Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

skaface

Any year we done well in the League, we preformed well in the Championship.. Winning games builds confidence.. We've a young squad, with fellas fighting for places in the starting 15, and mad for games.. Waterford are in a good headspace coming into the championship

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118742475#Comment_118742475

Well except 2019 which was a disaster of a championship campaign

KevIRL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118742475#Comment_118742475

Not just the starting 15, the scrap for places on the match day 26 squad will be significant too. It's a great place for any team to be. Competition for places in every line of the field

windy shepard henderson

really impressive at the moment , the ballygunner success has everyone in the county believing in bigger intercounty success and why not, it might not be this year but its going to take a good team to stop ye with liam cahill in charge ,

serious dark horses at the moment !

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118742785#Comment_118742785

Me thinks all not happy in the Tipp camp atm and it could be a one year thing. It happened with us before

windy shepard henderson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118742842#Comment_118742842

they are in huge transition , bonnor said this year was always going to be tough , either way its being a fairly solid showing from ye

TheScoringGoal

Can anyone else ever recall a Waterford team without anyone from Mt Sion or Ballygunner starting?

Mastermcgrath

Stephen Bennett Dosent get half the credit he deserves. When you see all the raving about Patrick Horgan anytime he racks up a big score but Bennett is equally as important to us in my opinion. To think Derek McGrath couldn’t find a place for him on his starting team and left him sitting on the bench for the 2017 AI final….. he’s the one forward we can’t be without.

Deskjockey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118743827#Comment_118743827

Its really maddening thinking back on it

Cake Man

Let's be honest though lads, the Stephen Bennett of 2020/21/22 is a very different animal to the 2017 version. He has really come into his own in the last 2-3 years and if I recall correctly was really just finding his feet at senior level around 2017 (same could be said of the likes of Patrick Curran, who is now also showing the promise we all hoped he would live up to). Not saying for a second SB should or shouldn't have started in the '17 AI final btw, I'm just stating that it's easy to look back with 20/20 vision, tinged with a healthy dollop of recency bias.

Looking at our starting teams and subs that came on during 2017, we racked up good scores against KK (2nd round qualifier), Wexford (AI quarter final) and Cork (AI semi final) with SB playing little or no part of those so I'm sure Derek McGrath may have been happy to stick with the players that got him to the final. Again, not agreeing or disagreeing with DMcG here, just stating what his mindset may have been.

Just watched highlights of the Tipp game (as an aside, GAAGO is a disgrace. Bought the game to watch a few hours after it would have ended and I was met with blank screens. Even loading it up now tells me that it's apparently still a live broadcast so can't watch it back. Some joke trying all morning to avoid the result before eventually giving in to some short highlights as I was itching to know the outcome). Very impressed by the lads effort and work rate from what I saw, particularly in the last 20mins where we went to town on them. If I'm honest, seeing the announced starting 15 on Saturday I would have said Tipp probably to win as it felt like Cahill would have been happy to get a good game under the belts, get some more game time into the newer faces (and the returnees) and not be too worried about the result (maybe a bit of shadow boxing ahead of 6 weeks time too). The lads proved me wrong and really stood up to the plate. That we were without Aussie, Jamie Barron, Calum Lyons and the BG lads and still managed to win by double digits really puts down a marker. As mentioned before, will be some competition for places even to get onto the subs bench.

KK next weekend and a "free" game to give more game time to the newer lads and perhaps get Dessie, Peter Hogan, Ian Kenny some minutes under the belt without worry of the result. KK will be going all out for the win as they'll be well aware Dublin should take care of Laois to keep them in the hunt.

Mastermcgrath

A different animal yes for varying reasons but he wasn’t progressing under that manager. Intercounty career would have been washed up at 23 or 4. Curran aswell that matter.

what a position to be in now for the final league game though, even though it’s a dead rubber in terms of already qualified, you’ll have loads of lads coming back mad for road to try and get back into Cahill plans

blueflame

Not raking over old coals, but Stephen Bennett always had that potential in him, and was never given any real opportunity - at that stage ni particular there was only ever room on the pitch for one Bennett at a time, Every time Stephen was brought Shane was taken off.

