Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120462818#Comment_120462818

Wouldn't it be some kick in the stones to beat Limerick but still not get out of Munster

Tbh the Cork game is our big one no matter the result against Limerick. Us having 3/4 points on the table come 6pm the 30th April would be unbelievable

So little time left for our 'golden generation' esp with the age of the intercounty retirement been 29/30/31 nowadays

tommylad1212

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120455366#Comment_120455366

If McNulty is under pressure for starting place,who are your corner back's?

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120463519#Comment_120463519

Conor Gleeson and Mark Fitzgerald

Cake Man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120464238#Comment_120464238

With Conor Ryan first option to replace either

TheScoringGoal

I think the last team I saw play 3 inside forwards was us in 2019. That means teams now set up with two designated in the full back line and there's a choice with the third. Barry Nash is almost an attacker stationed back there for Limerick. Though you need the right type of played for that, Kilkenny tried to use Pádraig Walsh in a similar role but he's not suited to it. We haven't gone like that up to now, we've used McNulty who is comfortable following a man around the pitch.

I'd personally have Conor Gleeson and Conor Prunty as the two in the full back line and I think Mark Fitzgerald would be a good choice as the extra player. Watching Davy's style it would allow Mark Fitzgerald to bring the ball out which he does well. He would also have to track Peter Casey who floats around between the 45 and 65.

Limerick show that you do need to take risks working the ball out. Kilkenny tried to avoid that and went long and aimless a lot on Sunday to no avail.

Conor Ryan has shown potential but it would be a big ask to go straight in against Limerick. Bear in mind he played as an inside forward for Roanmore last year.

JD. 60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120464314#Comment_120464314

Either way, the defensive back up options are fairly meagre and with the 'reported' injury concerns, the squad has a threadbare look about it.

Anything is possible on the day but for Waterford to beat Limerick, it would be a seismic shock.

A full forward line (if such a line exists anymore) of Dessie, Kiely, Bennett and a lurking Patrick Fitzgerald are capable of doing serious damage but will they get a decent supply of ball and how do you limit scoring at the other end.

fuinneamh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120465160#Comment_120465160

I look at that list of full forwards and instinctually think "Brilliant, get as much ball in as possible" but then I take a second and realise that none of them are at the elite ball winning level of a Gillane, Shane O'Donnell, TJ Reid or Conor Whelan. Kiely has shown that potential at Fitz level but not at inter-county level yet. Untill we get forwards that can make the ball stick in a packed defence, we are going to be playing the shot's from distance/running into traffic game for a long time to come.

Tom Devine has been sorely, sorely missed as he has something that nobody else on the panel has. Is there anyone on the football panel who has game-changing physicality? It's worked out for us previously. Shane Walsh and to a lesser extent Gary Hurney moving to the hurling panel and being played as full forwards. Brick not really in the same boat as he was always good enough for the hurling panel but played intercounty football too.

Mastermcgrath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120464314#Comment_120464314

Ryan could well be championship starter. Davy likes an auld curveball pick, often goes for the more obscure lad who wasnt previously given much of a chance. Anyway with mcnulty and Daly to come back aswell we actually have some decent enough options in the fullback line

TheScoringGoal

Minor match called off 20 mins before throw in after the ref inspected the pitch. Clare presumably having travelled all the way down. More ineptitude from our county board. Can't seem to go any length of time without embarrassing themselves.

Gardner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120465454#Comment_120465454

lump it and the score will come tactics are gone a long time bud. bringing in **** footballers to play hurling 😆😆 step away from the keyboard for a few days.

Gardner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120465160#Comment_120465160

There's a debate to be had re the limerick selection of actually not starting Dessie at all on Sunday week. Quite evident from last Sunday’s league final display that to defend against limerick is that you select forwards who can tackle and physically compete and go mano mano & go deep and track the Limerick defenders who attack the open space. Davy could pick potentially a six of Prendergast, Gleeson, Monty, Kiely, Bennett, Barron / Curran etc.   

but Davy is Davy. Davy will always have something up his sleeve whether it works or not will be the question on Monday morning

TheScoringGoal

I thought the rumours that Austin is back fit and training would be the biggest boost for us today, but then that gets topped by Fergal Horgan retiring.

Asdfgh2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120468033#Comment_120468033

Davey has eff all up his sleeve…..😡 load of hot air, verbal abuse of officials, getting himself yellows etc and the odd shoulder of opposition players etc etc…..Sunday week could end up like that match in September 2008 that everyone waterford wants to forget or the Munster final in 2011 where the 7 goals just slipped in…he had a guy full back making his debut ……Lar Corbett got something like 4-5😡😡

JD. 60

Tonight's U20 postponement will potentially impact those on the senior panel, with that new rule about not playing U20 & Senior in the one week.

Going to the fundraiser in Croke Park (Friday). I expect Davy will give an update on the Injury situation but wouldn't much expect much else to be revealed.

DiscoStew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120469829#Comment_120469829

Refixed for tomorrow night so should be fine.

