NFL Division 4

[drici]

Wicklow to provide acid test for Owen's Deise

BY PHIL FANNING

Having enjoyed a week's respite from hostilities last weekend following their crucial win over Limerick a week earlier, Waterford will go into next Sunday's vital clash with promotion rivals Wicklow fresh and ready to give their all knowing that a win here would put them in pole position for a top two spot and promotion as well as a place in the divisional final.

The remaining games in the campaign would see them away to Kilkenny and at home to Clare in their final deciding game.

Waterford go into this game a point behind Wicklow following the latter's home draw against Limerick last weekend but with a game less played so a win on Sunday followed by a win over Kilkenny would certainly see Waterford finish ahead of Wicklow on the league table leaving the last game against Clare a virtual decider for both teams.

The big question out there for Waterford concerns the position of Gary Hurney who is no longer involved with the senior hurlers.

Arguably the best footballer in the county on his day Hurney's return to the football panel would be a huge boost and even if he does not start on Sunday his presence on the sideline would give John Owens some real options during the course of the game.

Elsewhere the Waterford line up is unlikely to differ too much from that which beat Limerick and a big plus in that game was the return to form of Wayne Hennessy who scored the winning point.



In Wicklow they face a side that, under the maestro himself, Mick O'Dwyer, has produced some sparkling performances in the Leinster championship in recent years but has failed to make corresponding progress in the league.

Indications are that promotion is seen as a priority in the team's development this year and consequently a big effort can be expected in Fraher Field on Sunday.

This is Waterford's biggest test to date. The win over Limerick will have forewarned Wicklow of the task they face and Waterford will need all of their big guns firing on all cylinders on Sunday.

That means the O'Gormans and Shane Briggs being at their best in defence and Liam O'Lionain, Brian Wall and Wayne Hennessy coming through with the scores in attack. It is a pity that the game clashes with the big hurling tie in Thurles but this is a day when the football public should rally to these players in what essentially could be their biggest game of the year.

Sunday  at Fraher Field
Allianz N. F. L. Div. 4
Waterford Vs. Wicklow at 2.30 p.m.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Just for you sammymaguire...bump

[stevecw]

Well done yesterday Waterford! Great win, and would love to see them get promotion. Good big, physical side who despite somehow only drawing with us looked very impressive that day.
Hope they can do it after near misses over past 2 years.

[Orior]

How do ya reckon Kilkenny footballers would do against any of the hurling county teams, in a game of football?

Or better still, how would Kilkenny footballers do against the Mayo ladies?

[FermPundit]

How do ya reckon Kilkenny footballers would do against any of the hurling county teams, in a game of football?

Or better still, how would Kilkenny footballers do against the Mayo ladies?

They'll beat Fermanagh next season

[Orior]

How do ya reckon Kilkenny footballers would do against any of the hurling county teams, in a game of football?

Or better still, how would Kilkenny footballers do against the Mayo ladies?

It must be great to be All Ireland contenders like Armagh.

Tis. And I doff my cap to you counties that put effort into both codes.

[drici]

Winning margin boosts promotion challenge
BY PHIL FANNING

KILKENNY 1-02 WATERFORD 1-24

There was never any danger of Kilkenny causing an upset in Freshford on Saturday last and Waterford's target against the Division's whipping boys was to bridge the gap in scores difference between themselves and Clare prior to next Sunday's promotion showdown at Fraher Field.

Thanks to Clare's one point defeat by Limerick Waterford succeeded in doing just that by a single point with the result that the winners of next Sunday's game will be promoted with the losers likely to lose out to Limerick who, on form, should account for Leitrim at the Gaelic Grounds.

Waterford should have built up a healthier winning margin in this game at Freshford and would have done so but for a lapse in concentration between the 17th and 30th minutes of the first half.

Then, leading by 1 – 8 to 0 – 0 following Liam O'Lionain's 14th minute goal, Waterford started playing the ball around for fun in attack instead of employing the direct route towards goal and Kilkenny, perhaps sensing that they were being treated a little contemptuously, struck back with a Pat Raftice point and a goal from Stephen Duggan, who got on the end of a Michael Saunders cross, to beat Stephen Enright under the crossbar.

