Waterford GAA
Encyclopedia
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association
(GAA) or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards
of the GAA in Ireland
, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games
in County Waterford
. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county board's offices are based at Walsh Park
, Waterford City. The Waterford County Board was founded in 1886.
Hurling
is generally regarded the dominant sport, with the county having won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
twice. While Gaelic Football
is the secondary sport in the county, it is widely played nonetheless. Waterford's greatest achievement in Gaelic Football was reaching the 1898 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
final, losing to Dublin
.
at all levels in County Waterford
, Ireland
. This includes the sports of hurling
, gaelic football
, Gaelic handball
and rounders
. The board officiates over both senior and underage competitions and both championship and league competitions in the county. The board is also responsible for both hurling
and gaelic football
inter-county teams. The county is known prominently as The Déise after the name of an ancient Irish kingdom which covered a vast part of modern County Waterford
.
previously made the jersey up to 2002. Waterford hurling & football are presently sponsored by 3
, and have been since 2010.
While today's jersey is white with blue trim, Waterford's jersey was originally Royal Blue and White, with white shorts and blue socks. The change to today's jersey was made in 1936. Today, Waterford uses a blue jersey as its second jersey in case of a clash of colours.
The present crest was introduced in 2009 and features three viking
longboats
from the crest of Waterford City, and a representation of the round tower
in Ardmore
. The crest introduced in 2009 was a further refinement of a crest introduced in 2003. The new crest replaced the original crest of Waterford City. The new crest was introduced as the Waterford GAA board were unable to copyright the old one due to it being a civil crest.
and played in the Munster Championship
for the first time in 1888, losing to Cork on a score of 2-8 to 0-0. The next fourteen years would consist of walkovers, first round defeats and not entering the competition at all. Waterford would finally win a championship match for the first time in 1903, defeating Kerry
by 5-6 to 2-9. In their first Munster final, which did not take place until 1904, Waterford would lose to Cork. The following years led to another series of opening Munster championship match defeats and the occasional walkover, and Waterford would not win another senior championship match until 1925 when Clare
were defeated, only for Tipperary
to beat them in only their second Munster final.
At this stage, Waterford was still the only county in Munster
not to have won the provincial or All-Ireland hurling
title, but there were signs of improvement. The minor hurlers reached the first ever Munster final
in 1928, losing to Cork. They would make up for this defeat the following year against Tipperary and would defeat Meath
in the All-Ireland final
. The junior hurlers secured the county's first ever adult silverware in 1931, winning both the Munster
and All-Ireland
titles. They would repeat this feat in 1934.
At senior level, the county was edging ever closer to Munster success, with the 1931 team drawing with Cork in the final only to lose the replay by 15 points. A fifth Munster final appearance ended when the match against Limerick
was abandoned due to crowd encroachment late on with Limerick leading by 11 points. The title was awarded to Limerick, who would defeat Waterford again in the 1934 decider.
, where they went down to Dublin
in Croke Park
by 2-5 (11) to 1-6 (9). The following year, Waterford played in their first National Hurling League
final, losing to Dublin by 1-8 (11) to 1-4 (7).
If Limerick had proven to be Waterford’s nemesis in the 1930s, defeating Waterford again in 1940 on their way to another All-Ireland, the 1940s belonged to Cork who would win the All-Ireland four years running from 1941 to 1944 and again in 1946, defeating Waterford in 1943, 1946 and 1947.
By 1948 though, Waterford’s time had finally come. Defeating Clare by two points in the Munster semi-final, the margin was even narrower in the Munster final against Cork, Waterford prevailing by a score of 4-7 (19) to 3-9 (18). Galway were overcome in the All-Ireland semi-final, and Dublin – containing RTÉ
broadcaster Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin
in the half-forward line – were well beaten, on a score of 6-7 (25) to 4-2 (14). Waterford had won the Liam McCarthy Cup
at last. To add to the joy of 1948, the Minor team would win the county’s second Munster and All-Ireland titles, defeating Tipperary (3-6 to 0-3) and Kilkenny
(3-8 to 4-2) respectively.
Limerick relieved Waterford of their titles in the first defence in 1949, defeating them by five points in the Munster semi-final. The early 1950s saw Waterford come up against Tipperary and Cork teams at the peak of their powers, and Waterford would not reach another Munster final until 1957.
By this time, Waterford had the nucleus of a team that would contest hurling’s major prizes with Tipperary and Kilkenny for the next six years. A close fought victory over Limerick in the semi-final (4-12 to 5-5) saw Waterford into the Munster final where they defeated a Cork team shorn of Christy Ring
due to injury on a score of 1-11 (14) to 1-6 (9). Galway were once again defeated in the semi-final, and Kilkenny waited in the final. The game had a few unusual events. Kilkenny paraded around the pitch with sixteen players as British actor John Gregson
was being recorded for his role in the film Rooney. The game saw Amhrán na bhFiann
being played at the start of the second half as the referee threw the ball in to start the game before the Artane Boys Band had started the anthem. Waterford led the match 1-6 to 1-5 at half-time and had extended that lead to six points with ten minutes to go, but Kilkenny overtook Waterford with two goals and a point to leave them winners on a score of 4-10 (22) to 3-12 (21).
1958 was the first year Waterford won through to the Munster final having won it the previous year, a win over Kerry setting up the shot at a repeat victory. However, Tipperary were convincing winners on a score of 4-12 (24) to 1-5 (8). Tipperary would also defeat Waterford in the county’s second National Hurling League final appearance in 1959 by seven points. Galway were the first opponents in that year’s Munster championship, and the Tribesmen were well beaten, 7-11 (32) to 0-8. Tipperary were waiting in the semi-final, where they choose to play against a stiff first-half breeze. Waterford took full advantage of this, scoring 8-2 in the first half without reply, and eventually winning 9-3 (30) to 3-4 (13). The county’s fourth Munster title was secured with a three point win over Cork in Thurles. In the All-Ireland final, Kilkenny would make life difficult for Waterford with a string of goals, and with minutes remaining Waterford found themselves in the incredible position of having outscored Kilkenny by seven yet still being three points behind. But Seamus Power’s late goal ensured a draw, 1-17 to 5-5. Waterford did not repeat those mistakes in the replay, securing the county’s second All-Ireland title, 3-12 (21) to 1-10 (13).
Tipperary got their revenge in the 1960 Munster semi-final for the remarkable scoreline the previous year, and they continued to make life hard for Waterford in 1961, beating Waterford in that year’s League final by 6-6 (24) to 4-9 (21). Cork defeated Waterford in the 1961 Munster championship, and while wins over Clare and Cork saw Waterford into the 1962 final, Tipperary hammered Waterford by 20 points to secure a third successive Munster title.
