Ive heard Waterford are missing a lot of players , can someone give us a run down please.
Ken McGrath is out, Eoin Murphy is out as well. There's a doubt about Seamus Prendergast as well, but I think Dan Shanahan is back.
Any idea when the teams will be announced ?
Either team played any challenge matches recently ?
I know Offaly beat Clare recently, and Niall Gilligan is also a doubt for Clare as a result, he got a thump around the head and was concussed seemingly. The teams will probably be announced after training on Tuesday or Wednesday night.
Declan o Rourke is out with a broken finger
Ken McGrath, Seamus Prendergast and Stephen Molumphy picked up knocks during last week's warm-weather training in Portugal.
They join Eoin Murphy, Eoin Kelly, Paul Flynn and Dan Shanahan on the treatment table.
Murphy and Flynn will definitely miss the game with the Bannermen, while Prendergast is extremely doubtful after suffering severe bruising to his shoulder in a collision with a team-mate.
Outside of Murphy and Ken Waterford will have a full panel to pick from and I'd expect them to beat Clare by 2-4 points. Clare are flying fit but just don't have the hurlers to beat Waterford.
The word is that Dan shanahan and Eoin kelly will play any one got any confirmation.
Im convinced this will be closer than most commentators think. Clare will give it 100% and have prepared well. Waterford will miss McGrath's influence and I don't think they'll be too bothered if they don't progress in MSHC this year.
Shanahan is starting but I hear Kelly is not and Hurney is on.
1/2 Waterford V Clare 2/1
The value has to be Clare at 2/1 , I think Waterford will struggle without their missing players and the weather and the pitch in limerick will really suit Clare.
McGrath and Shanahan are 2 big losses but last year Waterford were able to bring in 2 unknowns in Molumphy and Kearney who were well up to standard.
What are any replacements for waterford going to be like on Sunday?
Hurney is decent, he's the football captain, but he's going to be raw enough at inter county hurling. I had a sneaky fancy for Clare a few weeks ago, and I'm beginning to think I'll have a few bob on them.
Any word on Gilligan?
Clare team, for what it's worth. I'd say there could be a few changes come the day itself. I know there was a falling out with Gerry Quinn, but I thought he'd be back for this,
Philip Brennan
Gerry O'Grady
Frank Lohan
Dara Clancy
Paddy Donellan
Conor Plunkett
Brendan Bugler
Colin Lynch
Brian O'Connell(Capt)
Tony Carmody
Diarmuid McMahon
Jonathan Clancy
Tony Griffin
Niall Gilligan
Mark Flaherty
Clare will be full of running and full of fight but they won't have the hurling to touble Waterford. Any word on the Waterford team?
Quote from: AZOffaly on May 28, 2008, 11:35:47 AM
Clare team, for what it's worth. I'd say there could be a few changes come the day itself. I know there was a falling out with Gerry Quinn, but I thought he'd be back for this,
Philip Brennan
Gerry O'Grady
Frank Lohan
Dara Clancy
Paddy Donellan
Conor Plunkett
Brendan Bugler
Colin Lynch
Brian O'Connell(Capt)
Tony Carmody
Diarmuid McMahon
Jonathan Clancy
Tony Griffin
Niall Gilligan
Mark Flaherty
Interesting,no Gerry Quinn,rumours of a fall out with the drill sergeant must be true then.
I wonder what the likes of Fergal Lynch thinks about Griffin and Carmody starting a month after they rejoined the panel ?
That is a very inexperienced half backline.
I can't see that half backline starting, much less finishing, the game. Surely Gerry Quinn will come in there? Maybe this is one of Mike Macs misinformation tactics, a lá skeletor.
Some serious wintered beef in that Clare forward selection.
You wouldn't see as much testoterone in a Dallas Cowboys locker room or the front row of a Tom Jones concert.
No word on the Waterford team? I presume they are training tonight, so the team will be announced then?
That's right AZ, there's a few different teams being suggested as the likely starting 15 and I wouldn't be surprised if the one named tonight doesn't start Sunday.
Confirmed teams for Sunday:
Clare:
P Brennan;
G O'Grady, F Lohan, D Clancy;
B Bugler, C Plunket, P Donlon;
B O'Connell, C Lynch;
D McMahon, T Griffin, J Clancy;
N Gilligan, T Carmody, M Flaherty.
Waterford:
C Hennessy;
B Phelan, K Moran, A Kearney;
T Browne, D Prendergast, J Kennedy;
M Walsh (Capt), D Bennett;
D Shanahan, G Hurney, S Molumphy;
J Mullane, S Prendergast, E McGrath
T Browne?????
I thought he had retired?