Waterford were rattled by those scores but, after Gary Hurney had wasted some very good chances, the regained their composure with a Wayne Hennessy point from a free in the 30th minute and finished the half with two impressive points from Conor McGrath and another from Tony Grey for a 1 – 12 to 1 – 1 half time lead.



Seconds after the restart Liam O'Lionain was put clean through on goal but he lost control with the goal at his mercy. Mick Ahearne opened Waterford's second half account with a point in the 38th minute and from then on it was a case of building up a good lead.

There were early yellow cards for Gary Hurney and Robert Ahearne before Waterford got back on the scoreboard with a Conor McGrath point in the 45th minute. Stephen Cunningham replaced Robert Ahearne in the Waterford attack and seven points in a row followed before Kilkenny had their only point of the second half through Graham Lalor in the 59th minute.

Waterford were not overly impressive in their approach work against a Kilkenny defence that battled bravely as the game was closed out with late points from Gary Hurney(2), Brian Wall and substitute Patrick Hurney.

Waterford went into this game with a number of changes to the selected lineout with Stephen Enright starting in goal in place of Tom Wall and three changes in defence that saw Paul Ogle, Conor Phelan and John Phelan replacing the injured Maurice O'Gorman, Kieran Connery and Niall Hennessy.

In attack Gary Hurney replaced Michael Donnelly. It is expected that all will be available for selection on Sunday next.

[drici]

Footballers' league luck runs out       
Peter O'Connell     

Clare 2-07 Limerick 0-14



Although Clare outscored Limerick 1-5 to 0-1 in the closing 12 minutes, Limerick held on to record a crucial NFL Division 4 win in Cusack Park last Saturday. Even a draw would have secured Clare's promotion to Division 3, while Limerick had to win to remain in contention. Clare will have a second, albeit tricky, opportunity to secure promotion in Dungarvan next Sunday when they play Waterford, whom they will meet at the same venue in the opening round of the Munster championship.

Clare were completely outplayed in the opening half and were fortunate to be just four points adrift, 0-8 to 1-1 at half-time. It got much worse for Clare as Limerick stretched their advantage to 0-13 to 1-2, 14 minutes from full-time.

Pointed David Tubridy frees, won by Michael O'Shea and Barry Toner, didn't suggest that Clare were about to launch a near game-winning comeback. They needed a goal and it was Tubridy who provided it. Mark Tubridy's point effort was spilled by Limerick goalkeeper Brendan Moran and his Doonbeg cousin reacted quickest to bury the loose ball. Now trailing by just three points, 0-13 to 2-4, renewed belief and hope resounded around Cusack Park.

Either side of a Gary Brennan wide and a Barry Toner ball, which dropped short, Toner pointed Clare a point closer, in a move started by Darren Hickey, who showed real enthusiasm on his debut. His older brother, Shane and Shane Brennan, Gary Brennan's brother, also made their league debuts, as did Conor O'Loughlin, who was brought on for the injured Joe Hayes.

A minute from full-time, Darren Hickey fed Michael O'Shea, who placed Tubridy, allowing Clare's top scorer to kick his fourth point and second from play.

Now just a point down, Clare needed to win the subsequent kick-out. They didn't and Limerick impressively held possession before creating an opening for Ian Ryan, who pointed them 0-14 to 2-6 ahead.
Seconds later, with two minutes of injury time having elapsed, Tubridy slotted over a dead ball, after Gary Brennan had been fouled. Clare needed just one more opening and they created it when they won a free 45 yards out on the right, while attacking the town goal.

Tubridy tried to point from the free, when perhaps Clare might have tried to work it short and win another free. Under current league rules, the referee cannot blow for full-time as long as the ball is live.

The free drifted wide and Kerry referee Padraig O'Sullivan blew for full-time, leaving Clare deflated.
Aided by their lucky second goal, they had at least shown real defiance. Their first-half innings had been tepid and uninspiring, as Limerick played impressive possession football, dominated midfield and kicked six points from open play.
Nineteen-year-old Limerick substitute Eoghan O'Connor made an immediate impression and in fact knocked over three points in total, while Seánie Buckley kicked two points before picking up a first-half injury.

