Forwards were never an issue for WD, it getting a FB line together is their constant failing.
Forwards are their issue at the moment
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They generally can defend
Daithi has an all Ireland club football final to think about too .
Just stop.
Conceded three goals in last yearās championship
Waterford have lots of good forwards. The issue is that there is rarely more than two of them playing in the forward line at any given time.
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Who are these loads of good forwards? They donāt have one top class forward, Tipp have three or four, Galway have three probably
No one has as good a set of forwards as Tipp.
Paraic Mahony, Kevin Moran, Austin, Shane Bennett, Devine, Pat Curran and Stephen Bennett are good forwards. They rarely get to show it because they are generally outnumbered. Dj Foran was outstanding for UCD in Fitzgibbon and has the makings of a top player too.
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Waterford have some decent forwards but lack a really classy, consistent scoring one. McGrath also seems to be too choppy changey with them too. Dillon, Dunford, Curran etc all either seem to be flavour of the month and nailed on starters or little or no gametime over the last couple of seasons and nothing in between.
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Thereās no way of knowing if Stephen Bennett, Devine or Curran are good enough at this level, some of that is down to the system but you canāt just say they are good forwards at intercounty level without any proof. Pauric Mahoney is a nice hurler but a real luxury player at times. Aussie isnāt really a forward and is very hot and cold up there. Shane Bennett isnāt on the panel this year iirc. Kevin Moran is good but heās into his 30ās now also. That forward line isnāt good enough to win an All Ireland and McGrath is doing well to get them so close
Theyāre all adequate but no more, Moran has been an outstanding hurler for many years, but in the workhorse mod for the most part, Mahony is a great free taker and scorer when he has space and handy ball, Ozzie could be great. They canāt compete with the top 2 sets of forwards,
When Aussie is hot he is red hot. I think Devine, Curran and Stephen Bennett have shown enough at under age and Fitzgibbon to indicate they have what it takes. I forgot Maurice too. I think the forwards are good enough but the full back line is probably not hence Derek plays the system he does. I was not intending to be critical of Derek. I think he is a very decent man giving it everything he has.
Showing it at underage and Fitzgibbon isnāt enough. Coughlan is the issue, the two corner backs are fine
I think Devane will be easily enough managed on a fast summer pitch. His technique and striking are pretty slow.
Surely itās time for Shanahan to play a full part from the start again rather than being one of the forward impact subs.
After the defeat to Cork in Munster last year, they pretty much lined up with Barron and Moran in midfield and then a half forward line from right to left of Walsh, Gleeson and Mahony, and an inside two of Bennett and Dillon.
Will Walsh start this year? Whatās their best 5 assuming they play De Burca in the free role at the back again? Could one or two of OāHalloran, Devine, the Tommy chap or Shanahan start ahead of Walsh (if time ultimately catches up with him) and/or Dillon and improve it?
If they persist with the Sweeper system then Thomas Ryan inside with Maurice could work but then again, tie him down & they are back to square one.
Moran excelled last season breaking forward for them getting important scores & goals but will he still be able for that this season?
Brick again, can he keep rolling back the years.
Top players (often with huge egos) do think like that though.
So much so that itās unlikely to happen again.
Burke seems like a particularly strong character
No its not.
They have 2/3 parts of an excellent FB line.
Their problem is not scoring goals or enough long range points