Banner’s grit and graft will test the Déise, but will it be enough?
Where is the sense in that? I would love to see both matches and I’m sure the same applies to a lot of other people.
I know there’s an issue here about the provincial councils but there are parts of Galway and I’d say parts of Offaly nearer Thurles than Portlaoise. It would have increased the attendance, made for a far better atmosphere, and the two councils could have split the gate. Even if they couldn’t have agreed on that, they could have had those games on different days and give hurling fans an opportunity to see both.
Clare and Waterford will be hard to separate. Waterford have been there or thereabouts every year in Munster since making the breakthrough in 2002 and that they didn’t win an All-Ireland title in the last decade is one of the great hard-luck stories of hurling.
The hurling they played for all those years was fantastic, the players they had, the colour they brought, the crowds that followed them — they deserved more than four provincial titles and one National League crown.
You don’t get anything for nothing in this world though and in all those years Waterford always fell just short. Have they got the team this year? Well they’ve finally gone for a manager from within in Michael Ryan, and two fantastic former hurlers alongside him in Ken McGrath (especially) and Seán Cullinane, two great servants of the game.
Over the last 15 years or so Waterford have had outside managers, and they did improve, but this is now the big test of their own.
They’ve gone for youth with four new starters tomorrow (Stephen O’Keeffe, Stephen Daniels, Phillip Mahony and Gavin O’Brien), all outstanding underage players. This shows courage, and it also shows faith in what they’re seeing in training, but I think Waterford will still rely heavily on some of the old guard — I’m thinking of Brick Walsh, Kevin Moran, Stephen Molumphy, Seamus Prendergast, Eoin Kelly, and above all, John Mullane.
There’s massive expectation in Clare this year, which I think is unfair on both the players and the new management team of Davy Fitzgerald, Mike Deegan and Louis Mulqueen. A huge effort has gone in to preparing the team but people should realise, Clare have been playing in the lower division of the league for a few years.
Defensively I wouldn’t have too many worries, Clare look very solid in both lines, likewise in midfield, but up front (is this a pattern now with a lot of teams?) they too are over-reliant on one man, Conor McGrath, to do a lot of their scoring. He’s still very young and it is unfair to expect him to carry such a burden. As with Offaly, Clare need to spread the scoring around a bit better and the players are there to do it. Colin Ryan and John Conlon, with Patrick Donnellan and Nicky O’Connell in midfield, all those are well able to take their scores, will have to help out.
As a Clareman I’d love to go for them but I just feel that Waterford have that bit more experience in crucial positions. Saying that, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to be proved wrong, and I hope I am!
Turning to Leinster and Offaly are being written off in many quarters ahead of their clash with Galway. This is a huge mistake. Remember their clash in Croke Park two years ago when Galway were fortunate to snatch a draw. Admittedly I was disappointed with Offaly in their win over Wexford. For three-quarters of the game they were in charge but then fell asleep and almost let it slip. It showed good character that they managed to hold out but the Offaly teams of old, when they got a team on the rack, would have gone for the kill.
A big problem they have is an over-reliance on Shane Dooley. Shane is a great player, a real Dooley, but you can’t expect one forward to carry a team at this level. I’ve always rated Joe Bergin highly but he needs to produce more now for Offaly, likewise Brian Carroll and Brendan Murphy. They’re working hard but they’ve got to start scoring also. At the other end of the field I was very impressed with their two central defenders David Kenny and Rory Hanniffy.
To Galway, and the word that sums up their season — inconsistency. Look even at the selection of their backs — I think Niall Donoghue is the best full-back in Galway while Kevin Hynes was shown up badly against Westmeath, not a full-back at all.
Up front, if Offaly rely too much on Shane Dooley, Galway have been relying too much on Joe Canning. Funny thing though, when he’s not playing they seem to have no problem scoring! They should learn from that, be ready to have a go and not try to play everything through Joe.
A winner? Galway, if the real Galway turn up. But will they?