Anyway back to yesterday - good performance overall once we settled down, plenty of physicality, without over-focusing on it, some lads still looking a bit rusty, but you can see the improvement, with each game. particularly TDB, and Monty - once again delighted for Patrick Currran getting to show what he is capable of, and good to see McNulty showing his good side. Nice also to see Cian Wadding come in and put in a good shift, and young Mick Mahony did not look out of place in his cameo. Shane Bennett looked also to be getting back to normal service. We are finally starting to look like we have a panel of 25+ genuine contenders for starters and we are developing cover all over the field. We are going to need every bit of this to come through Munster this year, so fingers crossed. Any news on what happened to Prunty - looked like a little bit of a calf strain, but hopefully not much, at test they acted straight way and subbed him off.

decies

Regarding GAAGO joined for year pass a few tech problems last few weeks but hoping it will come into own for championship especially on demand . You can’t see a game back on demand till usually Monday afternoon where they are all put on demand . Miss it by few hours you’ll have to wait till next day .

whiteandblue

Looking after 4 league games and the Munster league, this looks like our panel but I'm unsure about 1 or 2 and if they are on the panel and probably omitted 1 or 2 as well!

GK: Nolan, O'Brien

Corner Backs: C Gleeson, Kenny, McNulty, C Daly, Darragh Lynch

Full Back: Prunty, C Gleeson, I Daly, M Fitzgerald, De Burca

Half backs: Fagan, I Daly, C Daly, T Barron, Dalton, K Bennett, C Lyons, D Lyons, C Gleeson, McNulty, Harney, Keating, S Fitzgerald

Centre Back: De Burca, A Gleeson, I Daly, T Barron, Shane Bennett

Midfield: J Barron, Wadding, Power, C Gleeson, K Bennett, Prendergast, C Daly, Fagan, C Lyons, G Fives, Hogan (Sheehan & Leavy?)

Half forwards: Montgomery, Fagan, Foran, Kiely (Dungarvan), A Gleeson, Dunford, Shane Bennett, Stephen Bennett, P Mahony, Prendergast, Beecher, Curran, K Bennett, Hogan

Centre Forward: A Gleeson, Curran, Stephen Bennett, P Mahony

Corner Forwards: Hutchinson, Shane Bennett, Stephen Bennett, Dunford, Curran, M Mahony, Prendergast

Full forwards: Stephen Bennett, Shane Bennett, Michael Kiely (Abbeyside), Kirwan, M Mahony, Foran

There's certainly plenty of options and a strong panel there and it's been great to be undefeated but being a pessimist or perhaps just looking at areas where we still need to improve or make decisions.

Maybe Cahill knows his best team, but I certainly couldn't pick a definite 12 starters like other years,

Who is our 1st choice goalkeeper? Probably O'Brien at this stage but it's not set in stone.

Who replaces Prunty if he is injured? Daly was tried there in one of the games and is not a definite starter in the half back line. Conor Gleeson is another option as we have plenty of cover in the corner and Gleeson isn't a definite starter there either. Prunty picked up a knock yesterday and has had his injury issues so it could become a factor.

There are so many options in the half back line that, other than De Burca in the middle and probably a fit Callum Lyons, it's very hard to know who will slot in at number 7. Fagan has played there but was formerly a wing forward. Iarlaith Daly has impressed there, Tom Barron has done nothing wrong, Kieran Bennett may not get in the team in another position so is certainly an option as are all the named players.

What is Jamie Barron's injury and will he be at his brilliant best for championship and who plays beside him? Limerick has bossed midfield against us in all the games over the last 3 years as they flood the middle and are so physically strong. Waterford need to get a foothold in midfield if they are to compete and beat Limerick and I'm not sure the fleet footed running style of Barron and Pendergast is the answer.

Again, the half forward line looks like being one place up for grabs with Curran and A Gleeson playing well. Stephen Bennett will probably play inside and float out. I thought Montgomery was outstanding yesterday and put in a serious shift but can be erratic with his shooting. Then Kieran Bennett, Fagan, Foran and P Mahony have all done a job there in the past. Very hard to know who will be there.

