Waterford GAA Thread - Mod note post #1

It wasn’t Casey

Jesus Christ the more I see the Seamus Flanagan incident the worse it gets. It’s as clear cut as it gets, he absolutely went to do Stephen Bennett and how that’s not seen by the referee is a mystery. The referee was 5 yards away and literally looking straight at it. It was a controlled and measured head shot and as blatant a red card as you’ll ever see.

The Barry Nash one was a head high challenge but he moved into position to nail Calum Lyons and his intention wasn’t to deliver a head shot. I’ve absolutely no issue with anyone getting a hard hit, that was mistimed and I’ve no issue with it. I have an issue with someone lining up an opposition player with a head high challenge that a player can’t defend himself against. Playing on the edge is one thing, but going out to do a fellow player is just not on.

It’s very disappointing, no matter who it was. Hopefully we don’t see any of that again. Was another member of our team booked on the far side also?

Lots to digest from yesterdays game - did not get to watch a full re-run yet but my initial thoughts.

• Firstly to wish Tadg DeBurca well, that lad does not deserve the bad luck he has had with injuries, he has been a stellar performer and warrior for Waterford over the year and to (appears) have incurred an Achilles injury after two crucibles, is just unreal and cruel on any athlete - wishing him a speedy recover.
• as a team we played really well for large spells, but we looked very nervous in the first 10 minutes where we were a bit all over the place and repeatedly fumbled chances for what could have been handy scores, which would have I feel made all the difference. And then for the last 10 minutes we overdid the going with the long ball - no problem whatsoever with lumping a few balls into the box and causing a bit of mayhem, but we had chances to work it into wide positions where we could have delivered shorter angled ball into the box which is a different proposition.
• On an individual basis we generally put in a really solid shift across all however we panicked at times taking shots way to early when the opportunity was there to bring the ball on further and this cost us dearly, Not really sure what happened with Stephen Bennett and that 21, did he get caught in two minds at the last second - will never know but then he compounded it with a really silly late free that gifted Limerick a point and there is your winning margin. We must learn from this.
• Once again the standard of refereeing was questionable, there were lots of questionable decisions going both ways but for me there were three really big calls ( i know others will differ) but all of them went against Waterford - I cannot see how the referee or one of his six officials missed Flanagan's shoulder to Bennett's face particularly as it was followed by a very obvious raising of the elbow - granted he missed with the elbow but it surely brought attention to it and the referee was less than five yards from the incident. Secondly, Gillane's penalty, it was the slightest of tugs, especially when one considers the treatment Kiely was getting in the opposition box, but more to the point it was the most obvious square ball i have seen in a long time. The trajectory of the ball was quite low and Gillane managed to be facing the incoming ball at least halfway inside the square, so the ref could spot the slightest of tugs but not that - incredible (not going tho mention umpires, as i never saw Hawkeye getting so much use) thankfully Nolan saved it so it did not effect the outcome. Finally I would personally have serious issue with the referees failure to blow up the game when he saw DeBurca prostrate on the ground. When deBurca dropped it the ground with nobody anywhere near him , the ball was in the middle of the field in "no-mans" land, it was obvious to everyone deBurca was seriously hurt and was not trying to gain an advantage and for all the referee knew he could just have collapsed - in those circumstances player farewell must be the primary concern and the game should have been stopped immediately - once he allowed it to develop and Limerick got inside, it was too late to do anything, but for me it was a very bad and dangerous call and cost Waterford dearly on the day.
• Looking forward Waterford showed yesterday that they are capable of competing with the best and should not fear Cork, Tipp or Clare in the upcoming games, it is all to play for and there are by no means any certainties of who will come out of Munster and who wont.
• Final comment - special mentions to Tom Barron and Patrick FitzGerald - Barron I thought played really well when intoduced yesterday in very difficult circumstance, but was played in his proper position as opposed to last year when he was parachuted into a totally alien place on the field, and was then discarded by management for the next two games - well played Tom. Patrick Fitzgerald showed yesterday he has the skill and attitude to deliver against the best . I know it was only his debut and it was only 10 minutes, but he looked so sharp and assured - was really unlucky with his goal attempt, but my god has he bulked up - if he can deliver on his cameo yesterday, what a player he is going to develop into for us.

