Big difference in cork’s short passing running game 10 years and Waterford’s stacked defence or even Clare’s system.
Clare and Waterford both mixing things up with long balls to target men up front too.
And it’s been said numerous times that Clare’s style of play in 2013 was designed to combat kilkenny’s/other team’s strengths, ie Clare’s relative lack of ability to compete in the air and win 50/50 tussles for the ball, hence a focus on breaking the ball down and winning it on the ground and on retaining possession.
Waterford went long with most of their puck outs on Sunday. In fact when Maurice came on and we had the wind in the second period of extra time every puck out went very long on top of Maurice and one good goal chance ensued. I’d imagine we will be mixing it up a good bit come the Championship depending on personnel. If Mahony were to come back (not a given due to the severity of the injury) we could have a physically formidable forward line of
Walsh Mahony Devine
Bennett Maurice Curran
I’d imagine if we did that we’d play a different type of game. In large part our game is driven by the type of players we have available. Devine is a fine impact sub but struggles to make an impact when he starts. When he comes on we go long. Dunford and Dillon are different types of players and don’t offer anything in the air so there is no point in bombing a ball down on top of them. I’d imagine it’s a horses for courses thing which will evolve as the team evolves, matures and gains in physical strength.
I’ve no problem with Waherfurds style. They are cutting their cloth to suit their strengths which is fine. However I hope they are beaten to death come the Championship as it is horrendous to watch and will ruin hurling if it’s successful as, even if it doesn’t suit their players at all, other counties will look to emulate it.
Football is only starting to recover from the blanket defence
That would be the impression you’d get from watching the last day. So are Clare horses for courses then? As in they are going to change up with every team they encounter, be tough to pull off but impressive if they could. Do they mirror what they play? You play short, we play short? Or did Waterford just suck them down to their level.
Waterford seem to be stricter example of short passing which I can’t see being capable of bringing a team all the way.
I’m sure all teams believe they can play many styles but when under pressure people fall back into comfortable old habits. And a lot of that recently manifests itself in hot potato passes to nearest player even if you have enough room to strike it yourself.
I’d love a team to come up with something totally new. Before anyone asks, I don’t know what it is either.
They’ll develop their attack to go with it over the next while though. Their forward options are a lot better this year than last already. Having both Shanahan and Mahony fit and on form together will be a huge boost and the likes of Dunford and Curran are going to develop and improve more and more the next while. When they’ve a full complement it’ll allow them go a bit more attacking.
This was the first time we have played Waterford under their current style of play as we have been in different divisions in the league and the fact that we are playing them in a few weeks time in the championship Clare were happy to go out and take them on at their own game and go toe for toe to see what they learned. I would be very surprised if we hurl the same way in June against Waterford that we did last Sunday or next weekend for that matter.
With the return of Conlon and David Mc to the team will allow greater flexibility in terms of our style of play and how we match up against teams.