David Tubridy's lethally finished ninth-minute goal kept Clare in it. Declan Callinan found Gary Brennan from a free won by David Russell. Brennan laid it off to Alan Clohessy, who freed Tubridy.
He finished superbly into Brendan Moran's far corner. A few minutes later, Enda Coughlan replaced Shane McNeilis, with Darren Hickey moving to full-back, while Shane Brennan was replaced by Scott Kinnevan, five minutes before half-time.
Rib and leg injuries respectively led to Ger Quinlan and Declan Callinan being taken off at the interval, while goalkeeper Joe Hayes limped off 12 minutes into the second half.

Although only a point divided the teams, Limerick were definitely better than Clare. They held onto possession more than their opponents and their support play was excellent for 50 minutes. John Galvin and James O'Donovan ruled midfield, while James Ryan at full-forward and Eoghan O'Connor excelled up front.
Until he picked up the injury, Joe Hayes had played superbly in goals. He saved goal-bound efforts from James Ryan in the first and John Mullane in the second period. Darren Hickey drove forward from the full-back line, although he had a difficult opponent in James Ryan, when the Kilmurry man was moved from corner to full-back. Up front, David Tubridy scored 2-2 from play, while Gary Brennan was again a decent target man but is needed in the middle of the park, where he played in the second half.
Clare will need to put last Saturday behind them immediately if they are to win promotion in Dungarvan on Sunday.

Limerick: Brendan Moran; Mark O'Riordain, Conor Mullane, Andrew Lane; Padraig Browne, Shane Gallagher, Pa Ranahan; James O'Donovan, John Galvin; John Mullane, Cormac Joyce Power, Seánie Buckley (captain); Ger Collins, James Ryan, Ian Ryan.
Subs: Barry Fitzpatrick for Conor Mullane, Eoghan O'Connor for Seánie Buckley (inj), Eoin Joy for Barry Fitzpatrick (inj), Stephen Kelly for John Mullane and John Cooke for Ger Collins.
Scorers: Ger Collins (0-4, 0-3f), Eoghan O'Connor (0-3), Seánie Buckley, John Mullane and Ian Ryan  (0-2 each) and Cormac Joyce Power (0-1).
Wides: 9.
Frees won: 27.
Yellow cards: Andrew Lane.

Clare: Joe Hayes (Lissycasey); Darren Hickey (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Shane McNeilis (Kildysart), Laurence Healy (Ennistymon); Mark Tubridy (Cooraclare), Gordon Kelly (St Joseph's, Miltown – captain), Declan Callinan (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Ger Quinlan (O'Curry's), David Russell (St Senan's, Kilkee); Shane Brennan (Clondegad), Michael O'Shea (St Senan's, Kilkee), Shane Hickey (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Alan Clohessy (Liscannor), Gary Brennan (Clondegad), David Tubridy (Doonbeg).
Subs: Enda Coughlan (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for Shane McNeilis (14), Scott Kinnevan (Parteen) for Shane Brennan (30), Mark McCarthy (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for Declan Callinan (inj - 36), Barry Toner (Shannon Gaels) for Ger Quinlan (inj – 36) and Conor O'Loughlin (St Joseph's, Miltown) for Joe Hayes (inj - 47).
Scorers: David Tubridy (2-5, 0-3f), Gary Brennan and Barry Toner (0-1 each).
Wides: 10.
Frees won: 15.
Yellow cards: Scott Kinnevan and David Russell.
Referee: Padraig O'Sullivan (Kerry).

[drici]

Footballers must fight for promotion       
Peter O'Connell     

THE Clare footballers will be seeing plenty of Fraher Field both this weekend and on May 23. They still have time before worrying about their championship date with Waterford late next month. This weekend, it's all about trying to win promotion to Division 3 at the second attempt.

Although only a point separated Clare from Limerick in Ennis last weekend, Limerick were significantly better. That said, Clare at least finished impressively and almost dug out a draw. If they had, they would be already promoted.

Clare and Waterford are level on 12 points each, while Limerick are a point behind on 11. If Clare win, they are promoted. Simple enough. If they lose, they will remain in Division 4 unless Leitrim beat Limerick in Carrick-on-Shannon. A draw may not be of any use to Clare either if Limerick win as Mickey Ned O'Sullivan's team are just a point worse off than Clare on scoring averages.

