How to stop a schmozzle becoming a melee
Limerick’s management seemed to hope that things would work out. and apart from a dummy team, they seemed to have no pre-arrangements in place, save Damien Reale to pick up John Mullane.
The Limerick defensive positioning coaching leaves something to be desired. All evening, the Limerick corner backs stood behind their men, giving every advantage to the Waterford forwards. Attackers thrive on confidence and touch and how Mullane and Eoin Kelly profited. Well-coached corner backs stand in front to mark the space or at least they stand shoulder to shoulder.
Waterford had a plan to ensure Brian Geary was not be as dominant as the previous week. Stephen Molumphy was detailed to drag him out to midfield, left and right and to run at him at every opportunity.
For Limerick to win this match they needed to keep the scoring low and the game tight. Against the breeze, the Waterford midfield operated around their half backline and the intelligent Molumphy had acres of space with Geary taken out of his preferred habitat. The Limerick management should have instructed James Ryan, a good runner, and the pacy Paul Browne to drop into midfield, providing cover for the centre back. Brian Murray’s puck outs in the first half didn’t help matters either as they were swallowed up by Waterford’s halfbacks. One or two shorties to Geary could have changed the pattern of play. Winning the first four Limerick puckouts and driving into space gave Waterford the early platform. Teachers tell you “tosach maith” is half the work.
2. WHEN I looked down the list of substitutes, it was obvious that Waterford had more experience on the bench. This was a given advantage to Davy Fitzgerald and good use of the bench was made. Dan Shanahan’s introduction for Stephen Molumphy was important. Dan may not be at the peak of his powers but he made an important contribution linking up well with his fellow forwards and causing Mark Foley endless problems under high ball when switched to right half forward.
This switch indirectly copper-fastened Waterford’s dominance for the final fifteen minutes. Limerick withdrew their best midfielder Seamus Hickey to left half back to mark big Dan. Hickey had given a determined battling display all evening at midfield chipping in with two valuable points which kept Limerick in the hunt. Hickey’s switch and Donal O’Grady’s withdrawal, after scoring a good point, meant a totally new midfield for Limerick. Waterford controlled this sector in the last quarter, setting up good point scoring opportunities for Mullane, Eoin Kelly and Seamus Prendergast.
Waterford’s centre back Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh controlled matters in his sector with Ollie Moran’s lack of early season game time evident. Limerick needed to keep it tight. Once it loosened up, the use of Waterford’s superior panel finally told.
3. THE first half included a couple of the customary championship schmozzles, though these are unlikely to be upgraded to melees by the CCCC as the game wasn’t live on television.
Each of the incidents began with only two players. The second incident - after Brian Geary’s misjudged shoulder tackle on Stephen Molumphy - had many players from both sides jostling and nudging as happens in these incidents.
Contributing to a melee is the rule that seems to govern this activity. I have written before about this. Would it not be far simpler, particularly for the players, if the rule clearly stated that the third, fourth, fifth man etc joining a schmozzle receive a straight red card.
It may not solve the problem fully but it would pass a lot of the responsibility for proper behaviour onto the players themselves and make the officials job a little easier.
But then this rule has applied for a while now in Aussie Rules and for some reason the GAA are reluctant to bring in a rule from another code - e.g. the time clock from Ladies Football or the advantage rule from rugby.
The issue of substitutes arriving on the field with a clear purpose to ‘man mark’ and ‘dish out a couple of reminders’ is also alive and well, with John Mullane of Waterford on the receiving end.
An unambiguous red or yellow card rule, properly implemented and policed by a linesman or fourth official could well improve matters here.
