Get ready for a Power surge

Four factors that may decide tomorrow’s outcome at Croke Park

Cats going for goals

DURING Brian Cody’s reign as Kilkenny manager, championship encounters with Waterford have been decided by how well Kilkenny’s full-forward line converts goal chances.

I expect Cody to base his strategy on a similar template again tomorrow and the attacking plan will revolve around the centre-forward position.

Kilkenny have a very flexible forward unit with Henry Shefflin, Michael Rice, Eoin Larkin and even Richie Hogan all capable of interchanging effectively in this area.

But it is Richie Power who is ideally suited to play the modern centre-forward role tomorrow. He is quick, with an eye for goal and is well capable of shooting points from distance.

I expect Cody to instruct Power to operate a little deeper, to run at the heart of Waterford’s defence every chance he gets before shooting himself or offloading to the pace of Colin Fennelly, Richie Hogan or Henry Shefflin.

Shefflin may well start in the inside line to exploit any hangover of uncertainty Waterford may feel from earlier encounters.

This attacking line-up would give Cody a double-edged weapon, dealing a big psychological blow to Waterford by minimising the influence of their main man, Michael Walsh, while establishing a solid platform for victory for his own team.

Davy’s crowding tactics

WATERFORD manager Davy Fitzgerald has many tactical quandaries to ponder before tomorrow but, above all, he has to ensure that his side really battle from the start, a thing they have failed to do in their last two outings against Kilkenny. How will his inside defence and Tony Browne cope with “one-on-ones” against the Kilkenny forwards? An early goal or two against them would spell disaster for the Déise.

Fitzgerald’s half-forwards and midfield must be disciplined, combative and highly competitive as they battle for every ball. In the Munster final, Waterford failed to compete around the middle and lots of the ammunition Tipp’s inside-forwards thrived on originated here. Fitzgerald will have to ensure that his half-forwards drop back into midfield as often as possible to crowd this area, preventing Kilkenny time and space to pick out their dangerous assassins with quality ball. The Déise corner-forwards will have to be deployed further out the field and they must graft very hard to pick up the free wing-backs — forcing Kilkenny into long clearances. These deliveries are preferable for a defence rather than fast directed ball from midfield.

Padraig O’Mahony, Waterford’s young sharpshooter, may well take up a semi-free role, foraging and supporting across the half-forward line, before shooting himself or feeding the highly effective Shane Walsh at full-forward. While O’Mahony is roving, Waterford must ensure ball isn’t being struck directly to his probable marker, Tommy Walsh.

Any tactical setup will also involve Kevin Moran, who must curtail the massive influence of Kilkenny’s Michael Fennelly at midfield. In particular, Moran must pick up Fennelly when he runs from deep. Moran was man of the match against Galway and he loves to drive forward. If he can combine some surges of his own with his curtailment of Fennelly, he will have gone a long way in serving Waterford’s cause.

Ring rust could be a concern for Cats

BRIAN CODY will have some concerns before this game. Kilkenny have been inactive for five weeks whereas Waterford had that confidence-boosting win over Galway two weeks ago. After a lay-off, it can take a team 20 to 25 minutes to get back to the required pace. Nor was the ease of Kilkenny’s victories over Wexford and Dublin the best preparation for a tough encounter. Add in ongoing concerns about Henry Shefflin’s fitness, along with questions that still remain about the full-back position, and the management may be a little nervous about the opening half.

The Waterford mindset

THE great imponderable is the Waterford psyche going in. Atonement for the dreadful display against Tipp was ample motivation for the Galway game. They were playing for their pride and pride is a powerful stimulus.

Will Fitzgerald’s team be really fired up to deliver the do-or-die performance they will need to progress closer to the cherished ambition of an All-Ireland victory, or will a narrow defeat satisfy his team — a top-four finish for a team in “transition”?

Fitzgerald needs any type of win. Cody also needs a win but he also needs a battle in preparation for a tough final.

Picture: Richie Power, Kilkenny. Manager Brian Cody may instruct Power to operate a little deeper, to run at the heart of Waterford’s defence