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120470703#Comment_120470703

Possibly the reason why its got fixed for that, last game for the U20s is away to Tipp on the 28th April so tomorrows nights game could be the last underage championship game for a few of the panel if there going to feature for the seniors

JeffKenna

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120468033#Comment_120468033

I dunno, probably get slated for this but is going physical against Limerick like you describe really the right tactic when we have a do or die game against a fresh Cork the week after. Best case scenario I see is staying with them for 40 minutes and they pull away. Pick up a few niggles or injuries and it's turning a 50/50 game against Cork into a 60/40 or 70/30 game.

PTH2009

Best of luck to the Minor Footballers and Under 20 Hurlers who both face Clare tonight

https://www.youtube.com/live/wMPzNl3UeWs?feature=share

JD. 60

Underwhelming so far by the U20s.

Some snippets of good play (3 very nice points by O'Connell) but a bit too sloppy ; loose marking, too casual and so on.

PTH2009

Whats got wrong with underage in the county

We need some experts from outside the county to come in and oversee it

Cake Man

Yet another showing of underage hurling being way off the the pace, it’s the default setting at this stage

5948ai

Terrible display. We're at a low ebb currently at underage.

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120474677#Comment_120474677

get outside coaches cutting out the nepotism factor in squads

Pudz2180

Serious discussions need to be had at county board level about the performances of our under age teams over the last number of years. It’s scary how far we are falling behind the other counties in Munster. Does anyone know if issues are being addressed at development squads level and we are trying to get our structures in order? If we are not then the future is bleak. We seriously could be the next Offaly

TheScoringGoal

Underage now at crisis point. No excuses for being beaten so frequently at under 20/21 and minor. The finger has to be pointed at the county board as Clare youngsters are not different from Waterford youngsters so there's no reason for one to be consistently outperforming the other. However the county board have been an embarrassment for a long time. Is it still the case that players are expected to make their own way to Clonmel for matches in Tipp, Clare and Limerick? And the bus also stops there so they make their own way home? It certainly was up to a few years ago anyway.

What's noticeable recently is our underage teams have a few good players who look like they could go on to play senior. On the flip side these teams have a number of players just not near the required level. For me that's an indication the overall standard is poor and a reflection of the environment they came up through. In an individual year that can be a poor crop, but over 5/6 years now it's the environment and the buck stops with the board.

One specific example, who was the last fielding half forward we produced? Surely that needs to be identified as a clear deficit and an emphasis put on addressing it?

Of course the county board have also shown their wisdom by the Walsh park fiasco, the calling off of the minor match 20 mins beforehand and the decision not to enter a Celtic challenge team, the only division 1 league team not to. Most other counties entered more than one.

DiscoStew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120474716#Comment_120474716

An outside coach might have some merit within the right structure, but is nepotism still a thing with the development squads? I don’t think any of the U20 or minor management teams have any relations involved do they?

I think appointing the current U20 management team over the Andy Moloney / Dan Shanahan selection 2 years ago is looking a poor call unfortunately.

There was somewhat of a rejig of the development squad managements over the winter, around the time Joxer was put in place as minor manager.

tommylad1212

Does anyone know what Kevin Ryan is getting paid to do ??

brian2614

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120475679#Comment_120475679

To stand in a shed down town selling house raffle tickets and eat donuts👍️

TheScoringGoal

I'm not sure if Skins gets paid and even if so, he's been in charge of the implementation of Waterford rising since September 2021 so his impact on our under 20 side would be minimal. These lads were failed by the county board over the past 10 years.

Though a read of that Waterford rising document is interesting as some deadlines are this year.

upthedeise16

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120476020#Comment_120476020

If we have learnt anything from the Walsh Park debacle, it’s that Waterford GAA don’t meet deadlines!

I'm not blaming the secondary schools as they can only work with the raw materials that they get from clubs but in recent years, Dungarvan CBS and Blackwater have gone back B at all levels and haven’t even made any impact at that level. The Friary play C hurling and football and are actually our highest graded football team at that which is some indication as to why we struggle at underage football. Other schools play C, D, E etc but the minor winning team of 2013 had 3 competitive Harty teams (4 if you include Clonmel who had FMW lads & even perhaps lads in Youghal & Fermoy schools) to choose from & it definitely aided their development. In recent years, we have seen the Dalys go to Christian’s in Cork but other than that, down west, no players have played Harty as DLS are the lone representative.

Schools hurling is huge in a players development. It’s a much higher level than club hurling, especially now that’s it’s under 17 but it was higher than club under 18 in my opinion anyway. You are regularly from under 14-19 playing the best players from other counties so players are exposed to higher standards and it’s not just the 30 or so lads on development squads. You see it in Kilkenny on a school day, more than every 2nd lad has a Hurley in their hand and it’s an opportunity for these lads to hurl every single day. I don’t think that culture is in Waterford unfortunately.

However it can be addressed. I know Cashel CS had help from their local GDA and Tulla got lads from outside involved to help the team. These are schools with a much smaller catchment than Dungarvan but the work is being done. I know the Munster council don’t want it but the CBS and the Friary should definitely push to be allowed amalgamate again to try and be competitive at A level.

It’s up to the county board to help these schools by getting coaches in as even though teachers are great to volunteer their own free time and I’m sure are great coaches in their own right, their primary role is to educate these lads and they haven’t the same relationships with the players that coaches would have.