Waterford's Catch-22: what's behind their poor Munster round-robin record?
The Déise have just four championship wins from 26 games in the group stage – with a pattern of declining performance the longer the round-robin progresses.
THERE WAS A question asked coming down the stretch at Walsh Park a fortnight ago: where was this display from Waterford in the first half?
With two recent All-Ireland final appearances, the Déise have played as many deciders as Tipperary and Galway since 2017, and more than Clare, just without the silverware.
Yet, the consistency of performance has been sorely lacking in the week-on-week intensity of the Munster round-robin. The question could equally be asked at various stages across the past decade: Where was this display from Waterford last week?
In the bigger picture, how is it that the Suirsiders have just four championship wins from 26 games under that system? And can they find the formula to escape despite a winless start?
That Waterford record of occasional peaks mixed with prolonged troughs has stood across the league as much as championship.
They have been league champions (2022) and runners-up (2019), while getting relegated three times (2018, ‘24, and ‘26).
This year, after their opening-day annihilation in Cork, Peter Queally’s side shocked Limerick and held Offaly at arm’s length. Since then, it’s been five games without a win.
Waterford's Conor Keane, Conor Prunty, and Darragh Lyons crowd out Alan Connolly during their league loss to Cork. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
In the round-robin era, three of Waterford’s four victories have arrived in round 1. They beat Tipperary in 2022, Cork in ‘24, and Clare last year, only to go winless from there.
Even in 2019 and 2023, relatively promising starts against Clare and Limerick (narrow one- and two-point losses) were followed by a pair of heavy beatings.
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Breaking down Waterford’s record, they have three wins and four defeats in round 1. It’s three draws and four defeats in round 2. Six straight defeats have arrived in round 3. In round 4, it’s been one dead-rubber win and five defeats.
In terms of those heavy beatings, the Déise have had no double-digit defeat in round 1, one in round 2, three in round 3, and three in round 4.
The clear pattern has been declining performance the longer the group stage has progressed.
Waterford have too often struggled to get their best team on the field. Injuries and departures have been a recurring factor.
Ballygunner’s success hasn’t translated to county level. Currently, four of their starting team hail from the 12-in-a-row domestic champions. They have whipped their local opposition into submission across 66 unbeaten games, with few realistic challengers to stop their chokehold. It’s almost 4,000 days since their last championship defeat back in 2015.
Waterford’s issues have been at both ends of the field.
In 2019 and ‘23, they averaged no more than 20 points per game in an era where 30 has become the target.
What’s more, their average concession across those 26 games has been exactly that: 30 points per game. And that’s while playing with an extra defender for several of those years.
The last four times Waterford have hit 30 points (including both times this season), their total against has been such that none have ended in a win. But for Billy Nolan’s All-Star form, they might’ve leaked more.
When it has been available, their Walsh Park results have been decent (three wins, two draws, four defeats). That record just emphasises its absence for the 2018 and ‘23 seasons.
Their away record has been deplorable, recording one dead-rubber win over Tipp amid 12 defeats. Perhaps belief has been dented by the growing catalogue of losses.
In 2018 and ‘19, Waterford simply weren’t at the level, with an average losing margin of 11 points per game.
In the Covid-hit knockout years under Liam Cahill, where the White and Blues were at their most competitive, 11-point defeats to Limerick broke their resistance.
Since then, they have been hurling in a Catch-22. When there have been defensive improvements, it has come at an attacking cost. Equally, attacking gains have been achieved at a defensive cost.
Shane Bennett has been played in the half-backs this year until reverting to the half-forwards last time out. Both days, he was the first man off. They need to get the best from the talented Ballysaggart man.
His brother, Stephen, has been in sublime form with 4-22 across two games (3-2 from play), accounting for more than half of their scores. Seán Walsh has added a potent focal point for him to play off. They should test a Cork defence shorn of their full- and centre-back pillars.
Calum Lyons and Jack Fagan have returned after time away, while Austin Gleeson is back contributing off the bench.
Aaron O’Neill, from the Ballygunner talent pipeline, and Fenor U20 Seán Mackey have been big additions. Mackey will surely start at midfield following his impact after returning to fitness against Tipp.
It’s not necessarily that they need to score more against Cork, but rather concede less without hurting their attacking output. That’s no easy feat.
