Could this finally be the year of the Déise?
They insisted I share their tea and sandwiches, but then informed me that was all any Clare man was going to get off Waterford on this day. They were a bit wary of Clare, they said, but were confident of victory. Well, as the game proved, they had every right to be wary of Clare, but not so much right to their confidence of victory.
Waterford won this game because of the strength they had on the bench. Had they lost, however, legitimate questions would have been asked about why those guys were left off in the first place. Ken McGrath came on in the 64th minute, scored a wonder point from well inside his own half, but the two Prendergasts, and Declan especially – what a difference they made.
Clare’s wing-forward Seán Collins was almost man-of-the-match in the first-half, being marked by Jamie Nagle; Declan came on and blotted him out, became the official man-of-the-match (though I’d have given mine to Noel Connors, closely followed by Brick Walsh).
Then again, credit to the Waterford management team of Davy Fitzgerald, Páraic Fanning and Pat Bennett for being sharp enough to spot the weaknesses, make the correct changes.
I’ve mentioned the Waterford subs – you add to those guys the displays of Eoin Kelly (what a point he got in the second-half from his own 45m line), Kevin Moran, Stephen Molumphy, Tony Browne (tremendous second-half), John Mullane, and you’d have to say that nearly all of Waterford’s experienced players stepped forward at different times.
Assuming Cork get through on the other side of the draw – and I do – then it looks like we’re assured another great game in the Munster final. Definitely Waterford won’t fear Cork anyway, they have a really good record against them even in the days when Cork were at their very best. Won’t we see a lot of old soldiers that day!
To Clare. I said on Saturday that this team needed the support of the Clare public – those supporters were very thin on the ground in Thurles yesterday.
It’s a very promising side, and boy did they put up a battle here, as good as any seen in any other generation of Clare hurling. They do need support, however, more support than they got yesterday, and they need time, they need patience.
Everyone can see the potential – when was the last time you saw so many debutants in the Munster championship perform so well, Cork in 1999? And we know what they went on to achieve.
Contrast Clare with Waterford yesterday; all the Clare newcomers played well at some stage. Many of them faded as the game went on but you have to credit the experience of Waterford here too.
But Cian Dillon did well, as did Conor Cooney, the entire half-back line, Nicky O’Connell in midfield; Seán Collins was excellent in the first half, John Conlon put no less a player than Brick Walsh under pressure, again in the first half.
And what about Darach Honan? 1-3 from play, could easily have been more. The O’Donovan twins also did well when they came on, as did David Barrett, so credit to all those young lads.
But what happened to all the experienced Clare players? Jonathon Clancy was good for a long while but ran himself out of the game, but the others?
Don’t want to name names, but they need to take more responsibility. I thought Diarmuid McMahon did well enough at centre-back but would need to learn from his cousin, Seanie, and get rid of the ball faster.
As for Brian O’Connell, taken off yesterday, I believe he’s a better defender than midfielder, is happier there.
Overall, however, a very encouraging day for Clare; I don’t believe in moral victories but I’d say those Clare supporters who came to Thurles left in far better heart than when they arrived.
Credit to the management team, Ger O’Loughlin, Liam Doyle and Danny Chaplin for that. Could have made some of their changes earlier, but this was a step-up for them, the first Division 1 team they’ve met in real competition this year – they too, are learning.
To the qualifiers now for Clare, but I don’t think anyone will fancy being drawn against them.
In summary, like Dublin on Sunday against Laois, Waterford did what they had to do. Just over 10,000 fans yesterday – the final will certainly make up for that, Munster Council will be rubbing their hands!
Could this, finally, be the year of the Déise?
