Monday, June 13, 2011
A FEW weeks ago we had the US president here, Barack Obama, and he left us with a new catch-cry — Is Féidir Linn.
Well, on the evidence of yesterday Waterford seem to have taken that slogan to heart, and John Mullane especially — Is Féidir Linn.
The game looked over for Waterford when Eoin Kelly mishit that last free, but the same man then had the coolness of mind to pick out John Mullane a few seconds later, and John did what John does. And you’d have to say, Waterford deserved it — they played to the final whistle, they finished in front, and Limerick can have no argument.
Mind you, I’d say the same Eoin is a lucky man that Mullane got that last goal because in my view Eoin should never have gone for a goal from the free but taken the point on offer, reducing the deficit to a point, then played on for the equaliser. No matter, it all worked out right for them in the end.
Before we got to the game, a suggestion; you had 15,000 for this game yesterday, Tipperary and Clare meeting next week; the Munster Council should consider next year playing the two semi-finals on the same day, filling Semple Stadium and creating the kind of atmosphere we’ve become used to in Munster on these big occasions.
Asking people to pay €30 for one game is out of order in these times; give them two big games for that price, or else lower the price of the individual ticket.
To the match. I met a fella from Limerick, Denis O’Connor from Knockaderry, with his son; he told me he’s 53 years following Limerick, and while he was bitterly disappointed that they lost yesterday, he was absolutely delighted with the way they played, the spirit they showed — and boy did they show spirit in the second half.
Nowhere was this more evident than in the half-back trio of Wayne McNamara, Brian Geary and Gavin O’Mahony, with Donal O’Grady and Paul Browne also stepping up, but up front, Graeme Mulcahy and — especially — Kevin Downes were brilliant.
As I said on Saturday, however, Waterford were going to match the Limerick spirit and the Limerick physicality, and so it proved. They showed tremendous character to stay in this game in the final minutes when it looked like Limerick were going to cause the shock of the championship.
As I said on Saturday also, Donal O’Grady’s ‘poor-mouth’ didn’t fool anyone — Limerick came to Thurles to win, and came very, very close.
For all that they played so well, Limerick made a few errors on the sideline. Damien Reale, for one, was in trouble from the start, got an early yellow card and but for leniency of referee Barry Kelly (whom I thought had a fine game) and could well have got a second.
Seamus Hickey also was in trouble with John Mullane, and a switch could have been made early here also. The real problem Limerick had in the first half was they weren’t direct enough, and you could see Donal O’Grady getting animated on the sideline because that ball wasn’t going in to a dangerous full-forward line, to Downes particularly.
When it finally happened we saw what the Na Piarsaigh youngster could do, and his two goals were brilliantly taken. The Limerick forwards also showed a lack of composure, Niall Moran especially; Niall had a fine game overall, scoring four points, but he should have had four more.
Limerick will have learned a huge amount from this, however; it took them nearly half an hour to get up to the pace of the game at this level but when they did, they finished the better team.
To Waterford. The winning of this game was the switch of Brick Walsh to full-back, and huge credit to Davy Fitz and his selectors for that.
This man has starred in so many positions for Waterford, but never did he do a more critical job than yesterday, quelling the threat of Downes and shoring up the area in front of goal.
Problem for Waterford, they can’t play him at three and at six! Also impressing for Waterford, Darragh Fives at corner-back in his first championship game. Likewise David O’Sullivan, Pauric Mahony (surprised to see him taken off, though his man too — Wayne McNamara — had a fine game), Stephen Molumphy at his beavering best, Shane Walsh with a vital goal, and Brian O’Sullivan, another impressive championship debutant.
Above all — and I said it Saturday — John Mullane; how many times has he saved Waterford in the last 10 years? And it’s not like he’s not marked, but still he delivers.
Great win for Waterford, but a warning: Don’t leave it this late again!
Quick word on Kilkenny – was I right, or was I right? Who’s writing them off now?
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