The 1963 League final against Tipperary – the ‘Home’ final as the winners were due to meet New York
for the title proper – was much closer, with Waterford winning a thrilling match by 2-15 (21) to 4-7. There was to be no such free-scoring the 1963 Munster final though, reached after a six point in over Limerick in the semi-final., Waterford edging a tense affair by 0-11 to 0-8, a result that would be Tipperary’s only senior championship defeat between 1961 and 1965, effectively denying them a 'five-in-a-row'. In the All-Ireland final, Kilkenny were inspired by a 14 point haul from Eddie Keher
to a 4-17 (29) to 6-8 (26) victory. There was some consolation for Waterford in the National Hurling League final ‘proper’, where after a scare in a drawn first game (3-6 to 3-6) Waterford won the replay against New York by 3-10 (19) to 1-10 (13).
, defeated Waterford in the 1966 Munster final. Despite gaining their revenge in the first round of the 1967 Munster championship, Waterford were beginning to struggle. Defeat followed in the Munster semi-final to Tipperary, and Waterford would not win another championship match until 1974.
1974 was a brighter year for Waterford, as the seniors shocked Cork in the first round of the Munster championship, and were only beaten by one point by defending All-Ireland champions Limerick in the semi-final. John Galvin won the county’s first All Star
award. The county also secured its first ever victory in the Munster Under-21 championship
, defeating Clare by 2-5 (11) to 1-3 (6) in the final. Antrim
were well beaten in the semi-final to set up another All-Ireland final against Kilkenny, only to see Kilkenny come out winners by a narrow margin once again, 3-8 (17) to 3-7 (16).
However, 1974 was a brief respite on a downward slide for Waterford hurling. A Cork team about to embark on a three-in-a-row of All-Ireland success hammered Waterford by 22 points in the first round in 1975, and the only county Waterford would beat in the Munster championship over the following six years was Kerry. The only bright spot at senior inter county level would be Mossy Walsh’s All Star award in 1980. Mount Sion would also win the county’s first Munster club title, defeating South Liberties of Limerick in the final. James Stephens
of Kilkenny would defeat Mount Sion by 3-13 (22) to 3-8 (17) in the All-Ireland final.
1982 was the beginning of one of the blackest periods in Waterford’s hurling history. An unbeaten run in the league stage of the National League was ended only after a replay in the semi-final by Kilkenny, and a one-point over defending Munster champions Limerick in the semi-final raised hopes that a 23-year wait for Munster success was about to come to an end. But in their first Munster final appearance since 1966, Waterford were humiliated by Cork, losing by 5-31 (46) to 3-6 (15). There was individual reward in the form of All Star awards for Jim Greene and John Galvin (his second), but the disappointment of that year was compounded in 1983. Having overcome a young Tipperary side seeking their county’s first championship win in eight years, Waterford were back in the Munster final only to be crushed by Cork again, 3-22 (31) to 0-12.
The Centenary year
saw relegation to Division Two of the National Hurling League, a quarter-final defeat to Galway
in the Centenary Cup
and a one point defeat to Clare in the Munster championship. Waterford would have to wait until 1989 to win another championship match, a period which would see them relegated to Division Three of the National Hurling League. Waterford would return immediately to Division Two and reach successive League semi-finals in 1987 and 1988, where they were heavily defeated by Galway and Tipperary respectively. 1989 would see a revival in Waterford’s fortunes as Clare were beaten by 15 points in the Munster first round then Cork were overcome in the semi-final after two exciting matches. Having let a lead slip in the first game to draw 0-18 each, Waterford reached the Munster final with a two point win. However, the final was a reminder of those grim days in the early 1980s. Waterford had two players sent off as they slumped to a 0-26 to 2-8 (14) defeat in the 100th Munster final against Tipperary. Cork would end Waterford’s interest in the next two championships by a large margin (17 points in 1990) and a small margin (three points in 1991).
was a relatively good one for the seniors, defeating Clare
after a replay and only losing by three points to Limerick in the semi-final. It was the underage sides though that would provide Waterford with its best year in nearly three decades. The minor hurlers, playing in their first Munster final since 1968, needed a last minute Paul Flynn
goal to secure a draw, Waterford’s 4-7 to Tipperary's 3-10. Between that drawn game and the replay, the Under-21s defeated a Ger Loughnane
-managed Clare team by 0-17 to 1-12 (15). The jubilation had barely subsided from that win before the Minors defeated Tipperary in the replay, 2-10 to 0-14. With victories in each grade over Antrim in the semi-finals, a new generation of Waterford fans got to visit Croke Park
for the first time. The Minor final ended in a disappointing defeat to Galway
, 1-13 (16) to 2-4 (10). The Under-21 final against Offaly
was staged a few weeks later in Nowlan Park
, Kilkenny. 0-9 to 0-4 down at half-time, a second half hat-trick of goals from Seán Daly kept Waterford in touch before a late goal from Paul Flynn looked to have secured victory for Waterford. Two late Offaly points ensured a replay on a final score of 4-4 to 0-16. The replay once again had Offaly in front at half-time, 2-3 (9) to 0-6. Waterford held their opponents scoreless in the second half and a late flurry of points secured a 0-12 to 2-3 (9) victory and a first ever All-Ireland Under-21 hurling championship title.
The progress represented by these underage successes was interrupted in the first round of the Munster championship in 1993 as Kerry
won in Walsh Park
by 4-13 (25) to 3-13 (22), the Kingdom’s first senior hurling championship win since 1926. The next few years would be frustratingly unfulfilling for a county expecting great things after the events of 1992. A narrow defeat to Limerick
in 1994 was followed by a big defeat in 1995 to Tipperary
, a year which saw another heavy National League semi-final defeat to a Clare
team on its way to a first All-Ireland success in 81 years with much of the team beaten by the Under-21s in 1992. The Under 21s had also beaten Clare in the 1994 Munster final, before losing by 2-21 (27) to 3-6 (15) in an unusual Munster-Leinster
all-Ireland semi-final pairing. The minors reached three finals in a row between 1994 and 1996, but were well beaten in each one.
A close loss to Tipperary in Walsh Park in the 1996 Munster semi-final suggested there might be life in the 1992 generation. The appointment of former Cork All-Ireland winning trainer Gerald McCarthy as Waterford manager was seen as a statement of intent on the part of the County Board. A poor first half performance cost them dear in the first round against Limerick in 1997, but the introduction of the hurling ‘back door’ gave Waterford extra incentive to perform well in the 1998 championship, especially with a relatively kind draw in Munster. An excellent run in the National League saw Waterford reach their first final since 1963, laying the semi-final hoodoo with a five point win over Limerick. A tight match in the final saw Cork pull away for a flattering win by 2-14 (20) to 0-13. The morale that had been raised on the back of that run in the League was nearly squandered as Waterford needed a late flurry of point to secure an even more flattering eight points win against Kerry. Despite this, confidence was high going into a semi-final that, due to the Munster finalists being guaranteed a place in the All-Ireland series, had an extra frisson of tension. The Waterford hurlers did not disappoint, securing a 0-21 to 2-12 (18) win over Tipperary. Waterford were back in the Munster final and heading for Croke Park.
