Of course ye could have, all Iām saying is itās not like it was a massive underperformance or failure or an indictment on the team or manager that ye didnāt, most people would have seen Galway as a stronger team at the time.
Not at all but it was still the best chance of an All Ireland in my lifetime (so far).
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To be honest Galway were probably 6 or 7 points the better team that day but Callanan practically threw one into his own net to keep Waterford in touch. First half was Galway popping over a procession of points from all angles and distances with Waterford getting 2 goals (including Callananās howler) pretty much out of nowhere to keep them in touch. Waterford had a good 3rd quarter and Kevin Moran badly skewed that point attempt that would have put them 2 up for the first time. After that Galway settled again and got the next 4 scores I think and got a bit of a lift off the bench with Niall Burke and Flynn contributing 2 points apiece. Even though there was only 3 points in it I never felt we were in danger of losing that game. Had Moran scored that point it might have been a sliding doors moment alright.
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Galwayās accuracy seemed to be unreal in 2017. Iād love to see the stats but it felt like they barely missed.
Contrast that to the woeful 2018 Final which must have set a world record for the number of wides. I remember being bored off my tree watching that one.
I think they were just physically and mentally spent by the time they got to the final in 18. The replays against Kilkenny and Clare killed them. Especially the 2 games and extra time against Clare in the semis.
Galway hit 6 wides in the 2017 final and 16 in 2018.
Thatās the difference.
Maybe if Waterford put as much pressure on the shooter as Limerick did theyād have won the all Ireland.
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Maybe. Some of the wides on both sides in the 2018 final were awful though.
Contrast that to standard of the 2014 Final when there wasnāt a wide in the second half until the late Bubbles free.
Exactly. Shit defending.
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Waterford were always known as the āgentle countyā prior to that match. RTE pushed the promo big time leading up to it, and stressed the Premier and Gentle sobriquets. iāve s distinct memory of the interviews on Sports Stadium on the Saturday prior with Noelie Crowley,Damien Byrne and Shiner Aherne where Waterfordās gentleness was mentioned more than once by the interviewer.
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Damien delivers my oil now. A great lad. Tough as nails but deceptively skilful. Remembered as a full back but played centre forward for the county as well and took the frees. Made his debut for Waterford against Kilkenny in the league in 1983. He was a 17 yr old marking Christy Heffernan. He got sent off and so did Kenās father Pat for whacking Noel Skehan, an act that was warmly welcomed by many of the Kilkenny fans in the large attendance.
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Like the great Richie McCarthy.
Very similar player with a similar cult following.
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Defending in 2014 final was shocking altogether. No wonder lads were scoring at ease. The pressure put on shots was what won Limerick the all ireland, they created a monstrous, suffocating system that little have been able to cope since that day.
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Ye are better than this.
A subdued looking Davy Fitzgerald was spotted at Toomeys Service Station, Monard this afternoon. No sign of Bomber or Gazzy.
I wonder is there some form of meeting in Waterford tonight to discuss his future.
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What Iāve heard from a few sources is that Davy canāt survive the debacle that has been 2023 and there will be a new man at the helm in 2024. There is some talk that he could even be gone by the Tipperary game.
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Kevin Morans wide killed all the momentum that dsy
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You seem very excersised by the state of WD hurling, thereās a litany of moans on this thread, as a proud subject of his majesty I donāt understand why youāre bothered with Paddyās stick fighting.