Inside, I think Michael Kiely (Abbeyside) did himself no harm yesterday. He's just a handful for any full back and he had Tipp in all kinds of trouble when he got on the ball yesterday. Dessie will be in one corner and Stephen Bennett in the other. It was Prendergast yesterday who played well and chipped in with a few scores. For me, Shane Bennett hasn't been setting the world alight but is a serious option off the bench. Dunford was going well up until his red card and Ciaran Kirwan seemed to play well in Antrim.

All in all, is it a worry, that as supporters, we are unsure of the team or is it a massive positive that we know have such strength in depth? I hope the latter.

Deisegodeo

Some very interesting points being made about our panel and what is the starting 15 for championship, some huge calls to be made. As of now and assuming no injuries etc, I would go something like this:

1.o brien

2.Ian Kenny

3.Prunty

4.mcnulty

5.Callum Lyons

6.Tadhg

7.Fagan

8.Jamie Barron

9.Conor Gleeson

10.Curran

11.Aussie

12.Jack Pender

13.dessie

14.Stephen Bennett

15.Mikey kiely

some excellent players to come in during the game too, Peter Hogan, iarla Daly, Monty, Shane Bennett, darragh Lyons, Kieran Bennett...

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118744585#Comment_118744585

Iarlaith Daly has to be in the team for me. Wherever he’s played, wing back, corner back, midfield, he’s been quality. Can’t see C Gleeson midfield but maybe corner back. Our backs barely conceded any goals in 4 matches yet 2 corner backs and goalkeeper positions up for grabs!

jimmythesulk

Yere two corner backs are yere weak link and until ye improve there ye wont win an all ireland. Kenny in fairness was superb against ballyhale on Eoin Cody. Mcnulty is way too loose. Miles of his man yesterday in.tbe 1st half and while he can do something good one minute it is usually followed by a mistake. Against Limerick last year he was very poor. Gleeson is better but ain't miles better. Improve here and I'd have Waterford as the best team out there this year.

decies

Seems very pessimistic. Bottom line we have as good a chance as any of them to finally put the curse to bed.

914Deise

Long time reader first time commenter

Fantastic panel of players with a great manager and coach, hard not to be optimistic

Championship 15 might look something like:

1. O'Brian

2. I Daly

3. C Prunty

4. I Kenny

5. C Lyons

6. T De Burca

7. T Barron

8. C Daly

9. J Barron

10. J Prendergast

11. St Bennett

12. A Gleeson

13. D Hutchinson

14. M Kiely

15. P Curran

Maybe a year too early for C Daly who knows but Hogan, D Lyons and C Daly will have some battle between them for that one midfield spot.

I would prefer to see I Daly at wing back but I think we might need him more in the corner.

Does he replace Prunty full back if injured?

JD. 60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118747351#Comment_118747351

That’s a powerful line up alright. As pointed out already, we have strength in depth like never before and given the attritional nature of the campaign ahead, it’s an invaluable position to be in. I’m not so sure that Jamie Barron is going to walk back on the starting 15 when he’s fully recovered from injury.

Deisegodeo

Liam Cahill said on wlr this evening that Prunty has a hamstring issue, they're hoping 3 weeks out at most, not good news to hear and hopefully he recovers swiftly as we badly need him fit and hurling well.

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118747541#Comment_118747541

Yeah a massive loss and hopefully it's only 3 weeks he's out for

Prob won't play till the championship

decies

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2022/0307/1284955-daly-waterford-have-best-20-players-in-the-country/?fbclid=IwAR2fo7Wa3zvualW3FT1rTXRp_jOsXwykiT9hDO8rgQtg2MZz1Ql7L5s1DW8

lim4ev

Waterford look to be in a great place guys serious contenders and with our recent problems it could be argued yer no1 in the country one thing though I agree with another poster the full back line looks vulnerable if limerick get their mojo back plus cork both those teams could do damage to that full back line having said that if we weren't to win it would love to see ye do it as for us the last 4 years has been incredible

Giveitfong

Waterford 1-28 Tipperary 0-21

One would not want to get carried away by this victory over what is, at the moment, a very mediocre Tipperary outfit, even if they had what looked like a near full-strength team while Waterford, as we know, were short five or six front-line players. If Waterford had not started very sloppily, giving Tipperary the freedom of the park and a lot of soft possession in the first quarter, the end result could have been very embarrassing for the visitors.

