GAA Notes 12th August 2013

Post date: Aug 18, 2013 4:45:56 PM

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12/8/13 Numbers Drawn 7,14,16,23 No Winner

Consolation Prizes Gerry Mc Carthy, Angela O Hara, Nando, Ann Murphy Promoter Jerry Crowley

Next Draw 19/8/13 Clancy's Bar Jackpot €5200

Senior Hurling

We play Ballyduff in the fourth round of the senior hurling championship group stage in Lismore this Friday evening August 16th at 7pm. Ballyduff have put themselves in pole position for a place in the knockout stages with victory over Lismore a few weeks ago and this is a game we need to win if we are to have any prospects of extending our interest in the championship beyond mid-August. Throw-in is at 7 and your support as always would be appreciated.

Waterford

It was an eventful weekend for Waterford hurling with our minors qualifying for a rare All Ireland appearance and the resignation of Michael Ryan. Firstly we congratulate Cois Bhride and Knockanore man Colm Roche for being part of a successful minor team and they will now be part of the big show in September. The most overused cliche of all is 'you never know with minors/ young lads' but most observers would agree that this Waterford team is loaded with talent and if they get it right (or approaching right as they did on Sunday) they will go very close. An obsession with creating goals and a lack of a puckout strategy (apart from the trying to hit DJ Foran at every oppurtunity) are some of the things that need improvement but at times they opened up Kilkenny with diagonal balls to Patrick Curran and Stephen Bennett along with strong running from midfield in the Kilkenny style. A bit more of this and the obvious improvement of discipline in tackling will see us match either Galway or Limerick. In a way it's great to win a semifinal without playing wonderfully as whoever wins the other semifinal will probably be favourites with the gentlemen of the turf and we're back to 'you never know with minors'. Thankfully Shane Bennett will be available for the final after his ridiculous red card (and an equally baffling one for the Kilkenny lad). Most people are all for cards for frontal charges and hurleys around the neck but to book players for an inadvertent tangling of legs isn't in the same ballpark.

Michael Ryan's stepping down as senior hurling manager was surprising timing and no doubt more news about the circumstances will emerge over time. From a basic reading of results our league form held up over two years with Division One status secured over both seasons (though this year the correlation between the league and championship form of the top teams has been wildly skewed). Very few gave Waterford any chance of survival this year at the start of the league and our performances against Clare, Cork and Tipperary were very encouraging. On championship form we were competitive if not a lot more and you would have to feel that that the lack of a big championship victory to place his flag beside was costly to him in the long run. Reading Paidi O Se's book recently and his description of the politicking and jockeying going on behind the scenes before an appointment is made (and no better buachaill to indulge in this), it would be fascinating to be a fly on the wall during the consideration process. You'd have to feel that the field of candidates will have to put their case forward with extra vigour to a county board that doesn't have a bulging chequebook.