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You are > Home > Students the next test after Banner triumph
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Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Students the next test after Banner triumph
THERE was a whole lot to be happy about leaving Ballyduff Upper’s magnificent venue last Sunday after Waterford had demolished Clare on an impressive 1-17 to 0-8 scoreline in the semi-final of the Waterford Crystal tournament. What it all amounts to is a date with UCC in next Sunday’s final at Dungarvan’s Fraher Field.
If this was to be a dress rehearsal for the Munster championship semi-final showdown between the counties on June 7th then it is most certainly first blood to our fellows and all of the psychological advantages that may bring. However manager Davy Fitzgerald is having none of that, and was insistent in the immediate aftermath of the game that it has no relevance whatever in the context of “the big one’’ in June.
In fact Fitzy claimed that Clare never displayed the intensity level that was evident when they defeated Tipperary in the “Crystal’’ quarter final five days earlier. “It will be all so different next time when I would expect there to be nothing more than a point or two in it at the end either way’’, he said.
Time alone will of course tell on that one, but what can be told from last Sunday is a really stirring Waterford performance that overwhelmed Clare virtually from first minute to last. Consider too that our fellows played all but three minutes of the secondhalf a man short after Eoin McGrath’s straight red card dismissal and you will get a flavour of just how dominant we were on this day.
Some really superb individual performances too, and not for the first time out there leading that particular charge was the magnificent Michael “Brick’’ Wash in the number six shirt. “Brick’’ has begun this New Year as he was throughout all of 2009, and the more I see of him the more I am arriving at the conclusion that he is indeed hurling’s real deal.
Clinton Hennessy looked as comfortable and confident as he has ever done between the posts, and restricting the opposition to a paltry eight points over the year is probably the best statistical commendation I can come up with for our defence. Individually and collectively they were brilliant with Jamie Nagle and Jerome Maher particularly so.
Midfield was dominated by Eoin Kelly and James Murray this was the Tallow clubman’s best game in the county colours in a long while while up front Maurice Shanahan and Shane Walsh are continuing in their rich vein of form with Kevin Moran also leading the sector in champagne style on the “40’’ and Gary Hurney flying in his full forward role.
The youngest team member, Tallow’s Thomas Ryan also did more than enough to justify his retention on the panel, and while Eoin McGrath’s day ended earlier than either he intended or wanted it to he was unlucky to have a first half goal disallowed.
A really sound and solid all round display then, even if it was facilitated more than somewhat y the surprisingly inept Clare performance. However as manager Fitzy has wisely said too much should not be read into it, and surely it will be all so very different come June 7th.
THE FINAL
Sunday’s final against UCC will be a searching test and should tell us even more about where we stand right now in hurling’s pecking order.
Expect Abbeyside’s Richie Foley to be bolstering the students defence, and expect also a very tough battle for the entire hour. To win a trophy as early as the first Sunday in February would be very nice indeed.
Let’s go for it lads!!
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