Waterford need to use wit and width against Limerick, says Connors

The Déise must stretch the All-Ireland champions and avoid an arm-wrestle in their provincial championship decider. 

LAST STAND: Davy Fitzgerald addresses his players before last weekend's meeting with Clare. Pic:  John Sheridan/Sportsfile

Avoiding playing to Limerick’s strengths in the middle third will be key to Waterford’s chances of beating them on Sunday, believes Noel Connors.

According to the former Déise captain, stretching Limerick and not being bottled up in the middle third are vital to the county’s chances of qualifying from the Munster SHC group for the first time.

“The last thing we need to do is get into an arm wrestle with Limerick,” says Connors. “Physically and in terms of experience, if we want to play between the two 65s we’re probably going to be in a bit of trouble.

“If we can use the width of the pitch like Cork did, it should work in our favour. Cork had a lot of success overloading on Diarmaid Byrnes’ side of the pitch and I think they hit one puck-out on Kyle Hayes. If we can do that again, because Limerick are keen to stay zonal in their half-back line, and create two v ones, it could cause them trouble.

“There are really good lads there with pace like Jack Prendergast who was very good the first day against Cork and if we can get him on the ball when it breaks we can definitely give them bother.

“It’s easier said than done against Limerick because they’re one of the best teams to have played the game but there is an opportunity. The defeat to Cork has given more hope to teams but I just hope the bear hasn’t been poked.” 

Connors has been heartened by how the younger players have stepped up to the mark in this championship. He was impressed by how Kilrossanty’s Pádraig Fitzgerald gave Clare’s defence plenty to think about when he was brought on last Sunday.

“A lot of the lads who are there have been playing at different levels like the Fitzgibbon and doing really well over the winter period where there probably isn’t as much attention given because the season is so condensed.

“The like of Pádraig Fitz(gerald), I would have watched him closely being here in SETU. He was an absolute goal machine for us and every time he gets the ball his first focus is goal. He came on the last day against Clare and created quite a bit of trouble for them because he’s still a bit of an unknown quantity but anyone watching Fitzgibbon would know it’s in him.” 

That so many Waterford players are in form enthuses the three-time All-Star. 

“(Neil) Montgomery in the first game against Cork was fantastic, Mikey Kiely, a young man coming in, was exceptional that day too but was quiet against Clare, Mark Fitz(gerald) has been brilliant and that’s not just being biased about a fellow (Passage) clubman.

“Tadhg (de Búrca) and Jamie (Barron) are leading but players with less experience have been going about their business with a lot of maturity and putting in big performances.” 

Connors hopes Waterford aren’t made to regret losing that four-point lead against Tipperary in Walsh Park at the start of the month.

“That was probably the most damning result, not closing out the match. Looking back on the Clare game, Clare could have got a couple more goals whereas we controlled the Tipperary game for a long stretch and should have been over the line.”