The 1998 Munster final was memorable on many levels. On a windy day in Thurles
, Waterford struggled to keep in touch with Clare, All-Ireland champions for two of the previous three years, but when Paul Flynn fired a free to the net with the match entering injury time to level the scores, Waterford had a golden opportunity to win it from a 100 metre free. Flynn’s effort drifted wide but the replay was much anticipated by a crowd enthralled by the draw. The replay was an unpleasant affair, a chaotic throw-in eventually leading to the suspension of Clare hurler Colin Lynch, a decision that would leave much bad feeling between the two counties, and the sending off of Brian Lohan
and Micheal White early in the game set the tone for the match itself. Clare would eventually run out comprehensive 2-16 (22) to 0-10 winners, and Waterford had to play Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-finals a week later.
On the back of two hard matches on the previous Sundays, Waterford were underdogs against Galway
. But Waterford dominated from start to finish, ending up easy winners by 1-20 (23) to 1-10 (13). This set up a first championship meeting with Kilkenny in 35 years, and a low-scoring game saw Waterford battle back from being six points down midway through the second half to only lose by a point. Incredibly, Waterford had scored five more points over the course of their four championship ties with Kilkenny, yet the record was 3-1 to the Cats. The season ended with Tony Browne
winning his first All Star and also the Hurler of the Year award.
Expectations were once again high in Waterford in 1999. They seemed to be justified when they secured a narrow one-point win over Limerick, their first win over Limerick since 1982. Waterford found themselves in the unusual position of being favourites against Cork, but a poor Waterford effort and a spectacular eight points from play from Michael O’Connell in the Cork midfield left Waterford losers on a score of 0-24 to 1-15 (18). Another good run in the 2000 National Hurling League
ended once again in the semi-finals, this time to Galway, and Waterford went out of the Munster championship with a whimper, beaten 0-17 to 0-14 by Tipperary. The Gerald McCarthy era, which had promised so much, ended in a cruel manner against Limerick
in 2001. Waterford raced into a 2-6 (12) to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes, but Limerick hung in and scored three goals in the last ten minutes to break Waterford’s resistance, winning in the end by 4-11 (23) to 2-14 (20).
It was with this unpromising setup that another former All-Ireland winner with Cork, Justin McCarthy
became manager. An unremarkable League performance did not suggest Waterford were ready to topple Cork, but despite having a five point second half lead eroded to nothing late in the game, Waterford held their nerve to score a late point from Ken McGrath
and a 1-16 (19) to 1-15 (18) victory. The reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions Tipperary were warm favourites in the Munster final
that followed. A spectacular display of shooting from Waterford gave the Déise a 2-23 (29) to 3-12 (21) victory that was more impressive than the final margin of eight points suggested. Waterford were confident of adding the All-Ireland crown to this first Munster title in 39 years. Despite a flying start in the semi-final against Clare, they eventually faded to lose by three points. The season was still a success from a Waterford perspective, and Fergal Hartley
, Eoin Kelly
and Ken McGrath were selected for All Star awards.
Waterford began the defence of their sixth Munster title with an easy win over Kerry before meeting Limerick a match where, unusually among modern GAA championship matches, no cameras were present due to a fire safety issue at Thurles, thus ensuring only those who were there got to enjoy a thrilling tie, with Waterford as in 2001 racing into an early lead only to be hauled back by Limerick. The match ended level, 4-13 (25) each, but the televised replay was an anti-climax, with Waterford hanging on for a 1-13 (16) to 0-14 victory. The Munster final against Cork featured a hat-trick of goals from a player on the losing team, in this case John Mullane
of Waterford. They had failed to make a first half breeze count and, despite the heroics from Mullane, Cork won by four points, 3-16 (25) to 3-12 (21). John Mullane’s performance would be pivotal in him securing Waterford’s sole All Star for the year, as the season petered out in the All-Ireland series with a disappointing 1-20 (23) to 0-18 defeat in Waterford’s first ever championship match with Wexford
.
The 2004 National League saw Waterford reach their seventh final, secured by finishing top of a second phase of group games thanks to a late equalising point from Paul Flynn against Tipperary. There was more disappointment though as Galway were convincing 2-15 (21) to 1-13 (16) winners. To regain the Munster title, Waterford were going to have to do it the hard way by beating Clare
and Tipperary
just to reach the final. A measure of revenge for 1998 was secured against Clare as Waterford sensationally trounced the Banner County by 3-21 (30) to 1-8 (11), a performance illuminated by a hat-trick of goals from Dan Shanahan
. The semi-final was a much tighter affair, with a late goal from sub Paul O’Brien needed to beat Tipperary by 4-10 (22) to 2-15 (21). The final against Cork was hailed to be one of the best Munster finals with a match that ebbed and flowed turned on an audacious dipping medium range free from Paul Flynn
that surprised the Cork backs for a goal. Waterford secured their seventh Munster title with one point, 1-21 (24) to 3-15 (25), win. The All-Ireland semi-final saw another clash with Kilkenny and another three point defeat, a first half salvo of three goals giving Waterford a mountain that proved too difficult to climb. Gallingly for Waterford, Kilkenny had come through the All-Ireland series, and would lose out in the final to Cork who themselves had come through the ‘back door’. Paul Flynn’s tally of 0-13 against Kilkenny would copperfasten his first All Star award, with Dan Shanahan getting his first and Ken McGrath winning his second, only the second Waterford man after John Galvin to win multiple All Stars.
For the most part, 2005 and 2006 saw Waterford go backwards under Justin McCarthy. A narrow defeat to Cork in the Munster semi-final left Waterford in a round robin group in the All-Ireland qualifiers, where facile wins over Dublin and Offaly were rendered moot by a 4-14 (26) to 0-21 defeat to Clare in the final group match in Ennis
. This left Waterford with a more difficult quarter-final against Cork, in which stout Waterford resistance was ended five minutes from the end by a Brian Corcoran
goal, Cork eventually winning by 1-18 (21) to 1-13 (16). An eight point defeat by Tipperary in the 2006 Munster championship, Waterford’s largest championship defeat in eight years, suggested Waterford were in decline, but a 1-25 (28) to 2-20 (26) win over Galway in the qualifiers, allied with comfortable wins over Westmeath
and Laois
, gave Waterford another shot at Tipperary in the quarter-finals. This time they took their second chance, surviving a late Tipperary rally to win by 1-22 (25) to 3-13 (22). Cork stood between Waterford and the final, and another tension-filled match saw Cork overhaul Waterford in the last ten minutes. Waterford kept in touch to the point where a late Ken McGrath free from his own half could have given Waterford a draw, but Cork goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack
took the risk of blocking the ball from going over the bar and Cork held on for a one point win. Eoin Murphy
won his first All Star award, while Dan Shanahan
and Tony Browne
both won their second award, Browne his first in eight years.
