Banner display gives hope for future
CLARE, complete underdogs with nothing to lose, surprised many yesterday with a wholehearted display full of honest endeavour and courage. They didn’t win the game but they won many admirers.
This display gives Clare hurling followers hope for the future, once they build on this display in the qualifiers.
Normally a team playing with the breeze keeps their forwards near goal but Clare’s half-forwards lay deep, almost in midfield.
This caused problems for Waterford’s half-back line, who elected to follow their men rather than playing a zonal defence in the first half.
Clare got chances to run through into the space and Nicky O’Connell, the more influential of the two Clare midfielders, Jonathan Clancy and Sean Collins each fired over two points in this half.
Darach Honan, operating a lot at right-corner-forward, also tracked back, tackled well and the Clare workrate generally was impressive.
But they were also guilty of poor decision-making, which cost them overall. Colin Ryan elected to shoot for goal from a 20-metre free early on, when points were at a premium.
In addition, they gave away scoreable frees which put Waterford in a much better half-time position than they should have been.
As a positive for Clare, however, Darach Honan looks a genuine goalscorer; he finished the only goal chance of the match with style.
In Justin McCarthy’s time with Waterford, many Déise folk remarked that there was no point in buying a programme as the team line-out there bore no resemblance to the lineout on the field.
Yesterday Noel Connors and Eoin Murphy swapped corners, benefiting Connors enormously, but the forward line switched around completely.
Obviously the players know these moves beforehand and practice in those positions, but I felt Waterford’s attack lacked cohesion and balance, particularly in the first half, when they played as individuals.
Their half-forwards were ineffective in general before the break and the move of Kevin Moran to centre-forward after half-time gave them a better balance, as did the introduction of Seamus Prendergast.
The replacement of Jamie Nagle, a leg injury victim who was struggling a little on Clare’s Sean Collins, by Declan Prendergast was the move of the match.
Pat Donnellan had been very good at left-half-back for Clare but Prendergast was immense when introduced. He tightened the half-back line up, which gave greater protection to the full-backs, and Waterford’s dominance in that sector set the platform for victory.
He also hit three great points from forward forays reminiscent of his surge against Galway last year which provided the match-winning pass to John Mullane. He played as if out to prove something to management, and prove it if he did with a stylish display.
Managers give little away in post-match interviews, praising the opposition, stressing the luck their own teams enjoyed, and saying how difficult it will be the next day against top opponents.
In reality, Davy Fitzgerald will be delighted with the manner of Waterford’s win. They struggled for long periods and were under pressure from a young Clare 15. They lacked their normal championship fluency and sharpness, as favourites sometimes do.
But no manager wants champagne hurling in a semi-final – all it does is ratchet up expectation levels. Waterford now proceed to the final as underdogs, written off by many due to yesterday’s display.
This will suit Davy nicely and Waterford have time now to devote to teamwork and sharpness while carrying the high motivation factor of having points to prove.
Of course, Davy will have concerns. His side hit some silly wides and lacked vision up front with less than perfect displays from Dan Shanahan and John Mullane, but those can be worked on in training.
There’ll be more concern over the nagging doubts about their full-back line. Corner back Eoin Murphy looked uncomfortable against Darach Honan while the jury is still out on Liam Lawlor’s ability to make the full-back position his own.
Ken McGrath returned with a super point and the last ten minutes showed glimpses of the real Waterford dash; they’ll be difficult and worthy opponents for any opposition on Munster final day.