Even then, Waterford just blew them away in the final 20 minutes. At the end of the 51st minute, Waterford were just one point ahead, 1-18 to 0-20. In the next 21 minutes, Waterford added on ten points to just one for Tipperary. Tipperary had five or six starting players with little or no championship experience, while Waterford had just one player, Cian Wadding, in this category. Waterford had twelve oufield players with at least three years championship experience, and the difference in strength and conditioning alone was a crucial factor in Tipperary’s late fade-out.

A big influence on this game was the strong wind blowing into the country goal (an unusual wind direction at Walsh Park), and a leading feature was the excellent long-distance point scoring by both sides with wind assistance. By contrast, both teams experienced a lot of difficulty shooting into the city end but, while Waterford seemed to come to grips with this as the first half progressed, this was not the case with Tipperary after the change of ends. Growing fatigue after the big effort to put in in the first half may help to explain this.

Apart from Stephen Bennett, three Waterford players stood out for me. Jack Prendergast had a really good game, with his ability to get possession, pace, close control and shooting all in evidence here. Neil Montgomery followed up on some good moments against Antrim with a strong performance here. His use of the ball was not always great, but he was getting on the ball regularly (nine possessions) and his strong running troubled Tipp a lot. He also strong in the tackle and got in a great hook at one stage which prevented what looked like being a certain score.

Patrick Curran is really growing into his new role as a free agent, mainly in the middle third but he is also able to get into forward positions as required (as shown when his pass set up Stephen Bennett’s goal). He is a good reader of the game, gets in position for outballs from the defence and then uses the ball well, including an ability to shoot from almost any distance. He clocked up twelve possessions here.

There has been some debate here about how long it took both Curran and Stephen Bennett to assert themselves at intercounty level. Some have suggested that it took them a long time to get to grips with what was needed at this level. In my view, it was obvious from their underage days that these were both the kind of forward jewels who arrive on the scene very rarely, and it was shameful the way Derek McGrath margialised them. In the 2017 final, Curran got a few minutes towards the end of the game, and Bennett was not used at all. In a game which Waterford lost by just three points, having forwards with their scoring potential on the sideline almost certainly cost Waterford the title (even despite Fergal Horgan’s apparent determination that we would not win it any way).

Both players had zero confidence left when Liam Cahill came in. Bennett was the quickest to respond to Cahill’s faith in him, while it has taken Curran a bit longer to get his mojo back. Where might we be now if both had been at the top of their undoubted powers at the beginning of the Cahill reign?

decies

Look if the whole team believed in itself we should have beat Galway they didn’t really don’t think you could narrow it down to one or two playing or not playing or by how much . Same with this team , when championship starts it’s going to come down to mental strength as at this moment ( that could change ) there doesn’t seem much difference between a lot of the top teams . The players are there, the manager is there the ability is there from this team just depends can they put it together for 70 mins plus when it’s needed. Time will tell

DiscoStew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118748944#Comment_118748944

I think the last paragraph is a stretch here, for Bennett especially. He was an integral part of Fanning’s team from the off, taking over the frees from Mahony during the 2019 campaign.

blueflame

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118750663#Comment_118750663

Agree 100% , Bennett immediately came to fore when Fanning took over, and had quite a good year particularly during their run to the League Final - and to judge him on the shambles that was the Champion shop that year would be unfair. Bennett has been class every since he pulled on a Tony Forristal shirt at under 14

decies

seananigans

https://www.gaa.ie/hurling/news/stephen-bennett-voted-gaa-ie-hurler-of-the-week-x1692/

Can we start Calling him Gordon Bennett ? seems we need an expletive to exclaim his brilliance