John McIntyre looks back on another heartbreaking occasion for Waterford hurling. IS THERE no end in sight to Waterford's hurling agony? It's rare for a team from the county to carry so much confidence behind them in the build up to a Munster final as accompanied Mount Sion at Thurles last Sunday, but once again expectations of a big championship breakthrough went unfulfilled - and senior team manager, Gerald McCarthy, must surely be wondering now if he was wise to stay on for a fifth year. There had been a genuine belief that Mount Sion would give Waterford hurling a badly needed shot in the arm by claiming the Munster Club title. Almost every newspaper tipster had gone for them. This was to be the day of deliverance for long suffering supporters of the game in the county. Backboned by Brian Flannery, Tony Browne, the fit again Ken McGrath and Michael White, Mount Sion looked a strong team on paper with the likes of well known players Anthony Kirwan and Ger Harris unable to make the starting fifteen. Mount Sion were carrying the hopes of the county and they had something to prove for Waterford hurling, but the final jinx has struck again. They had been mightily impressive in capturing a 31st local senior crown and swept Ballygunner away in the decider, but their reputation, it now seems, was built on hollow foundations. While Mount Sion may tower all over rivals in the Waterford championship, beating average teams easily lulls clubs into a false sense of security and they were obviously not as good as they thought they were. Granted, they had dispatched the Cork champions in the opening round of the provincial title race, but Newtownshandrum had no previous experience of this level of competition and had only made an historic breakthrough just a week before facing Mount Sion. That was hardly ideal preparation, yet they only lost out narrowly in the end. The Waterford standard bearers had carried the day but with no great authority. Subsequently, Mount Sion had a comfortable victory over Ballyduff of Kerry, but there was little or no swagger to the performance. They simply weren't looking as good as they had done in their own championship. Perhaps, they were gone over the top. Opponents Sixmilebridge had come through a rousing semi-final clash against Patrickswell the previous weekend with John Reddan torturing Ciaran Carey on the forty. That tough match would stand to them although with John Chaplin ruled out and Niall Gilligan considered a doubtful starter, it came with a price. Perhaps that accounted for their outsider's tag in the build up to last Sunday's final. It was soon evident, however, at Semple Stadium that the wrong team were favourites. Sixmilebridge hit the field running and were soon five points to no score up. In the space of little more than five minutes, Mount Sion's world was already starting to crumble. Ken McGrath did his best to lift his uninspiring colleagues and his goal from a 21 yards free in the seventh minute gave Mount Sion some badly needed impetus and in their most productive spell of a final which never really caught fire, actually drew level with a Michael White point approaching the midway stage of the opening-half. Though Barry Browne sent over a fine score from play subsequently, it was ominous for the Waterford side when Sixmilebridge again assumed control coming up to the interval with four unanswered points from Niall Gilligan (two 65s), Alan Mulready and the hard working Christy Chaplin. The Clare champions should have been further than 0-11 to 1-4 ahead such was their dominance but a combination of the woodwork and a couple of excellent saves from Philly Flynn prevented them from pulling away . . . and it seemed that Sixmilebridge were in big trouble when an opportunist Eoin Kelly goal and a point from the same player left only one in it. This was the test of of the Banner's men mettle and they weren't found wanting. Two goals in quick succession from the lively Brian Colbert and man of the match Gilligan soon put the issue beyond doubt to maintain Clare's stranglehold on the Munster Club title. They are going to take stopping. The team who will be charged with that task in the All-Ireland semi-final are Graigue-Ballycallan who were put to the pin of their collar to overcome a gallant UCD outfit in the Leinster club decider at Nowlan Park. This was a much more absorbing affair than it's Munster equivalent and it appeared a major shock was in store when Offaly player Brendan Murphy clinically finished the rebound of a Johnny Ronan save to the net in the second-half, a score which put the students ahead and they were given further cause for celebration when free taker Jim Byrne was on target again 16 minutes from the end. UCD, however, failed to score again as the Kilkenny title holders upped the tempo with former county player Adrian Ronan, Michael Hoyne, James Young, Eddie Brennan and Tomas Comerford rattling over the matchwinning points on a day Johnny Butler was outstanding in the winner's defence. UCD were very disgruntled by the refereeing of Carlow official Pat Aherne, but can be proud of a noble effort which certainly rattled the Kilkenny champions who were claiming a first ever provincial crown . . . despite county star, Denis Byrne, being clearly impaired by injury. Meanwhile what is happening in Offaly? There is scarcely a dozen senior hurling clubs in the county, but two quarter-final championship matches were only played last Sunday (November 26) with Kilcormac-Killoughey proving way too strong for Drumcullen and Banagher edging out Shinrone thanks to a critical Michael Duignan goal. The local championship was forgotten about as Offaly progressed to the All-Ireland final and that decision has basically made a mockery of the county's premier hurling competition. It's a wonder the clubs stand for it. The current deplorable weather conditions must compound their sense of neglect. County titles are not supposed to be decided when players are ankle deep in muck and freezing with the cold! Tweet

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