Timmy
I guess not, there was talk about it a few week ago but the county said he was on the panel and he has been in training apparently and announced in the team.
Hurney will be full forward and Declan Prendergast will be in the full back line in a swop with Brian Phelan. And I wouldn't be surprised to see Kelly start, he will definately see action.
Quote from: Zulu on May 30, 2008, 02:20:32 PM
Hurney will be full forward and Declan Prendergast will be in the full back line in a swop with Brian Phelan. And I wouldn't be surprised to see Kelly start, he will definately see action.
I would be very surprised if Shanahan doesnt start on Plunkett considering he scored 3-01 off him last time Plunkett started a Munster championship game in 04,Bull Phelan will be at 6 and Declan Pender either corner or full back.
On paper both sets of forwards are capable of posting around the 20 point mark,the two lines that will be crucial will be Waterfords full back line and Clares half back line imho.
QuoteI would be very surprised if Shanahan doesnt start on Plunkett
Possibly but Hurney will definately be full forward, Waterford will try to play a fast brand of hurling to run the legs off Clare. Will it work? I think it will, I just don't rate this Clare squad so I'd expect Waterford to win by 3-5 points however there isn't an AI in them so regardless of the result Sunday i think it will be another disappointing year for the Deise.
Eoin Kelly has apparently been dropped from the panel for drinking last Sunday night although he probably wouldn't have started he is a big loss for this game and the championship if bridges can't be mended.
I had heard that, but didn't want to say anything. Has that been confirmed Zulu? I heard 'a breach of discipline'.
Yeah as far as I know AZ, it's common knowledge at this stage anyway. I think Kelly is prone to the odd off field blip, unfortunately he doesn't appear to be the most grounded guy you'll ever meet.
Really looking forward to this game. It's like the real start of the summer. Bring it on!!
This is the real start of the championship this weekend. what is the fella hurney like? i know he must be decent if he is starting, but i havnt heard of him before. just wondered if he was a good player.
No TV3...... >:(
Quote from: theskull1 on June 01, 2008, 02:50:10 PM
No TV3...... >:(
Its a bollocks Skull,i got settings off the internet to add it to my sky digital package but all the channels are blocked.
2-26 to 0-23 for clare. a relatively comfortable win for clare. waterford look way off the pace in terms of fitness and first touch andlook tired to be honest. i wouldn't write them off if they can regroup and get their players back and rejuvenate themselves but they were miles off the pace. Clare looked sharp and fit. any team with griffin,carmody and gilligan has to eb good, we really shouldn't be that surprised when you look through the teamsheet. the difference is they are organised this year and its the bones of the team that nearly made the all-ireland final in 2005. i fancy them to get to a munster final this year and there is every chance over the next 2-3 years of clare tasting silverware today the likes of o flaherty, plunkett and colin lynch in addition to the above were terrific today.
I don't know about waterford, look stale.
Its been a while since Clare posted a total like that,perhaps the scenic route of the qualifiers will suit Waterford better as another Munster title is of no benefit to this team,also their injury problems should have cleared up as the summer unfolds,am i right in thinking that Waterford will play the losers of Galway v Antrim,so Antrim it is.
Quote from: hardstation on June 01, 2008, 04:29:56 PM
You heading up tonight, Minder? In two minds myself.
Dont think i will bother my arse,if i thought it wasnt going to be a tanking session i would go. I think it is on too early too.around midnight would have been grand
Kind of went as I expected, although I didn't expect Clare to post such a total. I think Waterford were off the pace, and weren't nearly as focussed as you have to be to beat a Clare team that is going all out. Of course the absences of Ken McGrath, Eoin Murphy and Eoin Kelly wouldn't have helped, nor Dan Shanahan's rustiness, but I just felt that whenever Clare could make a ruck out of something, they came away with the ball which, to me, is an indication of how teams are tuned in mentally and physically. I still expect Waterford to have a serious say in the championship, whereas I'm not sure if Clare will improve that much from today.
You'll have to match them physically to beat them though.
Mullane played well throughout but the rest of the waterford lads looked tired or unfit. Nobody else rose to the physical challenge Clare presented.
Quote from: Guillem2 on June 02, 2008, 09:48:57 AM
Mullane played well throughout but the rest of the waterford lads looked tired or unfit. Nobody else rose to the physical challenge Clare presented.
Clare are obviously further on in their training than Waterford as they were fitter. faster and their hurling much sharper. The number of fumbles from Waterford backs on the highlights show last night was unbelievable.
It's a bit of a gamble by Waterford if they plan to take it easy via the qualifiers then kick on come the quarter finals!!
