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Monday, July 27, 2009
I WAS down around the square in Thurles yesterday, and five or six Dublin lads passed me talking loudly.
"If we win today," one of them said, but got no further, as he was interrupted by a Limerick-woman. "Have no fear lads," she said, with absolute confidence, "Ye won’t win!"
I wonder how much of that confidence was left after 10 minutes of the first game yesterday?
Before we go to the games analysis, I haven’t spoken about this for a while but it’s back again, an old bee in my bonnet – why can’t something be done about the umpiring of big games?
Yesterday, in both games, we had utter confusion over a number of scores, points flagged that were wide, points flagged that were then waved wide, wides that maybe were points. With the amount of time and expense now being put into preparing teams at this level, surely it’s time that some better system can be employed?
In two tight games yesterday, those wrong decisions could actually have meant the difference between winning and losing – that’s just not good enough anymore.
Enough on that. On Saturday I remarked on the fact that Dublin had never beaten Limerick in championship, and Galway had never beaten Waterford – that record remains intact today. Why? I’ll start with the Dublin/Limerick match.
For the first 10 minutes yesterday Dublin were absolutely fantastic, playing some superb hurling, and nowhere was this more obvious than in the full-forward line.
A great move by Dublin saw Dotsie O’Callaghan moved to the edge of the square, where his mobility had Stephen Lucey in all kinds of bother. Alongside Dotsie, David Treacy and Liam Rushe were also looking very sharp, and these three especially contributed to a really fast start for Dublin.
The game was fine and open at that stage with Limerick standing off a lot more than you’d normally expect, and Dublin looking good. Gradually, however, Limerick started to come into it in the middle section of the field, Hickey, Geary and Foley doing well in the half-back line, Gavin O’Mahony and Donal O’Grady getting to grips with things in midfield, relieving the pressure on their defence.
This allowed Limerick to start to impose their own game on Dublin, and the Paudie McNamara goal put them on their way. In fact Paudie was unlucky not to have had a second, denied by a fine Gary Maguire save, and Tomás Brady had his hands full in the big man from Murroe-Boher.
Stephen Hiney and Michael Carton did well for Dublin during this period, as the pressure came on the defence, but up front, wing-forwards David Sweeney and Ross O’Carroll were working hard, and again Dublin came back into the game. A crucial score just before half-time, however, was the Limerick penalty, scored by goalkeeper Brian Murray, which meant the game was tied at the break.
Dublin had done most of the hurling, but old-fashioned Limerick grit – the kind I called for on Saturday – was very much in evidence, and the signs were there; Justin’s men were up for this one.
I had also said on Saturday that Limerick’s Thurles experience would see them through – with the scores level, I was even more convinced of it at the break.
In fairness to Dublin they stuck with it, and the match was level several times in the second half, with some great scores taken by both sides – the highlight for me was the Ross O’Carroll point for Dublin, almost matched by a point from David Breen.
At the 58th minute it was still level, but then Limerick got the bit between the teeth, pulled clear. It wasn’t so much that they were the better team, just that they had the experience.
Brian Geary, Mark Foley, Stephen Lucey keeping his discipline even on the yellow card, Donal O’Grady, James Ryan with another great display, and of course Gavin O’Mahony – what a display of striking from the Kilmallock-man! Limerick were worthy winners.
They didn’t hurl particularly well but they’re now in an All-Ireland semi-final, which is all that matters.
To the second match, and again I go back to what I said on Saturday – if Waterford played as a team rather than as individuals, they would have a great chance.
Well, for nearly 60 minutes they were at sixes and sevens, but in the final quarter, the time it matters most, Waterford finally got it together.
With Galway six points in front it was almost too late, but credit here to the management team of Davy Fitz, Peter Queally and Maurice Geary, they made the right calls at the right time. The two Shanahans came on, Maurice first, then Dan, and both made an impact; also introduced was Shane Walsh, the man who got the all-important goal – three very positive substitutions.
The switches also worked – Aiden Kearney to full-back to mark Joe Canning, Declan Prendergast to wing-back, where he was better able to express himself (how about that run at the end to set up John Mullane’s winning point?), Brick Walsh shifting to midfield during the game, Shane O’Sullivan to centre-back – all those moves worked.
Mention of John Mullane, again I have to single this man out for special mention.
Don’t anyone try to tell me he was held yesterday, only one point from play (though that ‘only’ comes with a rider – it was the winning point, struck with confidence, on the run, from nearly 70 yards) – John Mullane was fouled on over a half a dozen occasions, was given only five of them by the referee, all pointed.
That’s a fairly decisive contribution by any man, in my book.
Waterford then – and as with Limerick – worthy winners; you play to the final whistle, that’s a basic in any game, that’s what Waterford did, and that’s why they’re in an All-Ireland semi-final.
Galway?
A sad week coming up for them, Galway Races or not, with the footballers also beaten by just a point on Saturday night. Why they lost? When you go six points up, you go seven, you go eight, you go nine, you go 10.
You don’t make the mistake of trying to play perfect hurling, you continue to do what you were doing, what got you six points up in the first place – you continue to grind out the scores. Look at the lead-up to the Waterford goal – Ger Farragher in possession, should have taken his point, went for the pass and the ball ended up at the other end.
You have to feel for them, the likes of Ollie Canning, who was superb at corner-back, Fergal Moore, Eoin Lynch, Damien Joyce, all played well in defence, while the two midfielders were also working hard. Up front, however, they could have had more from several players, could have moved earlier to bring in Joe Gantley and Chunky Hayes. Damien Hayes did well enough, but his decision-making left him down at times.
Galway could have brought out Joe Canning also, bring him more into the match. I wonder here, though, is Joe carrying a niggling injury this year?
Doesn’t look as mobile as he should, for a lad his age. Three points in the final 23 minutes for Galway – that’s what cost them.
Final comment though – I don’t think we saw the All-Ireland winners yesterday.
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