Justin McCarthy
secured another year in charge on the back of the performance in 2006, and after an indifferent run in the group stages of the 2007 National League
which say Waterford just qualify for the quarter-finals, there was little to suggest a successful year. But tight wins over Tipperary and Cork saw Waterford into another League final, and with the scores level going into injury time in the final against Kilkenny
, two late points gave Waterford a 0-20 to 0-18 victory and only their second National League title. Waterford’s winning ways continued with a three point win over Cork in the Munster semi-final in a game overshadowed by the suspension of three Cork players in a brawl that took place before their first round win over Clare. In the final against Limerick, Dan Shanahan
scored three second half goals as Waterford won the Munster title for the eighth time. The Intermediate hurling team also won the Munster title
for the very first time, although they would eventually lose to Wexford
in the All-Ireland final
.
A shock loss by Cork at the hands of Tipperary
in the qualifiers meant Waterford had to face a full-strength Cork in the quarter-finals. Ahead for most of the game, Waterford once again found themselves behind as the match entered injury time, but a Stephen Molumphy
goal and a controversial pointed free from Eoin Kelly, after Donal Óg Cusack
was penalised for lying on the ball in the small square gave Waterford a second chance. A week later, two Dan Shanahan
goals proved instrumental in giving Waterford a 2-17 (23) to 0-20 win. Waterford had only one week to prepare for an All-Ireland semi-final rematch with Limerick
and this time it was Limerick
who got off to a flying start, leading by ten points inside the first ten minutes. Waterford would cut the gap to a point late in the second half but frailties in the full back line were punished by Limerick with late goals to give them a 5-11 (26) to 2-15 (21) win, condemning Waterford to their fifth All-Ireland semi-final loss in ten years. The season ended on an upbeat note with a record five All Star awards, Tony Browne
and Ken McGrath
winning their third awards, Dan Shanahan
his third also, and Stephen Molumphy
and Michael Walsh
their first. Shanahan was further rewarded by being named undisputed Hurler of the Year
.
Waterford started off the year with a Munster Championship first round clash with Clare GAA
at the Gaelic Grounds
, Limerick
on 1 June 2008. Waterford, missing a number of first team regulars such as Ken McGrath
, Eoin Kelly
and Eoin Murphy
succumbed to a youthful Clare team on a scoreline of Waterford 0-23 Clare 2-26. Soon after the game, manager, Justin McCarthy
was fired from his position by the Waterford County Board. It was rumoured at the time that player unrest had a lot to do with the decision. The Waterford County Board acted quickly and appointed former Clare
goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald
as new Waterford manager on 10 June 2008. The loss to Clare sent Waterford into the All-Ireland Qualifier Series. The first round match against Antrim GAA
saw the return of both Ken McGrath and Eoin Kelly. Davy Fitzgerald
started his Waterford managerial career with the unusual decision of placing Ken McGrath at full back in order to strengthen the full back line. The decision paid off and the match turned out to be a complete mismatch, with Waterford running out winners on a scoreline of Waterford 6-18 Antrim 0-15.
Waterford were then pitted against Offaly GAA
in their Phase 4 Qualifier on 19 July 2008 at Semple Stadium
, Thurles
. After a stern test in the first 60 minutes, Waterford eventually pulled away towards the end winning on a scoreline of Waterford 2-18 Offaly 0-18. This resulted in Waterford reaching the All-Ireland Quarter Finals and a match-up against Leinster runners-up Wexford GAA
. This was a competitive match which tooed and froed from one side to the other. However, a late barrage of points saw Waterford over the line by 2-19 to 3-15. The win against Wexford lead Waterford to their sixth All-Ireland Semi-Final since 1998. The opponents would be a highly fancied Tipperary GAA
, who were reigning National Hurling League
and Munster
champions. Waterford started a blistering page, going 6 points to nil up after only 10 minutes. However, Tipperary were level going in at half time. Both teams scored goals in rapid succession in the 2nd half. Waterford's nerve held and they managed to win by two points on a scoreline of Waterford 1-20 Tipperary 1-18. It was Waterford's first semi-final win since 1963 and brought to an end a run of 5 consecutive semi-final defeats. They met Kilkenny in the all-Ireland final, but they failed to perform to their potential and were heavily beaten. The inter-county year ended with Eoin Kelly
being named as the Déise's only all-star.
Waterford played Limerick in the Semi Final of the Munster Championship in Thurles on June 14. The game was not a good game with players referring to the sliotar as being like a bar of soap. The match ended in a draw 1-8 to 0-11 and is said to be the worst Munster Championship game in modern times. The replay took place the following Saturday evening. Waterford were comfortable winners on a scoreline of 0-25 to 0-17. Waterford played Tipperary in the Munster Final on July 12 in Thurles, having agreed to play the game there to mark the 125th anniversary of the foundation of the GAA in the town. Waterford never looked like they were going to win and lost by four points on a scoreline of 4-14 to 2-16. A positive result on the day was the Waterford minor hurlers' victory over Tipperary, the county's first Munster championship success in the grade since 1992.
Waterford went into the All-Ireland Quarter-Final again Galway as outsiders. Having struggled throughout the game, with John Mullane
not scoring until the last minute, Waterford eventually emerged one-point winners in an exciting finish. Dan Shanahan
came on as a sub with 4 minutes to go and proved to be Waterford's saviour, setting up fellow substitute Shane Walsh
to score the only goal of the game before winning a vital free for Eoin Kelly to convert. Mullane's point set up a semi-final clash with reigning three-time champions Kilkenny. Despite two goals from Shane Walsh, Kilkenny led for most of the game and eventually won by five points before going on to win their fourth title in a row.
Waterford started out by winning the Waterford Crystal Cup
, their first since 1998. They defeated Clare in the Munster Semi-Final and won their ninth Munster title when they defeated Cork after extra time with a cracking goal from Dan Shanahan in a replay in Thurles. The All-Ireland semi-final saw them lose at that stage for the seventh time in thirteen years, beaten by seven points by Tipperary.
Squad as per Waterford vs Clare (Munster Semi Final 2010)
are the current Waterford Senior Hurling Champions after beating Lismore
1-17 to 0-19 in the 2009 final replay.
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The Waterford Senior Football Team's greatest achievement is reaching the All-Ireland Final in 1898, losing to Dublin
on a scoreline of 2-08 to 0-04. They were represented by :Erins Hope Dungarvan. In recent times, the county has twice won the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship
. In 2003, it created a major shock in winning the Munster Under-21 Football Championship, beating Kerry
in the final.
