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Waterford out to retain the glass
Yes my first time seeing Waterford this year, when they began the challenge to retain the beautifull crystal trophy, in the first half they hurled very well and had 3-10 bagged at the interval against UCC students we had great performances from the Brick Walsh at Centre Forward and from Martin O Neill at corner forward, Kearney was back to his best and with one or two exceptions they all tried hard and were ok. The second half was poor enough with Waterford scoring 9 more points, the students Scored 1-8 and won the second half they got a great goal no keeper could stop, Two of our lads P Mahoney and B O Sullivan played very well for the students, in fact I think the students were very good in the second half in particular they shot some lovely points from every angle they will surely be serious contenders in their own competition later on.
The man of the match performance imo was Martin O Neill brillant all round from both play and placed balls,
surprised me no end a lad for the future if ever they were one so happy enough with the start but more required going forward.
shrewdjudge , 05/02/2012 at 17:39

Looking for a football club to train with!!
Hi I am a student on placement in the hospital and I am looking to train with a team for 8 weeks starting this week. Is there any football club in the city that would be suitable? Preferrably near the hospital?
drulavich23 , 30/01/2012 at 12:32

Eoin Kelly dropped
Im from Limerick lads and Im being really honest here it is an absolute disgrace that eoin Kelly only 29 years is not in yere panel, I would say with him being right he is yere 2nd best forward in the county next to mullane two of the best in the country on their day. what is the point in hopping of the ground and having a good touch in January when championship is played in summer months. Was it not enough that Davy fitz made dirt of yere players giving mcgrath, prendergast and shannon little chance. now yere own people are doing it ryan manager and flanagan trainer. Flanagan could of gave him an extended programme so he could work away himself and got himself right at a later date. kelly is a hurler not a body builder!!!!!!!!!!
hookandblock , 29/01/2012 at 18:22

Eoin Kelly dropped
Every new manager wants to put their stamp on the team and this is no exception. I cant help but think, he should have left him on the panel though. Surely he is in the top 12 forwards in the county?
LohansRedHelmet , 27/01/2012 at 10:54

Eoin Kelly dropped
Cant see him coming back now. Recent talks with management broke down again. Probably have to respect ryan for that. Now its time to tow the line and while its pity to be without a player of that class, you have to do things right aswell to get the respect of the entire panel.
deisebhoy , 20/01/2012 at 18:24

Eoin Kelly dropped
I am hearing training is going very well and all those involved i understand are really enjoying it, the thing here is that every one is after buying into the new regime and thats as it should be.
Kelly is a class hurler and make no mistake about it, on his day he would make it on to any county team,but his form has dipped considerable I think, its up to himself to put in the same efford as every one else on the training grounds.
The door is wide open for him to return, i hope he does, a fully fit kelly would be a huge asset going forward, some how i think he will rise to the occasion and grace the hurling fields of ireland again in the deise jersey.
shrewdjudge , 20/01/2012 at 17:49

Eoin Kelly dropped
no doubt he is a very talented individual but he has to toe the line as the others do and i think given the reasons we have been told the management had no choice but to drop him, its a real shame as the loser here id the paying public as his talents are so worth the entrance fee when he is on his game.
StickFan , 20/01/2012 at 15:36

Eoin Kelly dropped
What do people think of him being dropped? Will he be back? Would he be worth bringing back?
moomoo , 18/01/2012 at 22:00

New Manager
yes sorry it is pat. thats brilliant, he'll be welcomed to our club so with open arms :)
SWP , 08/01/2012 at 19:43

New Manager
Ya i reckon its Pat Bennet who resides in Ballysagart in the far west of the county that you are looking for, a solid hurling man who was with Davy, and P Fanning for the last few years, This man also created a piece of history in 2011 when no less than three of his sons won County minor medals with a Lismore/Ballysaggart selection who beat De La Salle in a thrilling county final.
There is also former County star Dave Bennett also from Lismore who to the best of my knowledge was also involved in some capacity with Manageing/Coaching not sure if he was involved with the Waterford U 21 Hurling team also.
Two sound hurling men.
shrewdjudge , 07/01/2012 at 19:13

New Manager
pat bennet i believe you are referring to?
paddyjoe35 , 07/01/2012 at 13:48

New Manager
anybody have any information on a manager called tom bennett he was selector with waterford in recent years? is he a good hurling man to have work with a team?
SWP , 06/01/2012 at 16:43

New Championship Format
As there's not much happening on the field this time of year, and as just about every football county seems to be dissatisfied with both the national league and championship format, I'm going to propose a new format on each Hogan stand county forum.

I hope this will at least provoke debate.

Basically, this system is based on making the objective of the league games (i) Reaching the final phases of an open draw championship, rather than (ii) Redundant National league finals.
However Provisional Finals are retained by using a system which is based on to the Conference system used in American Grid-iron Football.

Incentives are supposed to be included at every stage so that teams aren't going through the motions in any match. It's not easy to explain these things on paper, but here goes;

Each Year the 32 Football Counties are divided into 4 "National Conferences" based on a seeding system determined by performance in the previous year.
For Example Dublin, Kerry, Cork and Tyrone might be seeded 1 next year, with each heading up one of 4 conferences.
Similarly Mayo, Donegal, Kildare & Meath might be seeded 2, and would also be placed in different conferences, each made up of 8 teams drawn from 8 pots of 4 teams ranked at levels 1-8.

For example, level 8 teams might include London. Carlow, Waterford and Clare, who would get the chance of seeing the top teams at their grounds using this system.

