck to them, hopefully they'll make the final.

upthedeise16

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118509983#Comment_118509983

WIT would have been considered massive underdogs for that game, think they were 4/1 in the bookies and they’ll be even bigger underdogs the next day against DCU.

Mastermcgrath

WIT haven’t contested a Fitzgibbon final now since 2015, considering they were a powerhouse throughout the noughties (winning 6 I think) theyve fallen back a lot in the meantime.

Hard to know why but with teaching now a popular option for intercounty hurlers maybe there’s more of a draw to the universities or training colleges for the top caliber players

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118511164#Comment_118511164

You could be onto something, UL battered LIT last night who've been strong too in the last 15-20 years, another factor is IT Carlow have come on leaps and bounds in the last decade I think they've courses and scholarships with appeal too, I think theyre taking a good bit from the WIT traditional catchment.

Mastermcgrath

On the flip Side, with less of a draw from other counties it gives more local players the exposure to Fitzgibbon level hurling and good to see so many Waterford clubs on the team sheet.

I can recall one year in the early noughties WIT won a Fitzgibbon with barely any Waterford representation, Brick being the sole representative if memory serves me right. That would have been a team with the likes of Shefflin, JJ Delaney, Ollie Moran, Paul Curran from Tipp to name but a few

decies

Good luck De La Salle and Ballygunner this weekend

PTH2009

Sadly not to be for DLS in the Harty Cup

https://twitter.com/Munsterpps/status/1484894597860007938?t=ormMxZn2slIHfoPSz1WZbw&s=19

carter10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517249#Comment_118517249

Deserved win by Tulla, more direct in their approach and the main difference was their free taker nailed every free whereas Paddy Fitzgerald missed 2 scorable frees at crucial times. DLS insistence of playing the ball through hand broke down time after time but for some reason, they persisted with the tactic. Big win for ASR in the other semi and they'll probably be favourites but there's great heart in this Tulla team

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517294#Comment_118517294

Fair play to Tulla, not a big school with a small catchment area, I beleive only about 350 boys in the school. Smaller than many of the schools in Waterford that compete at B and C level.

As for DLS another disappointing end to the year for them, continue to flatter in Harty cup level haven’t made a final since 2008 yet seem make it out of the group almost every year.

PTH2009

Best of luck to Ballygunner today