The strange case of the last minute free...
THE main talking point from yesterday’s Muster final was the crucial decision to award Waterford a 20-metre free in the closing stages of a very competitive second-half.
Cork led by a goal when an angled ‘nothing’ ball from Ken McGrath dropped harmlessly wide, but referee Johnny Ryan gave a free for an infringement by a Cork defender. He indicated Brian Murphy had played John Mullane’s stick when the ball was in the air: it seemed inconclusive to me, but the decision stood.
Eoin Kelly’s well-struck shot was saved initially but Tony Browne was in like a flash to put away the rebound. It gave Waterford a draw that their work-rate deserved but questions will be asked of Cork’s defending of the free. The current coaching wisdom is that five players are enough on the line, as other defenders, midfielders and half-forwards can funnel back to mark the runners in case of a rebound.
Cork had seven on the line and Browne had a free run instead of being tracked and hooked. Cork are normally well-organised for such situations by Donal Og Cusack and they’ll be disappointed to have conceded a goal.
They didn’t cover themselves in glory either for Eoin Kelly’s goal. Unbelievably, one of Waterford’s main dangermen was left unmarked 25 metres from goal.
WATERFORD came to Thurles as underdogs but showed determination as they out-muscled Cork in many tussles. In the first-half Michael Brick Walsh held the middle and refused to be drawn out after his man, Jerry O’Connor.
The Déise defence sat back and invited Cork to come at them — their half-forward line played deeper than usual, leaving John Mullane in space at full-forward.
Mullane gave Eoin Cadogan a tough time as he moved left and right, and Cadogan decided to play him from behind, which gave Mullane the advantage when good ball was played into him.
Cathal Naughton began well with two good points and though he and Tom Kenny played well, they didn’t supply their forwards with any direct ball.
Declan Prendergast and Walsh held sway in their half-back line and with Waterford’s half-forwards fighting for every ball, the game developed into a stalemate.
Whereas Waterford played with purpose and perseverance, Cork seemed lethargic in the first-half, well down on their all-action display against Tipp, with Ben O’Connor off-colour in general play and from frees. Only Niall McCarthy got through any productive work up front.
WHEREAS the first-half was sterile with lots of mistakes, the second-half opened up with both teams on top at various times.
Cork got two good goals in the second-half from Aisake Ó hAilpín and Ben O’Connor, who was put through by Kieran Murphy. Cork were then in a winning position. The introduction of Michael Cussen brought major benefits for Cork, though he might have kept going instead of shooting at the death.
Cork had various chances to put the game away but didn’t take them, and this will be a concern for them.
Another concern will be the amount of ball that was struck from the defence which didn’t give the advantage to the inside line.
Waterford’s never say die attitude kept them in the game and the always believed that they wouldn’t be beaten. They had two clear goal chances in the first-half — John Mullane might have done better when put through by Stephen Molumphy and Eoin Kelly could have advanced a little further before hitting a strong shot which Donal Óg Cusack saved well.
They’ll look back on those as spurned chances at a time they were dominating. Davy Fitzgerald made a number of substitutions — putting Jamie Nagle at wing-back and releasing Declan Prendergast to man-mark Aisake Ó hAilpín — that took a lot of the sting out of Cork’s attacks. Their comeback, in the end, was based on strong defence, with Nagle, Walsh and Noel Connors to the fore.
Plenty of food for thought for both managers as we all look forward to next Saturday night’s replay.