On 20 May 2007, the Waterford Senior Team broke a 19-year run without a championship win, defeating challengers Clare
at Fraher Field, Dungarvan
by 1-06 to 0-07. The starting team fielded by manager John Kiely consisted of:
Tom Wall; Justin Walsh, Thomas O'Gorman, Shane Briggs: John Phelan, Edmond Rockett, Paul Ogle; Mick Ahern, John Hurney; Brian Wall, Gary Hurney
, Ger Power; Wayne Hennessy, Andy Hubbord and Liam O'Lonain.
League Promotion
In 2010, after going so close to promotion in previous years Waterford went unbeaten in the league (beating Leitrim, London, Kilkenny, Limerick, Clare and Wicklow and secured draws against Longford and Carlow), but in the final had to give second best to Limerick at Croke Park.
Squad as per Waterford vs Cork (Munster Quarter Final 2009)
by 0-12 to 0-8 in the 2008 final.
. They won the All-Ireland Junior Camogie Championship
of 2011. Notable players include soaring star award winners Karen Kelly
and Áine Lyng
.
Under Camogie’s National Development Plan 2010-2015, “Our Game, Our Passion,” five new camogie clubs are to be established in the county by 2015.
five times.
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
(GAA) or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards
GAA county
A Gaelic Athletic Association county is a geographic region within the Gaelic Athletic Association , controlled by a county board and originally based on the counties of Ireland as they were in 1884. While the counties of Ireland have changed since the foundation of that date, the GAA counties have...
of the GAA in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games
Gaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
in County Waterford
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county board's offices are based at Walsh Park
Walsh Park
Walsh Park is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Waterford, Ireland named after Willie Walsh, a well-known referee and long time campaigner for Gaelic games in Waterford It is the home of the Waterford Gaelic football and hurling teams. The ground currently has a capacity of 17,000...
, Waterford City. The Waterford County Board was founded in 1886.
Hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
is generally regarded the dominant sport, with the county having won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
twice. While Gaelic Football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
is the secondary sport in the county, it is widely played nonetheless. Waterford's greatest achievement in Gaelic Football was reaching the 1898 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
final, losing to Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
.
General
Founded in 1886, the Waterford GAA board administers Gaelic GamesGaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
at all levels in County Waterford
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. This includes the sports of hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
, gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
, Gaelic handball
Gaelic handball
Gaelic handball is a sport similar to Basque pelota, racquetball, squash and American handball . It is one of the four Gaelic games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association...
and rounders
Rounders
Rounders is a game played between two teams of either gender. The game originated in England where it was played in Tudor times. Rounders is a striking and fielding team game that involves hitting a small, hard, leather-cased ball with a round wooden, plastic or metal bat. The players score by...
. The board officiates over both senior and underage competitions and both championship and league competitions in the county. The board is also responsible for both hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
and gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
inter-county teams. The county is known prominently as The Déise after the name of an ancient Irish kingdom which covered a vast part of modern County Waterford
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
.
Colours and crest
Waterford's present colours are white and blue. Both inter-county teams play in white shirts, with blue trim along with blue shorts and blue socks. Prior to 2004, the county wore white shorts. The present jerseys are manufactured by local Waterford company, Azzurri Sportswear. O'NeillsO'Neills
O'Neills Irish International Sports Company Ltd. was established in 1918. It is the largest manufacturer of sportswear in Ireland and has manufacturing plants in Dublin and Strabane....
previously made the jersey up to 2002. Waterford hurling & football are presently sponsored by 3
Hutchison 3G
3 is a brand name under which several UMTS-based mobile phone networks and Broadband Internet Providers are operated in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom...
, and have been since 2010.
The present crest was introduced in 2009 and features three viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
longboats
Longship
Longships were sea vessels made and used by the Vikings from the Nordic countries for trade, commerce, exploration, and warfare during the Viking Age. The longship’s design evolved over many years, beginning in the Stone Age with the invention of the umiak and continuing up to the 9th century with...
from the crest of Waterford City, and a representation of the round tower
Irish round tower
Irish round towers , Cloigthithe – literally "bell house") are early medieval stone towers of a type found mainly in Ireland, with three in Scotland and one on the Isle of Man...
in Ardmore
Ardmore
Ardmore comes from the or the , meaning "great height", and may refer to:-Places:Canada:*Ardmore, Alberta*Ardmore Beach, a community in Tiny, OntarioIreland:*Ardmore, County Waterford, Republic of Ireland*Ardmore, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland...
. The crest introduced in 2009 was a further refinement of a crest introduced in 2003. The new crest replaced the original crest of Waterford City. The new crest was introduced as the Waterford GAA board were unable to copyright the old one due to it being a civil crest.
Early Days (1886-1935)
The Waterford County Board was established in 1886 in KilmacthomasKilmacthomas
Kilmacthomas or Kilmactomas , often referred to locally as "Kilmac", is a town on the River Mahon in County Waterford, Ireland. It lies on the R677 immediately north of the N25 national primary road from Dungarvan to Waterford....
and played in the Munster Championship
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
for the first time in 1888, losing to Cork on a score of 2-8 to 0-0. The next fourteen years would consist of walkovers, first round defeats and not entering the competition at all. Waterford would finally win a championship match for the first time in 1903, defeating Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
by 5-6 to 2-9. In their first Munster final, which did not take place until 1904, Waterford would lose to Cork. The following years led to another series of opening Munster championship match defeats and the occasional walkover, and Waterford would not win another senior championship match until 1925 when Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
were defeated, only for Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
to beat them in only their second Munster final.
At this stage, Waterford was still the only county in Munster
Munster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
not to have won the provincial or All-Ireland hurling
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
title, but there were signs of improvement. The minor hurlers reached the first ever Munster final
Munster Minor Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for the youngest competitors in the province of Munster in Ireland...
in 1928, losing to Cork. They would make up for this defeat the following year against Tipperary and would defeat Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
in the All-Ireland final
All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship is an annual competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for competitors under eighteen years of age in the game of hurling played in Ireland.The series of games are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland final...
. The junior hurlers secured the county's first ever adult silverware in 1931, winning both the Munster
Munster Junior Hurling Championship
The Munster Junior Hurling Championship is a junior "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council....
and All-Ireland
All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship was a hurling competition organized by the Gaelic Athletic Association in Ireland. The competition was originally contested by the second teams of the strong counties, and the first teams of the weaker counties...
titles. They would repeat this feat in 1934.
At senior level, the county was edging ever closer to Munster success, with the 1931 team drawing with Cork in the final only to lose the replay by 15 points. A fifth Munster final appearance ended when the match against Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
was abandoned due to crowd encroachment late on with Limerick leading by 11 points. The title was awarded to Limerick, who would defeat Waterford again in the 1934 decider.