Each county would play 7 games in this "League" phase of the competition, which is very similar to how the 4 divisional leagues are played now, however without the finals given there is a new objective for these games which is explained as follows;

Later in the year, the 8 Provincial Finalists would be determined, not by championship as at present, but by the top 2 league records from each province, regardless of conference played in. Counties records would be compared across conferences first by points total, followed points difference, then points scored. (In the unlikely event of equal records mid-week play-offs could be used).

The 4 provisional finals would of course produce 4 winners, with these teams getting direct to the AI Quarter final as at present, having 8 competitive games under their belt.

The 4 provincial champions having qualified, conference placings would again be used to determine the 16 other teams with the best "League Records". If losing provincial finalists don't fall in to this category (possible but unlikely) they would exit at that stage.
2 series of an open draw "knock-out" championship, with home field advantage determined by league record, could quickly reduce 16 teams to 4 by the end of July, as is the case now.

8 teams now remaining, All Ireland Quarter finals, would take place and I'd suggest offering home field advantage to the Provincial winners to boost the significance of those titles and make up for the 2/4 week lay-off which they also experience with the current system, but without compensation.
Semi-finals & Final would be played in Croke Park as at present.

The 12 other teams who did not qualify for the All Ireland Series would play in a B Championship, with the prize playing in Croke Park on AI Final day before the AI Final, and a higher seeding the following year for teams which progress.

Although not perfect, the benefits of this system include;
1. Meaningful League Series, giving qualification for, and home field advantage within, the AI series.
2. Coveted Provincial Titles
3. Dublin & Kerry Regularly appearing in places like Aughrim and Carrick on Shannon
4. End of League Finals played in front of 10,000 people.
5. End of Back Door System
6. More meaningful games, and bigger attendances, for all counties.
7. Realistic target for Division 4 Teams.
8. Not playing the same teams year after year
9. And Best of all, all teams in all counties would be playing at the same times of year, leaving proper windows for Club.
spiritof1991 , 12/12/2011 at 13:57

Minor hurlers on their way
As most of those mentioned on the U21 panel will surely be contenders for the senior team as well, wonder is there a case to be made for joint training session between senior and U21 panels, to me anyhow it would make sence on a number of grounds, (1) Have sufficient numbers for games between themselves. (2) Eliminate duplication, (3)Save resourses, cannot really see why it can not be done, what yee think boys and girls ?.
shrewdjudge , 25/11/2011 at 14:13

Minor hurlers on their way
its our under 21 team i think will go the whole way in 2012, thinkijg about it were gonna have a team something like this...

1. STEPHEN O KEEFE
2. JAMIE BARRON
3. PHILIP MAHONY
4. COLIN WALSH
5. JAMES PRENDERGAST
6. DARRAGH FIVES
7 .JIM POWER
8. PAUDIE PRENDERGAST
9. STEPHEN ROCHE
10.EOIN MADIGAN
11.BRIAN O HALLORAN
12.PAURIC MAHONY
13.EAMONN MURPHY
14.CORMAC HEFFERNAN
15.JAKE DILLON

very strong indeed, if they all clicked, nobody would touch them
statueofmullane , 24/11/2011 at 19:23

Waterford 40-man panel - Surprise omission
i can tell ya now, minors from last year jake dillon, jamie barron, and gavin o brien have been called up to the panle for 2012, his a great natural centre forward who can score unreal goals and points, also james prendergast is called up, paudie prendergast, stephen roche of mount sion, and plenty more bright young talents, as i said in me last comments, under age lads we have now are the future, and we need to blood them all in the 2012 league.
statueofmullane , 21/11/2011 at 21:28

Waterford 40-man panel - Surprise omission
Here we go again, same as before looking for any old way or issue to undermine the manager, its his call who he thinks should get a trials, and who make the panel, he has stated that the panel will be opened ended, and if he see someone who is in form, then in he will be brought on board, like wise if someone is on the panel and not putting it in then he moves aside which in my view is fair enough.
Every one will have a view on who should or should not be on the panel, and its highly unlikely everyone will agree on a defined number but its the managers call if things go well he will get the credits, and if he is listening to every joe soap recommending their club man, their relation, their friend or whatever then im afraid he wont be doing his job and the whole project will go belly up and quickly at that.
I have read his article in the sunday indo a few weeks ago, and must say i was very impressed with his out look and his plans for the two year term.
I actuall do not know who has been called up other than loose gosip which i pay no heed at all to, as for Maher my view he is obviously a nice guy, very determined, tries hard maybe some times to hard and things do not work out for him, he may well show up in the future but at this stage based on what i have seen he falls a bit short for top class inter/ county hurling but i would not dismiss him for a roll some time in the future.
shrewdjudge , 21/11/2011 at 16:40

Waterford 40-man panel - Surprise omission
heard mickey ryan loves backs and forwards and uses it as the main focus of his training
OHalloranlover1 , 20/11/2011 at 21:24

Waterford 40-man panel - Surprise omission
also, picking up cones after training is not gonna get us liam mcarthy pal.
statueofmullane , 20/11/2011 at 19:00

Waterford 40-man panel - Surprise omission
im not slating the young fella calm down boy, no, whats wrong with waterford hurling is the harsh calls are not made sooner, fair play to the chap for the training yes, plain and simple, everytime i seen him play he got tore apart by the forward, and im not slating him, im pointing out the realistic fact, maybe in time he might impress with his club and the waterford intermediates and get another shot but as of now, mick ryan knows best, mick ryan wants the all ireland, and we cant have weak links holding this great hurling county back, its not making harsh calls by management that has cost us 2 or 3 all irelands over the years, ohalloranlover, the other 3 i would drop would be eoin mcgrath, shane casey, jamie nagle, and david o sullivan, mick ryan takes no crap lads, trust me, if you dont perform you are gone, and proper order!
statueofmullane , 20/11/2011 at 18:57