The basic requirement to start with is maintaining consistency across 70 minutes.
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Waterford's Catch-22: what's behind their poor Munster round-robin record?
THERE WAS A question asked coming down the stretch at Walsh Park a fortnight ago: where was this display from Waterford in the first half?
With two recent All-Ireland final appearances, the Déise have played as many deciders as Tipperary and Galway since 2017, and more than Clare, just without the silverware.
Yet, the consistency of performance has been sorely lacking in the week-on-week intensity of the Munster round-robin. The question could equally be asked at various stages across the past decade: Where was this display from Waterford last week?
In the bigger picture, how is it that the Suirsiders have just four championship wins from 26 games under that system? And can they find the formula to escape despite a winless start?
That Waterford record of occasional peaks mixed with prolonged troughs has stood across the league as much as championship.
They have been league champions (2022) and runners-up (2019), while getting relegated three times (2018, ‘24, and ‘26).
This year, after their opening-day annihilation in Cork, Peter Queally’s side shocked Limerick and held Offaly at arm’s length. Since then, it’s been five games without a win.
In the round-robin era, three of Waterford’s four victories have arrived in round 1. They beat Tipperary in 2022, Cork in ‘24, and Clare last year, only to go winless from there.
Even in 2019 and 2023, relatively promising starts against Clare and Limerick (narrow one- and two-point losses) were followed by a pair of heavy beatings.
Breaking down Waterford’s record, they have three wins and four defeats in round 1. It’s three draws and four defeats in round 2. Six straight defeats have arrived in round 3. In round 4, it’s been one dead-rubber win and five defeats.
In terms of those heavy beatings, the Déise have had no double-digit defeat in round 1, one in round 2, three in round 3, and three in round 4.
The clear pattern has been declining performance the longer the group stage has progressed.
Waterford have too often struggled to get their best team on the field. Injuries and departures have been a recurring factor.
Ballygunner’s success hasn’t translated to county level. Currently, four of their starting team hail from the 12-in-a-row domestic champions. They have whipped their local opposition into submission across 66 unbeaten games, with few realistic challengers to stop their chokehold. It’s almost 4,000 days since their last championship defeat back in 2015.
Waterford’s issues have been at both ends of the field.
In 2019 and ‘23, they averaged no more than 20 points per game in an era where 30 has become the target.
What’s more, their average concession across those 26 games has been exactly that: 30 points per game. And that’s while playing with an extra defender for several of those years.
The last four times Waterford have hit 30 points (including both times this season), their total against has been such that none have ended in a win. But for Billy Nolan’s All-Star form, they might’ve leaked more.
When it has been available, their Walsh Park results have been decent (three wins, two draws, four defeats). That record just emphasises its absence for the 2018 and ‘23 seasons.
Their away record has been deplorable, recording one dead-rubber win over Tipp amid 12 defeats. Perhaps belief has been dented by the growing catalogue of losses.
In 2018 and ‘19, Waterford simply weren’t at the level, with an average losing margin of 11 points per game.
In the Covid-hit knockout years under Liam Cahill, where the White and Blues were at their most competitive, 11-point defeats to Limerick broke their resistance.
Since then, they have been hurling in a Catch-22. When there have been defensive improvements, it has come at an attacking cost. Equally, attacking gains have been achieved at a defensive cost.
Shane Bennett has been played in the half-backs this year until reverting to the half-forwards last time out. Both days, he was the first man off. They need to get the best from the talented Ballysaggart man.
His brother, Stephen, has been in sublime form with 4-22 across two games (3-2 from play), accounting for more than half of their scores. Seán Walsh has added a potent focal point for him to play off. They should test a Cork defence shorn of their full- and centre-back pillars.
Calum Lyons and Jack Fagan have returned after time away, while Austin Gleeson is back contributing off the bench.
Aaron O’Neill, from the Ballygunner talent pipeline, and Fenor U20 Seán Mackey have been big additions. Mackey will surely start at midfield following his impact after returning to fitness against Tipp.
It’s not necessarily that they need to score more against Cork, but rather concede less without hurting their attacking output. That’s no easy feat.
The basic requirement to start with is maintaining consistency across 70 minutes.
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GAA Hurling Munster SHC Waterford GAA