Golden Age (1936-1963)
The junior hurlers won the county's third Munster and All-Ireland double at that level in 1936, and the senior hurlers, after those near misses at the start of the decade, were ready to secure the Munster title. An 11 point win over Cork in the 1938 Munster semi-final saw Waterford into their seventh Munster final, where they defeated Clare by 3-5 to 2-5. They reached the county's first ever All-Ireland final after an easy win over GalwayGalway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
, where they went down to Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
by 2-5 (11) to 1-6 (9). The following year, Waterford played in their first National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
final, losing to Dublin by 1-8 (11) to 1-4 (7).
If Limerick had proven to be Waterford’s nemesis in the 1930s, defeating Waterford again in 1940 on their way to another All-Ireland, the 1940s belonged to Cork who would win the All-Ireland four years running from 1941 to 1944 and again in 1946, defeating Waterford in 1943, 1946 and 1947.
By 1948 though, Waterford’s time had finally come. Defeating Clare by two points in the Munster semi-final, the margin was even narrower in the Munster final against Cork, Waterford prevailing by a score of 4-7 (19) to 3-9 (18). Galway were overcome in the All-Ireland semi-final, and Dublin – containing RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
broadcaster Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin
Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin
Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin is a journalist, author and broadcaster and former Gaelic footballer and hurler with Dublin and Eoghan Ruadh. He grew up in Fairview, County Dublin where he attended a Gaelscoil...
in the half-forward line – were well beaten, on a score of 6-7 (25) to 4-2 (14). Waterford had won the Liam McCarthy Cup
Liam McCarthy Cup
The MacCarthy Perpetual Challenge Cup is a trophy awarded annually by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the hurling team that wins the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.-The trophy:...
at last. To add to the joy of 1948, the Minor team would win the county’s second Munster and All-Ireland titles, defeating Tipperary (3-6 to 0-3) and Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
(3-8 to 4-2) respectively.
Limerick relieved Waterford of their titles in the first defence in 1949, defeating them by five points in the Munster semi-final. The early 1950s saw Waterford come up against Tipperary and Cork teams at the peak of their powers, and Waterford would not reach another Munster final until 1957.
By this time, Waterford had the nucleus of a team that would contest hurling’s major prizes with Tipperary and Kilkenny for the next six years. A close fought victory over Limerick in the semi-final (4-12 to 5-5) saw Waterford into the Munster final where they defeated a Cork team shorn of Christy Ring
Christy Ring
Nicholas Christopher Michael Ring , better known as Christy Ring, was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Glen Rovers club from 1941 until 1967 and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1939 until 1963. Ring is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in...
due to injury on a score of 1-11 (14) to 1-6 (9). Galway were once again defeated in the semi-final, and Kilkenny waited in the final. The game had a few unusual events. Kilkenny paraded around the pitch with sixteen players as British actor John Gregson
John Gregson
John Gregson was an English actor.He was born Harold Thomas Gregson, of Irish descent, and grew up in Wavertree, Liverpool, where he was educated at Greenbank Road primary school, later St Francis Xavier School...
was being recorded for his role in the film Rooney. The game saw Amhrán na bhFiann
Amhrán na bhFiann
is the national anthem of Ireland. The music was composed by Peadar Kearney and Patrick Heeney, and the original English lyrics were authored by Kearney. It is sung in the Irish language translation made by Liam Ó Rinn. The song has three verses, but the national anthem consists of the chorus only...
being played at the start of the second half as the referee threw the ball in to start the game before the Artane Boys Band had started the anthem. Waterford led the match 1-6 to 1-5 at half-time and had extended that lead to six points with ten minutes to go, but Kilkenny overtook Waterford with two goals and a point to leave them winners on a score of 4-10 (22) to 3-12 (21).
1958 was the first year Waterford won through to the Munster final having won it the previous year, a win over Kerry setting up the shot at a repeat victory. However, Tipperary were convincing winners on a score of 4-12 (24) to 1-5 (8). Tipperary would also defeat Waterford in the county’s second National Hurling League final appearance in 1959 by seven points. Galway were the first opponents in that year’s Munster championship, and the Tribesmen were well beaten, 7-11 (32) to 0-8. Tipperary were waiting in the semi-final, where they choose to play against a stiff first-half breeze. Waterford took full advantage of this, scoring 8-2 in the first half without reply, and eventually winning 9-3 (30) to 3-4 (13). The county’s fourth Munster title was secured with a three point win over Cork in Thurles. In the All-Ireland final, Kilkenny would make life difficult for Waterford with a string of goals, and with minutes remaining Waterford found themselves in the incredible position of having outscored Kilkenny by seven yet still being three points behind. But Seamus Power’s late goal ensured a draw, 1-17 to 5-5. Waterford did not repeat those mistakes in the replay, securing the county’s second All-Ireland title, 3-12 (21) to 1-10 (13).
Tipperary got their revenge in the 1960 Munster semi-final for the remarkable scoreline the previous year, and they continued to make life hard for Waterford in 1961, beating Waterford in that year’s League final by 6-6 (24) to 4-9 (21). Cork defeated Waterford in the 1961 Munster championship, and while wins over Clare and Cork saw Waterford into the 1962 final, Tipperary hammered Waterford by 20 points to secure a third successive Munster title.
The 1963 League final against Tipperary – the ‘Home’ final as the winners were due to meet New York
New York GAA
The New York County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or New York GAA, is one of the county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in the New York metropolitan area...
for the title proper – was much closer, with Waterford winning a thrilling match by 2-15 (21) to 4-7. There was to be no such free-scoring the 1963 Munster final though, reached after a six point in over Limerick in the semi-final., Waterford edging a tense affair by 0-11 to 0-8, a result that would be Tipperary’s only senior championship defeat between 1961 and 1965, effectively denying them a 'five-in-a-row'. In the All-Ireland final, Kilkenny were inspired by a 14 point haul from Eddie Keher
Eddie Keher
Edward Peter Keher , better known as Eddie Keher, is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game....
to a 4-17 (29) to 6-8 (26) victory. There was some consolation for Waterford in the National Hurling League final ‘proper’, where after a scare in a drawn first game (3-6 to 3-6) Waterford won the replay against New York by 3-10 (19) to 1-10 (13).
Dark Times (1964–1991)
It would not have seemed likely in 1964 that Waterford would not win another senior title for nearly forty years. The county remained competitive in the mid 1960s, narrowly losing out to Cork in 1964 and only losing to the same opposition in 1965 after a replay. But a young Cork team, containing several of the team that would win that year’s Under-21 hurling championshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
, defeated Waterford in the 1966 Munster final. Despite gaining their revenge in the first round of the 1967 Munster championship, Waterford were beginning to struggle. Defeat followed in the Munster semi-final to Tipperary, and Waterford would not win another championship match until 1974.