Along with motivating their side for the weekend, which won't be difficult given what is at stake, the Clare management team must pick the starting 15 that can first compete and then win in Waterford.

Their team selection will be heavily influenced by who is available. Declan Callinan, Ger Quinlan and Joe Hayes were all substituted injured against Limerick.

All three would be significant losses. Hayes saved Clare twice against Limerick, following on from an equally impressive display in Pearse Park against Longford. If he doesn't recover sufficiently from his groin strain, will the management consider recalling Dermot O' Brien, who has big game experience and played superbly for Kilmurry-Ibrickane in the All-Ireland club final on March 17?

Conor O'Loughlin is a decent goalkeeper with underage inter-county experience but it would be a gamble to throw him against Waterford.

Darren Hickey is likely to start at full-back after playing well there last Sunday, when moved onto James Ryan, while Laurence Healy will fill one corner. Although he wasn't introduced against Limerick, surely Martin McMahon must be considered for the other corner-back spot, with perhaps Enda Coughlan, Gordon Kelly and Shane Hickey (if Callinan is injured), filling the half-back line.

Hickey played much better at wing-back, when moved from corner-forward, where he looked lost.
Mark Tubridy was too loose against Limerick and was caught for five points from play by Seánie Buckley and Eoghan O' Connor. However, he played well against Longford at wing-forward and should be started there against Waterford. His work rate will be needed in that sector, with Gary Brennan and David Russell certain to start in midfield. Ideally, Brennan would be utilised at full-forward but Clare can't afford to leave him there.

Alan Clohessy will probably start at centre-forward, flanked by Tubridy and Barry Toner, while Michael O'Shea should start in the corner along with David Tubridy. O'Shea was first to virtually every ball against Longford and Carlow and is unquestionably more dangerous when located in the inside line. If Brennan starts at midfield, Clare are still minus a target man. While Ger Quinlan may not be fit, it might be worth putting the O'Curry's man on the edge of the square if he is. He is very capable in the air and can kick a score and would provide Clare with a viable target to complement the movement of Tubridy and O'Shea. If Quinlan doesn't make it, Mark McCarthy would be another viable option in the full-forward line. Clare need confident players taking to the field in Dungarvan and McCarthy doesn't lack in that department, while he played well when introduced for Kilmurry against St Gall's.

Clare face a sizeable but definitely not an insurmountable task in Dungarvan. Waterford are unbeaten under new manager John Owens and will be very confident on home territory.
Clare need to get it right inside and outside the white line. As long as they are totally focused, don't panic and believe in themselves, they are well capable of providing football in this county with a huge boost. They will have to fight on their backs to pull it off though.

Based on recent displays, this is the Clare team that should start against Waterford fitness permitting:
Joe Hayes (or Dermot O'Brien), Martin McMahon, Darren Hickey, Laurence Healy; Enda Coughlan, Gordon Kelly, Declan Callinan (or Shane Hickey); Gary Brennan and David Russell; Mark Tubridy, Alan Clohessy, Barry Toner; David Tubridy, Ger Quinlan (or Mark McCarthy), Michael O'Shea.
Players on the bench who could make a difference include Gearóid Lynch, Chris Dunning, Graham Kelly at wing-back, Shane Hickey and Mark McCarthy if they don't start.

** Waterford v Clare will throw in at 2.30pm in Dungarvan on Sunday.

[drici]

'It's what we are looking for - it's a championship game'

Mickey Ned O'Sullivan

By Jerome O'Connell
GAA Correspondent

LIMERICK can win an instant promotion back to Division Three of the National Football league this Sunday (2.30pm).
Leitrim come to the Gaelic Grounds with little to play for, but Mickey Ned O'Sullivan's side know that a win will guarantee them promotion and a place in the April 24 NFL final.
A draw could also be enough for Limerick, if Waterford were to beat Clare.

"It was always in our own hands and, of course, we can only control the controllable. There is only one result we can control and hopefully we will do that," said Mickey Ned O'Sullivan after his side defeated Clare in the penultimate round of Division Four last Saturday in Ennis.