On a side note but I've said it before but I believe the GAA fucked up by giving TV3 live coverage rights when they don't cover the whole island..
Waterford looked a bit disinterested and must be aiming to peak in August.
However this did highlight the lack of quality they have in reserve.
I fear when the current "golden generation" depart, the new crop won't be as good as previously thought.
I did like the look of the Clare forward line. A mixture of strong ball winners and pace too.
It is probably a better forward unit than the one Gerlock had in the late 90s.
Mark Flaherty is a good addition and having Tony Griffin is a big boost.
I think Clare need to work on marking tighter in the full backline. For all their good hassling out the field and for all of Waterford's fumbled posession, Clare still conceded a big score.
Clare have better hurlers than Limerick and I'd expect them to win the next day.
Remember Clare fleeced Limerick in '06. The reversal last year was more down to the trouble with Considine, Scrappy Doo etc.
It is welcome to see Clare back giving the Munster Championship a crack.
For years now they have ushered out early, banished to the qualifiers before arriving back in Croke Park for the quarters.
It would be great to see them get up a head of steam and rekindle the loony days of the 90s ;D
I'd love to see a Clare-Tipp Munster final again.
The TV3 camera work was terrible as well. I was able to watch it as we have our Sky through down south with a Monaghan address.
Waterford defence was terrible & the forwards werent much better with only Mullane in any sort of form. Think the banner will beat Limerick if they play like that again. They have good options in forward with a good spread of scores.
the camerawork was awful but the analysis was very good and better in a lot of ways than RTE. English, griffin, o connor and daithis regan are very knowledgable and Cooper while a smart arse is well read in sport. If they get the camerawork right they could provide serious opposition to RTE.
Quote from: INDIANA on June 02, 2008, 01:41:03 PM
If they get the camerawork right they could provide serious opposition to RTE.
Spot on Indi.
The analysis was excellent and as a bonus no Canning or Morrissey.
Quote from: Guillem2 on June 02, 2008, 09:48:57 AM
Mullane played well throughout but the rest of the waterford lads looked tired or unfit. Nobody else rose to the physical challenge Clare presented.
Waterford weren't at the races at all. Apart from the missing players some of the guys on the pitch looked kilometers off the pace.
At one point Dan Shanahan tried to sprint for a ball and couldn't get above a light jog.
Clare looked good on the day but hard to really tell their quality as Waterford were just a pale shadow of themselves. Still wouldn't fancy Clare against any of the top sides to be honest although they will fancy themselves to at least get to a Munster final now.
Justin has apparently resigned after a players meeting last night.
Did he resign? Something rotten in the state of Denmark. I knew there was a players meeting where opinions were 'aired' about the training methods etc. I think Waterford were still doing winter training until about a week ago.
I've had it confirmed from a very good source too...he's gone..
Can you say this was a shock?
Not that I was expecting it but Waterford's results this year have been brutal.
Feel sorry for Justin. Whenever he gave an after match interview he always seemed to call it as it was.
"the better team won" etc. as opposed to " the referee was at fault" kind of thing.
Can't say I'm disappointed, while the manner of his departure is unfortunate and he made a significaant contribution to Waterford hurling, his time was up a year or two ago. His reign was bad for the clubs too IMO and his man-management and tactical know-how were questionable. Waterford will still have time to turn this around so I don't think it is a disaster.
Justin McCarthy delivered three munster titles and a national league in seven years with Waterford. While they certainly had some excellent players in that time they have also had a lot of run of the mill players making up the 15 particularly in the backline. Sad to see a good hurling man like that jump/ be pushed in the middle of the championship. Perhaps he should have gone last autumn but whoever takes over has a big task ahead of them. If Waterford get past Antrim/Galway ;) who will they meet then?
I stand to be corrected here but I think they meet the losers of Wexford/Dublin, and if that is the case then I think they will win both those games and get themselves back into the business end of the championship.
Yes, Waterford have the loser of Antrim Glway, so Antrim!!
I have a handy spreadsheet that gives you all the matches throughout the championship, drop your email address and i will send it on to you.
The question was who'd they play after beating Antrim ;) and I think that is the loser of Wexford/Dublin.
The winner of phase 2 qualifiers will be drawn against a phase 3 qualifer winner in phase 4, Phase 3 qualifers will be munster semi losers against Leinster semi losers. The draw for phase 4 will be arranged so teams who have played each other in provincial matches cannot meet. Therefore if Waterford beat Antrim then they could play Cork, Tipperary (whichever loses tomorrow), Limerick (If they lose to Clare in Mun SF), Offaly (assuming they lose to KK) or the loser of Dublin Wexford!!
Clear as mud isn't it, god love the GAA.