Onto Leeside next week in real hope

as quoted from you a few weeks back, what do the mammies and daddies think who you meet at underage games of yesterdays game? all eating humble pie? 😉

Id worry for Bennett with the amount punishment he’s taking from teams. It was the same against Tipp in the league he was subjected to awful blaggarding and was clearly targeted again yesterday to the point he was nearly decapitated. There’s obviously a feeling that if you take him out you take away the main scoring threat. Im surprised Davy of all people hasn’t called it out publicly, now I’m not saying Bennett is a shrinking violet he can handle himself but players that are targeted in that way need protection

Jesus wept, Walter Mitty stuff. I feel bad for your poor Mrs after any "tactical masterclass" you give her cos no doubt in your head you're a total hero.

Davy winked back at you? He’ll have you on his lap next weekend so seeing as the tactics you were shouting at him ended up being deployed. but tell us more about the wink.

Mixture of emotions coming home yesterday afternoon. Like most, I would have take your hand off for a two point loss before the game and up to 25 minutes in. Afterwards it definitely felt like a signature win left behind. Too much fumbling and foostering early on followed by some woeful shooting and decision making late on.

You would also have to be gutted for TdB. How unlucky can one player be? He has suffered a broken collarbone on top of two cruciates and now an Achilles injury in service to his county. It would take incredible fortitude to come back again.

Hopefully we kick on from this. I think Patrick Fitz has to start the next day. If you are good enough you are old enough abd he offers way more than Dunford.

Hopefully better weather leads to better touch which was shocking bad at times yesterday. I hate to single anyone out because it was a general malaise but how many times did Nolan puck a dolly a pass to Prunty only for him to drop it? He has just come back from injury so may be excused somewhat.

The contrast with Limerick was collosal, they just seem ti get their points easier. It was noticeable that in the minutes leading up to throw in, Waterford were gathered around Davy doing a group bow(!) while Limerick played the most impressive short sided game I have seen, incredible speed, touch and precision. Hurling will never change, the team that can control, pass and move better will always win.

That said, there is a thuggish side to Limerick that makes them hard to admire. Loose stick work, gang tackling that goes over the edge and, the likes of Hegarty never letting an opportunity to level an opponent go abegging. Throw in Fans chanting during the memorials and the dogs abuse the ref got for calling obvious frees like the cheap shot on Bennett and I would have loved a win. Maybe later on?

On a side note, Hawkeye was a hindrance yesterday. It took minutes to make decisions and in one case, a Tom Morrissey shot in the first half, it was blatantly wrong. I was right behind it and could not believe the umpire didn’t call a point and I was gobsmacked when Hawkeye called it wide. It was a foot and hand inside the post.

The great irony is that if Limerick get any player(s) retrospectively suspended it not only is of no use to us at this stage but would only serve to benefit a direct opponent (Clare presumably if a ban were to be enforced this week). I mean you’d still expect Limerick to account for Clare at home but a Limerick team deprived of one or two usual starters only hands our rivals an advantage. In a strange way it’s more in our interest now for nothing to happen and Limerick all but eliminate Clare for us on Saturday. A Banner result there wouldn’t be at all ideal for us.

fair play to fergal Hartley on WLRFM a few minutes ago. Didn’t hold back when asked about limerick indiscipline (I could call it something else but I won’t). He Also called out the Sunday game last night for their joke of analysis on it.

switched over to 2fm after that and Niall Moran was singing from the same hymn sheet as Shane dowling ‘sure it’s Munster championship blah blah blah’.

It’s a shame coz I for one was delighted to see limerick make the breakthrough after so much heartbreak down through the years but some of their antics on the field (and some off it) is turning them into a really unlikeable bunch of hurlers. Look none of the teams out there are angels our own team included but The thing is it’s not an isolated incident here and there with them it’s nearly every game they play now.

I wasn't at the game but I heard Lyons came out on top against Lynch.

Fair point. He did but he sacrificed his own game completely. I think he had one shot and never carried forward like he can.

Mod Note

Warning issued.

Saw this on Twitter