"Leitrim showed here against Clare how good they are - Leitrim are a good team," said the Limerick manager of the Connacht side who have won four of their seven starts.
"It's what we are looking for - it's a championship game now. Today was a championship game because if we lost we were out of it and that is what tests teams and what tests character of teams and players," the manager said.
Mickey Ned also accepted that his side have found some form since their shock defeat to Waterford.

"I think we took our foot off the pedal against Waterford. Not taking from Waterford in any way, but our heads weren't right going in there. I think the heads were right today, but we could have still lost it."
The manager wasn't happy to see his side falter in the final quarter against Clare.

"Im happy with the result, but unhappy in the way we left them come back into it again at the end. We spilled a cheap goal there in the end and it brought them back into it. We need to keep the focus for the whole game and I think we are beginning to play good football, but we need to be able to play smart and know when to hold it and we didn't know when to hold it in the second half."

He added: "I think we will learn from the game because we knew it was going to go down to the wire anyway.
"I am delighted with the way the lads stuck by it and they played good football."
Limerick dominated the first half in Ennis and led 0-8 to 1-1 at half time after playing into the wind.

"You're never happy because the momentum of games swings too and fro and if the momentum is for us its invariably going to swing back again so it's what the opposition do when they get the momentum and they got two good goals, we spilt one against the run of play and it could have cost us"

Limerick were without the injured Johnny McCarthy, Stephen Lavin, Stephen Lucey, Diarmuid Carroll and Eoin Hogan for the Clare game and then lost Conor Mullane and Seanie Buckley during the game to injury.

"We had five backs out today and we have another one now. We've put together a good panel I think and it doesn't matter now who goes in, they are all able to fit in. Last year we had only 15 players, but this year we have much more.
"The league has helped us to blood players and give them experience which maybe we didn't have the confidence to do with fellas before

[BigJohnBrowne]

Don't bet on an easy win over Leitrim..... 

The lads in green and gold won't have forgotten the farce of a refereeing decision in 2008 in Kilmallock that cost Leitrim dearly when John McKeon was on the Limerick 20 and hit the ball clean over the bar to draw the game (Leitrim just needed a draw to stay in Div 3).  The dick of a local ref (technically from Clare but all Limerick lads appeared to know him personally) BLEW the final whistle as THE BALL WAS IN FLIGHT and refused to recognise the score.  He cost the county dearly and he set things back several years.  The Limerick lads + mickey ned were thrilled with the result and were full of glee - they didn't earn themselves any friends either.

revenge will be sweet............

[Zulu]

Congratulations to Waterford and Limerick, great to see them up in division 3 and they should both challenge for honours in that division next year.

[BigJohnBrowne]

Congratulations to Waterford and Limerick, great to see them up in division 3 and they should both challenge for honours in that division next year.

Have to second that - they were the best teams Leitrim met in the League and deserve their promotion.  Didn't make it to Limerick and judging by the snippets I heard on web radio it appears that a lot of Leitrim players didn't turn up either.  Any way next competitive game is a long 9 weeks away.  Lots of time for postmortums and corrections.

Anyway best of luck to both teams in Div 3.

[drici]

Mission accomplished as 'Banner' lowered at Fraher Field
BY PHIL FANNING

WATERFORD 0-20 CLARE 2-05

Waterford completed an amazing unbeaten League run at Fraher Field on Sunday last with an emphatic nine point win over promotion rivals Clare that carried the home side into the third division of the league for the very first time and at the same time set up a Divisional League Final encounter with Limerick in two weeks time.

For Waterford it was a case of 'long threatening comes at last' as the team that just missed out on promotion in successive campaigns under John Kiely called on all the experience gained in those games to finally produce the goods on the big day and did so in the most impressive fashion imaginable under John Owens' guidance.

The sight in Fraher Field was not seen at the final whistle of a Waterford football game since the win over Kerry in the Munster U-21 final of 2003 as players, management, friends and families hugged and congratulated each other. For once the Waterford support turned out for these lads and it made a huge difference to the players in the spring sunshine.