1974 was a brighter year for Waterford, as the seniors shocked Cork in the first round of the Munster championship, and were only beaten by one point by defending All-Ireland champions Limerick in the semi-final. John Galvin won the county’s first All Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
award. The county also secured its first ever victory in the Munster Under-21 championship
Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
, defeating Clare by 2-5 (11) to 1-3 (6) in the final. Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
were well beaten in the semi-final to set up another All-Ireland final against Kilkenny, only to see Kilkenny come out winners by a narrow margin once again, 3-8 (17) to 3-7 (16).
However, 1974 was a brief respite on a downward slide for Waterford hurling. A Cork team about to embark on a three-in-a-row of All-Ireland success hammered Waterford by 22 points in the first round in 1975, and the only county Waterford would beat in the Munster championship over the following six years was Kerry. The only bright spot at senior inter county level would be Mossy Walsh’s All Star award in 1980. Mount Sion would also win the county’s first Munster club title, defeating South Liberties of Limerick in the final. James Stephens
James Stephens (GAA Club)
James Stephens is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1887 and has enjoyed equal success in both hurling and Gaelic football.-History:...
of Kilkenny would defeat Mount Sion by 3-13 (22) to 3-8 (17) in the All-Ireland final.
1982 was the beginning of one of the blackest periods in Waterford’s hurling history. An unbeaten run in the league stage of the National League was ended only after a replay in the semi-final by Kilkenny, and a one-point over defending Munster champions Limerick in the semi-final raised hopes that a 23-year wait for Munster success was about to come to an end. But in their first Munster final appearance since 1966, Waterford were humiliated by Cork, losing by 5-31 (46) to 3-6 (15). There was individual reward in the form of All Star awards for Jim Greene and John Galvin (his second), but the disappointment of that year was compounded in 1983. Having overcome a young Tipperary side seeking their county’s first championship win in eight years, Waterford were back in the Munster final only to be crushed by Cork again, 3-22 (31) to 0-12.
The Centenary year
History of the Gaelic Athletic Association
The history of the Gaelic Athletic Association is much shorter than the history of Gaelic games themselves. Hurling and caid were recorded in early Irish history and they pre-date recorded history...
saw relegation to Division Two of the National Hurling League, a quarter-final defeat to Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
in the Centenary Cup
Centenary Cup
The Centenary Cup was a Gaelic Games competition arranged by the Gaelic Athletic Association to mark the centenary of the GAA in 1984.The hurling competition was won by Cork and the football competition was won by Meath.-Hurling:-Football:...
and a one point defeat to Clare in the Munster championship. Waterford would have to wait until 1989 to win another championship match, a period which would see them relegated to Division Three of the National Hurling League. Waterford would return immediately to Division Two and reach successive League semi-finals in 1987 and 1988, where they were heavily defeated by Galway and Tipperary respectively. 1989 would see a revival in Waterford’s fortunes as Clare were beaten by 15 points in the Munster first round then Cork were overcome in the semi-final after two exciting matches. Having let a lead slip in the first game to draw 0-18 each, Waterford reached the Munster final with a two point win. However, the final was a reminder of those grim days in the early 1980s. Waterford had two players sent off as they slumped to a 0-26 to 2-8 (14) defeat in the 100th Munster final against Tipperary. Cork would end Waterford’s interest in the next two championships by a large margin (17 points in 1990) and a small margin (three points in 1991).
Modern Revival (1992 to 2001)
The 1992 Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
was a relatively good one for the seniors, defeating Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
after a replay and only losing by three points to Limerick in the semi-final. It was the underage sides though that would provide Waterford with its best year in nearly three decades. The minor hurlers, playing in their first Munster final since 1968, needed a last minute Paul Flynn
Paul Flynn (hurler)
Paul Flynn is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ballygunner and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1993 to 2008. Flynn is Waterford's top championship scorer of all-time.-Club:Flynn plays his club hurling with his local club Ballygunner and has...
goal to secure a draw, Waterford’s 4-7 to Tipperary's 3-10. Between that drawn game and the replay, the Under-21s defeated a Ger Loughnane
Ger Loughnane
Ger Loughnane is a Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Feakle and with the Clare senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s...
-managed Clare team by 0-17 to 1-12 (15). The jubilation had barely subsided from that win before the Minors defeated Tipperary in the replay, 2-10 to 0-14. With victories in each grade over Antrim in the semi-finals, a new generation of Waterford fans got to visit Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
for the first time. The Minor final ended in a disappointing defeat to Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
, 1-13 (16) to 2-4 (10). The Under-21 final against Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
was staged a few weeks later in Nowlan Park
Nowlan Park
Nowlan Park is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Kilkenny, Ireland, home to the Kilkenny hurling team. It has two covered stands and two terraces, behind each goalpost. The current capacity of the stadium is approximately 24,000 with a seating capacity of 17,000. Plans have...
, Kilkenny. 0-9 to 0-4 down at half-time, a second half hat-trick of goals from Seán Daly kept Waterford in touch before a late goal from Paul Flynn looked to have secured victory for Waterford. Two late Offaly points ensured a replay on a final score of 4-4 to 0-16. The replay once again had Offaly in front at half-time, 2-3 (9) to 0-6. Waterford held their opponents scoreless in the second half and a late flurry of points secured a 0-12 to 2-3 (9) victory and a first ever All-Ireland Under-21 hurling championship title.
The progress represented by these underage successes was interrupted in the first round of the Munster championship in 1993 as Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
won in Walsh Park
Walsh Park
Walsh Park is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Waterford, Ireland named after Willie Walsh, a well-known referee and long time campaigner for Gaelic games in Waterford It is the home of the Waterford Gaelic football and hurling teams. The ground currently has a capacity of 17,000...
by 4-13 (25) to 3-13 (22), the Kingdom’s first senior hurling championship win since 1926. The next few years would be frustratingly unfulfilling for a county expecting great things after the events of 1992. A narrow defeat to Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
in 1994 was followed by a big defeat in 1995 to Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
, a year which saw another heavy National League semi-final defeat to a Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
team on its way to a first All-Ireland success in 81 years with much of the team beaten by the Under-21s in 1992. The Under 21s had also beaten Clare in the 1994 Munster final, before losing by 2-21 (27) to 3-6 (15) in an unusual Munster-Leinster
Leinster GAA
The Leinster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Leinster. The Leinster Council has been partnered with the European County Board to help develop Gaelic Games in Europe...
all-Ireland semi-final pairing. The minors reached three finals in a row between 1994 and 1996, but were well beaten in each one.
