Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

Today showed we have a big mountain to climb to catch Limerick

Suppose having some silverware in the league (and Ballygunners AI win) is a positive. Limerick showed today that the league means very little in the grand scheme of things (team holiday for the winners a big incentive ? and will be food for thought for the new management team

I was never anti Derek when he was the manager but would not like to see him back. We need to move forwards and not backwards and Derek has done absolutely nothing in the last few years to suggest he's developed more. It'll be interesting over the next week to see what names are in the mix and whether we go outside or inside the county. We definitely need to find a few more players and strengthen the panel. A lot of talk about us having the best panel was rubbish. Yes we had lots of options and cover but we still need a stronger full back line, cover for Tadhg, another solid midfielder and a marquee scoring forward who guarantees us 3-4 points from play every game. We also need a reliable free taker. Lots for the new management team to focus on.

I thought there would be more acknowledgement here of the achievement of the Waterford Senior Camogie team in reaching the All-Ireland semi-final for the first time since 1959 (I was actually at the All-Ireland quarter final that year when Waterford beat London in the old Show Field behind the stand in Fraher Field). They played some excellent, attractive and skillful hurling (at least in the first half, when it mattered) and appeared to be well-coached (which is a good reflection on their manager, Derek Lyons). Whereas in the past they were very dependent on Beth Carton and Niamh Rockett for scores - and they were again the main scorers last Saturday - at least on this occasion all six starting forwards scored as well as midfielder Lorraine Bray and one of the half backs. The No 12, Margaret O'Brien (from Ballinameela, I think, but plays for Modeligo) looks a fine prospect. The switch of Bray to midfield appears to be working very well - she was by far the best player on the field and rowed in with three points (I think).

At the same time you have to take into account how weak Limerick were. They played Tipperary in an early round of the championship as the curtain-raiser to the Waterford/Limerick Munster Championship game in Limerick in April and were well beaten. Waterford subsequently beat Tipperary. Cork will provide very stiff opposition in the semi-final next Saturday in Croke Park (3.15 pm) but there were only four points between them when they met a few weeks ago in the championship. Whatever happens on Saturday, it still marks substantial progress for camogie in the county.

Limerick are just an incredible team. Factor in Cian Lynch missed most of the season. They are striving for 4/5 even 6 in a row no doubt about that.

whats depressing from a Waterford point of view is many of these Limerick lads such as Cian Lynch Morrissey Sean Finn Flanagan were on those minor teams of those epic drawn Munster finals of 13 and 14 when we had Aussie, the Bennett’s Conor Gleeson etc etc there was nothing between us all the way up through the age groups. They won u21 in 15 and 17 we won in 16.

But when you see the success they have been able to build on at senior since then it makes you wonder what we could have done differently at senior level to really challenge them for all Ireland honours

We drew 2 munster minors but lost both replays in 13 and 14. We won the AI minor in 13 but Limerick were knocked out in the SF by Galway. In '16 U21 Limerick were beaten in a tight SF vs Tipp. So we never actually beat them along the way. They have an exceptional bunch i must say and seem to have had our measure all the way up. Its stretching it to say we were on a par with them.

Thats a bit harsh. Hurling was in a bit of a funny place at the time, switching between the traditional game and the one we see now. say what you want about him but he's not a stupid man theres no way he's play the same style and tactics as he did the 1st time.

I remember that 2013 Munster minor final, we were leading by a few points going into the last few minutes but gave away a few scores and a last minute 21 that they goaled from to tie the game. Our lads heads were probably gone for the replay so no real surprise we lost it. The opposite happened twelve months later where it was ourselves that got a last minute goal to force a replay but again it was Limerick who came out on top. Depressing stuff. You'd wonder if consecutive defeats like that seep into the mindset and make players feel an opposition are unbeatable. It's disappointing since then that they've gone from strength to strength while we have been just as good but only in flashes here and there. Consistency is something we've really struggled with. To be fair, they have had the exceptional Kiely and Kinnerk guiding them through.

Regardless of who gets the managers job, I'll get behind him and give them a chance. I've no doubt Derek would be a controversial choice and split opinions but if he did get it, surely people should at least see how he goes both in terms of style/performances and results? As Stacksofwacks pointed out above, I'd be shocked if he just went back to the same style as 2014-2018, if he did get the job. A lot has changed in the game since then and McGrath isn't stupid, I'd be thinking he'd want to build on what Cahill and Bevans put together.

I'm not for or against Derek by the way, I'm just wanting the best for Waterford hurling and to have someone who can try get the best out of what we have. If getting in Derek meant the squad was split and certain lads not wishing to make themselves available for 2023 then there is no point going with him. Whoever gets the role we need everyone behind it and for us supporters to at least be willing to give the regime a chance.

So far the candidates seem to be Derek, Molumphy, Brendan Cummins, Joxer O'Connor, Eddie Brennan, Tony(?), Queally, Colm Bonnar, Frampton, Hartley, Darragh O'Sullivan and the BG set-up (unlikely if they are going for history with the club)....anyone else? Shefflin would hardly pack it in with Galway even if it meant a handy spin down the road a few nights a week, not to mention he's likely sitting tight seeing what Cody decides to do. Liam Donoghue didn't do too bad with Galway and Tipp were apparently dead set on appointing him before Bonnar last year, he could be an option but unlikely he'd be travelling down from the west a few nights a week.

after the league was done and we dominated that team I remember a limerick bloke say won’t be any Waterford players on it after the championship and I laughed at him 😕

He was selector under Cahill for a a while but had to drop out due to army commitments

Like Clockwork for Liam Cahill

Appointed Tipperary boss on a 3 year deal

Bittersweet feeling esp with the way it escalated

All grand from him and Tipp but he leaves us now in a state of disarray

Roll on the league meeting next February/March

From a neutral point of view consider yourselves lucky Cahill is gone. He was finished in Waterford after this summer. He overtrained ye bigtime and was happy to hang fellas out to dry publicly. He's a good manager..sharp as a needle but typical Tipp man ,doesn't accept responsibility for his own shortcomings. He ll have his hands full making a team out of that shambles. Hes might be relying on Bubbles and Seamus Callanan again. Waterford have way better players than Tipp at the moment. For me this year is an aberration. Definately ye need a Caroline Currid type figure and everyone rowing the same way but Waterford aren't far off. I was at that match munster final in 2013 . Ye were better than Limerick on the day..more skill but Limerick never gave up and hung in and they had 40,000 people behind them

I agree, it is hard not to be a little annoyed but at the end of the day every manager wants to manage their own county. We only ever had him on loan.

get in Stephen Molumphy , Liam Sheedy .break the bank ,whatever back needs breaking ,give it one serious go to get Sheedy ,,,dont mind entertaining previous managers who were spectacular failures ,

Waterford need a big appointment with a manager who has won All Ireland’s cos there’s prob only 2 more years in that team at their peak. Yer prob sick of Tipp lads but Sheedy and Tommy Dunne would be a fair duo to bring in, whether the interest would be there or not, I think Sheedy would enjoy he challenge of a new county.

Derek, Eddie Brennan, Molumphy all to big of gambles to take with the team that is their at the moment