MAGNIFICENT LISMORE

Deservedly the young ladies of Lismore Camogie Club get top billing this week as Clonmel Sportsfield saw them achieve a lifelong ambition of annexing an All-Ireland title when, on Sunday last, they overcame Ballyhale Shamrocks at the second attempt with a 3-8 to 0-7 win. Lismore were put to the pin of their collar in the drawn affair at Headquarters and only a late Shona Curran point saved the day for the Cathedral Town ladies. This was a much more clinical display from the Deise team despite the fact that the Kilkenny outfit had six of the famous Fennelly family in their starting lineup and made the better start leading throughout the opening half, a game changing goal from hat trick hero Caithriona McGlone before the break changed the course for Lismore. With team captain Shona Curran (0-2) and freetaker Aoife Hannon (0-6) punishing any indiscretion in the Shamrocks defence a second goal from Cathriona gave the West Waterford club a six point lead midway through the second half. If Waterford had their sharpshooters then Ballyhale also had their ace scorer in Kellyanne Cottrell who scored all seven points for them including six from placed balls. However Waterford were not going to be denied and a late goal, her hat trick, from Cathriona McGlone which sealed the win that saw unbridled scenes of joy at the end. There was a huge turnout for the homecoming back to the Cathedral Town and thoroughly deserved it certainly was. Well done ladies, I'm sure the day will live long in the memory and will be replayed over and over again.

FOOTBALLERS

The Waterford Senior Footballers gained their first win of the current Allianz National league when they deservedly beat promotion chasing Leitrim at Fraher Field Dungarvan on Saturday evening. It is probably the inconsistency of this Waterford outfit which sees them lagging in the bottom half of the table some six points behind tabletoppers Tipperary. What inconsistency you may well ask. Leitrim made the trip to the Old Boro with thoughts of being top of the table on Saturday night. Afterall Waterford had gone down to London the previous weekend. The Deise had struggled in their opening four outings accumulating just a point and that against one of the table toppers. That said, many believed that Niall Carew and his outfit are indeed capable of beating any of the others in the division. Conor Phelan opened the scoring for Waterford and Paul Whyte added a second within ten minutes. Leitrim through one point from James Clancy and one from Emlyn Mulligan tied the score. Paul Whyte and Emlyn Mulligan added a point each before the latter put Leitrim 0-4 to 0-3 in front. Another Mulligan free saw the visitors 0-5 to 0-3 ahead and when Ray Cox added a point it looked to be going the way of the favourites. Conor Phelan had a Waterford point but the pendulum swung towards the home side in the 33rd minute when full forward Shane Ahearne neatly placed the ball in the bottom corner. Almost immediately Waterford stretched the lead as JJ Hutchinson added another brace of points and the home side led 1-6 to 0-6 at the break. Struggling for periods in the opening half Waterford were finally beginning to show some excellent football prowess. Shane Briggs and Declan Allen added points for Waterford as Emlyn Mulligan added two for Leitrim 1-8 to 0-8. Mulligan who was the scorer in chief for Leitrim added a point in the 43rd minute but JJ Hutchinson did likewise for the hosts nine minutes later. Somehow a belief was running through the Waterford outfit. The Deise forwards were finding space and Declan Allen, Shane Ahearne (free) and Paul Whyte (free) extended the lead 1-12 to 0-9. The visitors shooting became erratic as Waterford defended every dangerous situation with huge determination. Shane Foley had a point for Leitrim but Shane Ahearne did likewise for Waterford 1-13 to 0-10. The final score was from the boot of Emlyn Mulligan as he pinpointed late in the game but Waterford by this time were home and dry. A huge boost for the deise as they face into two away games against Wicklow and Carlow. Indeed while manager Niall Carew and his backroom team will be hoping that the form shown on Saturday will continue for these concluding games but likewise they must be ready to pull their hair out at the inconsistency of their charges.

CHASTENING LESSON

Waterford travelled to Ennis on Sunday last for round four of the Allianz National Hurling League and despite their best efforts were well and truly beaten by All-Ireland champions Clare on a 5-18 to 0-20 scoreline. Indeed at half time with the score 4-15 to 0-4 it looked as though this would be a defeat of record proportions. The visitors opened brightly and two points from Paudie Mahony gave early signs that perhaps a win could be achieved. What followed was a collapse in the remaining thirty odd minutes of the half. Facing the wind and a lethal All-Ireland man of the match Shane O'Donnell the Banner literally ripped Waterford assunder but it must be said that the overworked defence while under huge pressure had very little chance against a team firing on all cylinders. Clare midfielder Patrick Donnellan was employed as an extra attacker with the wind at their backs but in the second half began to operate in a much more defensive role. The tactic paid rich dividends in that opening thirty odd minutes but bad as it was for the visitors they never gave up and outscored thair opponents 0-16 to 1-3 in the second half. One concern for Waterford bainisteoir Derek McGrath and the backroom team will be the lack of goals or more to the point the creating of goal chances. Pretty big mountain for a team not billowing the back of the net. That said the management will be pleased to see six or seven players get their name on the scoresheet. Paudie Mahony continues to excel in the scoring department and his freetaking is up there with the best. Brian O'Sullivan and Maurice Shanahan, when he was introduced after twenty five minutes, did themselves no harm in adding four and three points while Stephen Molumphy added a brace. All in all a very disappointing day out for the hurlers as they face Kilkenny in their final outing of the league stage on Sunday next at Nowlan Park. It is expected that Michael "Brick" Walsh will be available following his hugely contentious suspension. We will just wait and see. A win will see Waterford qualify. A draw or a loss and qualification is still possible depending on other results but that as they say is not for contemplating at this stage.