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You are > Home > Déise hurlers prepare with intense game and training regime
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Déise hurlers prepare with intense game and training regime
BY PHIL FANNING
Since the opening day of the year it has been all go for the senior hurling panel as the players go through an intense programme of training and matches prior to the commencement of the National League by which time the current panel is expected to be reduced to about thirty players.
Between the Crystal Cup wins, over CIT last Sunday week and IT Tralee on Saturday last, Waterford played two games with the obvious intention of giving every player an opportunity to impress and stake a claim to avoid any cut in the coming weeks.
WATERFORD . . . . . . . . . . 2–13
WEXFORD . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–11
Waterford took on Wexford, under lights. at the splendid Horsewood Club Complex on Wednesday evening last and while both sides used the game to run the rule over some emerging talent there was no lack of commitment on the part of any player on either side in a game that was played at a frantic pace by men who were obviously playing for their places in the coming league and championship campaigns.
Waterford got off to the best possible start with corner forward Thomas Ryan outpacing the Wexford defence to run on to a Bryan Phelan delivery over the full back line and with a free run on goal he gave goalie Flynn no chance from close range. Jamie Nagle added a point from a long range free but Wexford hit back to level with twelve minutes played through two points apiece from Malachy Travers and Derek Lyng.
A point from Kevin Moran, at full forward, and two from frees by Thomas Ryan had Waterford back in front but a goal in the 30th minute by corner forward Jim Byrne had the sides level at 1-4 each. Kevin Moran edged Waterford in front again but Wexford finished the half strongly with points from Travers and Lyng to lead by 1-7 to 1-5 at the break.
Both teams rang in the changes at the start of the second half with Waterford sending Eoin McGrath and James Murray into midfield for Eoin Whelan and Bryan Phelan while Shane Walsh and Maurice Shanahan replaced Shane Casey and Nicky Jacob in attack.
Points from Kevin Moran and Thomas Connors had Waterford level inside three minutes and Shane Walsh announced himself with a goal in the 45th minute to give his side a lead that was not going to be relinquished. With both sides introducing further subs Waterford pushed on to a 2 – 12 to 1 – 9 lead with points from Maurice Shanahan(2Fs), Kevin Moran, Jamie Nagle and Shane O’Sullivan.
Waterford looked by far the better side but squandered some easy scoring chances before a soft late goal for Wexford, followed by two points, levelled matters before a Waterford point in the final minute from Maurice Shanahan gave the visitors a deserved win.
This was certainly a very worthwhile exercise for both managements as they prepare for the league and seek to unearth new talent. Waterford looked comfortable going into the final minutes but did seem to take their eyes off the ball to allow Wexford back into the game after the home side made wholesale changes in attack in the final quarter.
Waterford team and scorers: Clinton Hennessy, Jerome Maher, Mark O’Brien, N. Connors, John Kindergan, Michael Walsh, Jamie Nagle (0-2Fs), Bryan Phelan, Eoin Whelan, Shane O’Sullivan (0-1), Nicky Jacob, Thomas Connors (0-1), Shane Casey, Kevin Moran (03), Thomas. Ryan (1-3, 2 Pts Fs). Subs: Maurice Shanahan (0-3 Fs) for Jacob, Shane Walsh (1-0) for Casey, Eoin McGrath for Whelan, James Murray for Phelan, John Hurney for Kindergan, Shane Fives for Noel Connors.
The starting Wexford line up was as follows but there were numerous changes in personnel throughout the second half: Derek Flynn, Barry Keogh, Paul Roche, Eoin Doyle, Richie Keogh, Greg Jacob, Ciaran kennedy, Colm Farrell, Malachy Travers, Harry Keogh, Willie Doran, Derek Lyng, Pat Kenny, Tomas Waters, Jim Berry.
WATERFORD . . . . . . . . . . . . 4–23
LAOIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–16
Waterford had their third game of the week on Friday evening last at the St. Mollerans club grounds in Carrickbeg and as with the Wexford tie on Wednesday it was a game taken very seriously by both sides. Laois looked a far better side than their second division status might have suggested and led for much of the first half with a goal from Willie Hyland giving them a 1-3 to 0-3 lead in the 5th minute.
With scores coming fast from both sides the visitors retained the lead up to the 17th minute when last year’s minor captain Martin O’Neill collected a high cross from Gary Hurney and shot to the net to level the scores at 1-7 each. Waterford added three more points to Laois’ two for a 1-10 to 1-9 half time lead.
Both teams made a number of changes in personnel after the break and it was Waterford who increased their lead with a Gary Hurney point inside two minutes and a minute later Shane Walsh struck for a goal to give his side a five point lead. Laois hit back with a point but a third Waterford goal, this time from Eoin McGrath, put Waterford in control of the game. Laois battled back to cut the deficit to two goals but after sending over his fourth point Martin O’Neill struck for his second goal in the 50th minute to give his side a 4-12 to 1-11 lead.
In the closing quarter Waterford added points from substitutes Maurice Shanahan, Kevin Moran and Shane O’Sullivan as well as from Eoin McGrath to build up a total of 4-23 at the final whistle to the Laois total of 1-16.
The game produced some fine passages of hurling and Laois showed that they will not be easily brushed aside by Wexford or Clare in the second division of the league in the coming season.
Waterford team and scorers: Adrian Power, Michael Doherty, Shane Fives, Aidan Kearney, Jamie Nagle, Declan Prendergast, John Kindergan, Richie Foley(0-1), Bryan Phelan, Eoin McGrath (1-5), Nicky Jacob, Thomas Connors (0-1), Martin O’Neill (2-4, 2 Pts Frees), Gary Hurney (0-1) Shane Walsh (1-2). Subs: Mce Shanahan (0-4 Fs) for Jacob, Shane O’Sullivan (02), for Phelan, K. Moran (0-2) for Hurney, Eoin Whelan for Nagle.
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