Waterford went into this game with the promotion issue very much in their own hands. A Limerick loss to Leitrim was never an option so Waterford had to go flat out for victory and that was what they did from the first whistle when Conor McGrath was put clear on goal with only Conor O'Loughlin to beat. He took the wrong option of fisting the ball out of his hand to the net which is illegal under any rules, old or new, and when the free out sent Clare on the attack at the other end to set up the opening point for David Tubridy, from a free, it looked as though it was going to be one of those days for Waterford.

This Waterford side refused to be rattled however and after Tommy Prendergast made a good mark in midfield from Tom Wall's kick out he picked out Liam Ó Lionáin who raced in for Waterford's opening score.

Waterford proceeded to dominate play in midfield and were full value for a 0-5 to 0-1 lead after twelve minutes with Gary Hurney and Ó Lionáin causing panic stations in the Clare defence. Indeed it soon became obvious to all but the referee and his officials that Ó Lionáin was being targeted for some heavy treatment by the Clare defence both on and off the ball and after he had been intimidated and clearly struck by a defender the referee proceeded to issue a yellow card to the Ring player and his assailant. It was just one of a number of bewildering decisions by the Kerry referee that certainly worked to Clare's advantage.

Yellow cards for Tony Grey and Tommy Prendergast seemed to upset Waterford's rhythm and Clare enjoyed a period of supremacy between the 13th and 20th minutes that produced points from David Tubridy and Graham Kelly before Gary Brennan pounced on a defensive error in front of the Waterford posts to shoot the ball past Tom Wall and give his side a 1-3 to 0-5 lead in the 17th minute.

There was to be no further score for either side for the next ten minutes but Waterford gradually regained their composure and after Brian Wall levelled matters from a free in the 28th minute the home side took control again to reel off five unanswered points before the break with Hurney showing his class with an exceptional point in the 32nd minute. Waterford looked to be in astrong position with a 0-11 to 1-3 lead at the break but there was still a lot of work to be done in the second half as Clare would have the advantage of a rising breeze.



It was Waterford who took the initiative however, on the changeover, as Gary Hurney continued to lead the way with a great point followed by another, from a free after another heavy foul on Ó Lionáin. It was beginning to look like Clare, in their anxiety to put the clamps on Ó Lionáin, were being destroyed by Gary Hurney and when Brian Wall put his side eight points clear from a free in the 43rd minute Clare looked like they were chasing a forlorn cause.

That cause was not helped when in the 44th minute midfielder David Russell, having made a superb mark, decided to vent his frustration on Gary Hurney who was next to him, with an outstretched arm and after consulting a linesman the referee produced a yellow and a red card.

While Waterford were never in danger from that moment on it must be stressed that the writing was already on the wall for a Clare side that was not helped by the physical approach adopted during this game.

Waterford went into a ten point lead before Dave Tubridy slotted over a '45' in the 50th minute after Tom Wall made a great save from Gearoid Lynch. Waterford hit back with three points to go twelve points clear before Tubridy sent over another '45' in the 58th minute. Fittingly it was the superb Gary Hurney who completed the Waterford scoring in the 66th minute and Clare's total humiliation was eased by the 'gift' of a penalty in the final minutes which Dave Tubridy duly sent to the net.

This was certainly Waterford's best performance of the league, surpassing even that against Wicklow. The stakes were high and they faced a team, like themselves, playing for their lives. The players never allowed the pressure to get to them even when Clare looked like gaining the upper hand following Brennan's first half goal. By half time they had the game under control and never allowed Clare to get back into it in the second half.

It was a huge all round team effort but there were some superb individual performances not least from Gary Hurney whose contribution of seven points was matched by a tremendous work rate. In an unyielding defence the O'Gormans and Shane Briggs stood out while in midfield Tommy Prendergast and Mick Ahearne turned in highly disciplined performances with some superb marks. In attack Liam Ó Lionáin, Brian Wall and Wayne Hennessy worked tirelessly.

Apart from securing a final against Limerick this win sets down a marker for Waterford's championship clash with Clare at the same venue on May 23rd next.

Waterford's last Munster championship win was against a Páidí O'Shea led Clare side in Fraher Field two years ago and with this year's winners playing Limerick in a Munster semi final it could yet be a long summer for our footballers. In the meantime let us look forward to the league final against Limerick secure in the knowledge that we will be operating at a higher level next year.