Impressive Waterford men give limited rebels a hiding

Inside Track with John McIntyre

WATERFORD hurlers are going to prove complicated opponents for any team which comes across them in this year’s championship. Having just claimed only the county’s third ever National League title, the resurgent Deise will head into the summer campaign with a real spring in their step after a series of big game wins over recent weeks.

Having being relegated from the top tier of league hurling last year, Waterford subsequently suffered a heavy replay defeat at the hands of Cork in the Munster championship before bowing out to Wexford in the qualifiers. It was a difficult first campaign in charge for new manager Derek McGrath and there was nothing to suggest that 2O15 would bring a major pick up in fortunes.

With Limerick, unlucky losers to Kilkenny in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, and Wexford among their rivals in Division 1B this spring, Waterford were hardly considered promotion material, especially as McGrath had been hit by a series of retirements, including those of Stephen Molumphy and Seamus Prendergast, while he also culled a number of regulars such as Jamie Nagle and Liam Lawlor from the squad.

McGrath was largely running with a young panel, including several of their All-Ireland minor winning team from 2-13, although he was still able to call on the experience of Kevin Moran, Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh and Noel Connors to help smooth the transition. It was a brave policy from the Waterford management which also set about introducing a new tactical approach which would make them less flamboyant but much more pragmatic on the field.

In their opening Division 1B league game away to Limerick last February, Waterford first served notice that they would be nobody’s cannon fodder in 2015. They had to rally to salvage a late draw, but for much of the game they had forced the running. That was a significant result and they haven’t looked back since, eventually securing promotion after an unbeaten campaign before defeating three top flight opponents on their way to the county’s first league triumph since 2007.

Waterford had haemorrhaged goals in 2014, but in eight league matches this year they have conceded only three, keeping another ‘clean sheet’ against a most disappointing Cork outfit in Thurles last Sunday. They now defend in numbers with team captain Kevin Moran, who again covered acres of ground, regularly going deep to aid his rearguard. Suddenly, they have become very difficult to beat with their counter-attacking style proving a winning formula so far.

Cork knew what was coming down the tracks at Semple Stadium, but they failed utterly to cope with Waterford’s strategy. Limited use was made of their spare man from short puck outs, while the ‘bang the ball’ tactic into their frequently outnumbered forwards yielded little return despite the best efforts of Conor Lehane and Seamus Harnedy.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.