Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

With the passing of time I think the swashbuckling Waterford team of the late nineties/noughties were always that player or 2 short for an All Ireland. What makes me more hopeful now is that we have genuine strength in depth. Doesn't guarantee this team will win an All Ireland

Sunday Game team of the league

Any time we get a win against Cork is extra special for me. A Cork mad wife and I’m living in the heart of hurling territory in the county it’s great to get one over on them.

First off, that was a serious performance from Waterford. I know Cork got it back to 3 points with 5 minutes to go before Dessie Hutchinson got his goal but I think Waterford definitely had another gear if required. I definitely think this is the fittest Waterford team I’ve seen probably ever and the most pleasing thing to see is how together they look. On several occasions on Saturday night, a player won a free or made a block and two or three teammates were straight in to give him a clap on the back. Great to see.

Looking forward to the Championship. I think we’ll see a Waterford v Cork final Munster final. Limerick weren’t at the races at all in the League and the short turnaround time will catch them out I think. Tipperary aren’t up to much either and I think it’ll be between Clare and Limerick for the third spot. My concern is that if Limerick get out of Munster they’ll be fully tuned up for the knockout stages and extra games will bring them on even more. They’re obviously not finished as a team, they were just very undercooked for the League and I think they’ll be caught out in Munster.

I’ve been chatting with staunch Cork men all morning in work and the general feeling is Waterford are the team to beat now. This isn’t just based on Saturday night either, Saturday night merely confirmed that we’re looking at a very special group of players who look ready to step up when needed.

Very happy with Saturday's performance and result, but not getting scarred away - too early by far in the season for that. We made a number of very poor mistakes Saturday night, but i think some of hose were caused by having to play into a dropping sun which must have been a nightmare for defenders.

Always good to beat Cork in a final who despite their recent record always believe they are going to win. A solid performance throughout with the most pleasing points for me being:

• our doggedness in defence, and as pointed out out by previous poster, the excitement of defenders when keeping their goal intact. I honestly feel that O'Flynn would not have gotten close to goal if the game was not well and truly over at that stage.
• Or work rate in the middle third with midfield and forwards working their socks off to get back and to close the Cork defenders as they tired to play out from the back and despite this they then constantly made willing runners off the shoulder to not only support the runner but to make space for the runner. The level of fitness and commitment was astounding.
• Our directness and willingness to go long and short and when the opportunities arose the strength and directness of our runs, lads wiling to go straight through the middle and take the hard knocks. While we scored couple of goals from this tactic we also drew numerous frees particularly in the early stages of the game where defenders fouled rather than allowing them break through and you can only get away with the for so long before cards start mounting up and defenders start walking tight ropes.
• Our level-headed approach to victory - no mass hysteria or celebrations from the team or management, League done, time to refocus.
• Liam Cahilll, Mikey Bevans, Stephen Frampton and Tony Browne and all the backroom team deserve massive credit for where they have brought this group of player, and for focusing where they want to go. Looking at the Sunday Game analysts it was more about again more about Corks, failure than Waterford approach. It seems to be constantly overlooked that this side have won this league without ever playing their fullest hand, Liam Cahilll (I am open to correction) has used more players that any other manager., and has experimented with different players and options , which will hopefully stand to us in the Battle Ground that Munster is going to be this Year. Make no bones about it Limerick are still top dogs by a margin and will continue to be until someone knows them off - Tipp are not gone away by any means and will be relishing proving doubters wrong in the Championship and have the forwards to do so - Cork will most definitely regroup and learn from Saturday and will be a force in Munster while Clare with a fit mercurial Tony Kelly and a couple of returning players are going to rightly fancy their chances against anyone. Progression through Munster is far from a give-in for any of the five teams, Limerick included - injuries and referees performances could play a very big part in what is going to be a very physical and confrontational championship. All that being said, this Waterford Panel for me is the most balanced, extensive, and physically and mentally prepared panel we have had so some time, with a Management Team that seem to show no fear, not looking for excuses and looking to learn from every game, so I for one believe that we have a really genuine short at winning an All Ireland bu be it this year or next assuming Cahill and Bevans stick with it.

Limerick over the last 4 years have been way out in front of everyone else.

Waterford are slightly ahead of the chasing pack, but there is very little between the other contenders.

If Limerick have the hunger to apply themselves it is hard to see them bet. They are still young men and we won't know the answer to that "if" until championship.

This year's new championship format, so close to the league, and we are all in uncharted ground, so it is really hard to know what to make of form etc.

I wouldn't write off anyone in Munster, it's a vicious championship with very little between the teams plus the home/away dynamic.

Championship is different kettle of fish alright, and we wont know how players will go until the day. What I do know, is that it would be very unfair to drop any of last Saturday nights starting 15 for the sake of a "name" - don't care who it is. Aussie is a fantastic talent and great servant, but dropping Kiely to accommodate him, for me would be the wrong decision. In my opinion Aussie, Barron, Daly. Kenny and Hogan must wait their chance to earn their place back, (unless something drastic shows up in training obviously) We will never know for certain, but I felt we made a mistake bringing in Conor Gleeson at the last minute in the semi final last year. attempting to man-mark Cian Lynch - that is no disrespect to Gleeson, (brilliant player) it is more about we upsetting the shape and balance of our team and how we had been playing prior to that game - Shane Bennett got caught totally in two minds for most of the game not knowing whether to attack the ball or sit back, and we also lost Patrick Curran's cunning and distribution up front.

Besides imagine having a bench like that to call on if things not going right, particularly when you add in Mahoney, Kieran and Shane Bennett .

Then again i am not the manager - this is just a personal view

Aussie has taken his medicine with that suspension and will walk back into the team as he is one of our top three players.

I suspect Jamie Barron will find it harder to get back into the team as Darragh Lyons has been playing really well at midfield

As a manager selection headaches like this are such a good thing, especially as you know if a person isn't performing on a day, you can replace him with someonr equally as good.

Or do the opposite, refocus Limerick completely. They put 1-32 against Dublin behind closed doors recently without Lynch and Gillane. It's very simple, Limerick are the current AI Champions and are the team to beat.

Yes, yesterday was great but let's see if we have narrowed the gap in the Gaelic Grounds. I think we have but that may not even be enough against a firing on all cylinders Limerick.

Are the tickets showing in your account already? I only have the club games visible at the moment

Yeah you have to redeem/buy them. Have gotten the actual tickets on my phone already. Managed to get seated tickets in Ennis even!

Did you actually read what I said?

I think it’ll be between them and Clare who gets out. Limerick are clearly not up to full speed and it’s a big ask to get a team that has looked undercooked since January to magically turn it on all of a sudden in the Championship. I’m fully aware they’ve won the last two All Irelands but thank you for reminding me. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think the Munster championship is coning too quick for them to turn it on again. Even less so considering how bad they were in the league.

When have Kinnerk and Kiely got it wrong before. The 2019 semi final when they started so badly and hit a tonne of wides and still tool a dodgy decision to knock them out. If there ever was a championship team then Limerick is one. They don't give a fiddlers about the league. Look at tbe backs they have . They are better than Waterfords. Kyle Hayes would walk over Calum Lyons and thats no disrespect to Calum. Is Fagan better than Byrnes. Not a chance. Their Full back line is unparalleled. Who from Waterford is able for a Will O Donoghue in Full Robocop mode? No one. The forwards are definately more evenly matched and Waterford might have the edge but would you be surprised to see the Limerick Full back line snuff them out.

I'd love to see Waterford win the All Ireland . Dont be listening to that eejit Derek McGrath. It's level heads that are needed.