A close loss to Tipperary in Walsh Park in the 1996 Munster semi-final suggested there might be life in the 1992 generation. The appointment of former Cork All-Ireland winning trainer Gerald McCarthy as Waterford manager was seen as a statement of intent on the part of the County Board. A poor first half performance cost them dear in the first round against Limerick in 1997, but the introduction of the hurling ‘back door’ gave Waterford extra incentive to perform well in the 1998 championship, especially with a relatively kind draw in Munster. An excellent run in the National League saw Waterford reach their first final since 1963, laying the semi-final hoodoo with a five point win over Limerick. A tight match in the final saw Cork pull away for a flattering win by 2-14 (20) to 0-13. The morale that had been raised on the back of that run in the League was nearly squandered as Waterford needed a late flurry of point to secure an even more flattering eight points win against Kerry. Despite this, confidence was high going into a semi-final that, due to the Munster finalists being guaranteed a place in the All-Ireland series, had an extra frisson of tension. The Waterford hurlers did not disappoint, securing a 0-21 to 2-12 (18) win over Tipperary. Waterford were back in the Munster final and heading for Croke Park.
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
, Waterford struggled to keep in touch with Clare, All-Ireland champions for two of the previous three years, but when Paul Flynn fired a free to the net with the match entering injury time to level the scores, Waterford had a golden opportunity to win it from a 100 metre free. Flynn’s effort drifted wide but the replay was much anticipated by a crowd enthralled by the draw. The replay was an unpleasant affair, a chaotic throw-in eventually leading to the suspension of Clare hurler Colin Lynch, a decision that would leave much bad feeling between the two counties, and the sending off of Brian Lohan
Brian Lohan
Brian Lohan is an Irish sportsman. He plays hurling with his local club Wolfe Tones na Sionna and was a member of the Clare senior inter-county team from 1993 until 2006, during which time he won two All-Ireland titles, three Munster titles and four Railway Cup titles...
and Micheal White early in the game set the tone for the match itself. Clare would eventually run out comprehensive 2-16 (22) to 0-10 winners, and Waterford had to play Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-finals a week later.
On the back of two hard matches on the previous Sundays, Waterford were underdogs against Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
. But Waterford dominated from start to finish, ending up easy winners by 1-20 (23) to 1-10 (13). This set up a first championship meeting with Kilkenny in 35 years, and a low-scoring game saw Waterford battle back from being six points down midway through the second half to only lose by a point. Incredibly, Waterford had scored five more points over the course of their four championship ties with Kilkenny, yet the record was 3-1 to the Cats. The season ended with Tony Browne
Tony Browne
Tony Browne is an Irish sportsman. He plays hurling with his local club Mount Sion and is a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1991 to present. He is currently the longest serving player in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.-Club:Browne plays his club hurling with the...
winning his first All Star and also the Hurler of the Year award.
Expectations were once again high in Waterford in 1999. They seemed to be justified when they secured a narrow one-point win over Limerick, their first win over Limerick since 1982. Waterford found themselves in the unusual position of being favourites against Cork, but a poor Waterford effort and a spectacular eight points from play from Michael O’Connell in the Cork midfield left Waterford losers on a score of 0-24 to 1-15 (18). Another good run in the 2000 National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
ended once again in the semi-finals, this time to Galway, and Waterford went out of the Munster championship with a whimper, beaten 0-17 to 0-14 by Tipperary. The Gerald McCarthy era, which had promised so much, ended in a cruel manner against Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
in 2001. Waterford raced into a 2-6 (12) to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes, but Limerick hung in and scored three goals in the last ten minutes to break Waterford’s resistance, winning in the end by 4-11 (23) to 2-14 (20).
2002
It was with this unpromising setup that another former All-Ireland winner with Cork, Justin McCarthy
Justin McCarthy (hurler)
Justin McCarthy is an Irish former hurling manager and former player, who took over as manager of the Limerick senior inter-county team in October 2008. He played hurling with his local club Passage and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.As a player McCarthy was involved...
became manager. An unremarkable League performance did not suggest Waterford were ready to topple Cork, but despite having a five point second half lead eroded to nothing late in the game, Waterford held their nerve to score a late point from Ken McGrath
Ken McGrath
Ken McGrath is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Mount Sion and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1996 to 2011.He is said to be one of the best hurlers to ever walk...
and a 1-16 (19) to 1-15 (18) victory. The reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions Tipperary were warm favourites in the Munster final
2002 Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final
The 2002 Munster Senior Hurling Championship Final was a hurling match played on Sunday 30 June 2002 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork, County Cork between Waterford and Tipperary...
that followed. A spectacular display of shooting from Waterford gave the Déise a 2-23 (29) to 3-12 (21) victory that was more impressive than the final margin of eight points suggested. Waterford were confident of adding the All-Ireland crown to this first Munster title in 39 years. Despite a flying start in the semi-final against Clare, they eventually faded to lose by three points. The season was still a success from a Waterford perspective, and Fergal Hartley
Fergal Hartley
Fergal Hartley is an Irish hurler who plays with both Waterford and Ballygunner at club level. Hartley is considered one of the greatest centre-half backs of the modern game.-Club:...
, Eoin Kelly
Eoin Kelly (Waterford hurler)
Eoin Kelly is a famous Irish hurler who plays for both the Waterford senior inter-county hurling team and club hurling for Passage GAA...
and Ken McGrath were selected for All Star awards.
2003
Waterford began the defence of their sixth Munster title with an easy win over Kerry before meeting Limerick a match where, unusually among modern GAA championship matches, no cameras were present due to a fire safety issue at Thurles, thus ensuring only those who were there got to enjoy a thrilling tie, with Waterford as in 2001 racing into an early lead only to be hauled back by Limerick. The match ended level, 4-13 (25) each, but the televised replay was an anti-climax, with Waterford hanging on for a 1-13 (16) to 0-14 victory. The Munster final against Cork featured a hat-trick of goals from a player on the losing team, in this case John Mullane
John Mullane
John Mullane is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club De La Salle and has been a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team since 2001.-Club:...
of Waterford. They had failed to make a first half breeze count and, despite the heroics from Mullane, Cork won by four points, 3-16 (25) to 3-12 (21). John Mullane’s performance would be pivotal in him securing Waterford’s sole All Star for the year, as the season petered out in the All-Ireland series with a disappointing 1-20 (23) to 0-18 defeat in Waterford’s first ever championship match with Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
.
2004
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
and Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
just to reach the final. A measure of revenge for 1998 was secured against Clare as Waterford sensationally trounced the Banner County by 3-21 (30) to 1-8 (11), a performance illuminated by a hat-trick of goals from Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Lismore and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1998 until 2010. In recent seasons Shanahan has come to be regarded as one of the best players in the game being named undisputed Hurler of the Year...
. The semi-final was a much tighter affair, with a late goal from sub Paul O’Brien needed to beat Tipperary by 4-10 (22) to 2-15 (21). The final against Cork was hailed to be one of the best Munster finals with a match that ebbed and flowed turned on an audacious dipping medium range free from Paul Flynn
Paul Flynn (hurler)
Paul Flynn is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ballygunner and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1993 to 2008. Flynn is Waterford's top championship scorer of all-time.-Club:Flynn plays his club hurling with his local club Ballygunner and has...
that surprised the Cork backs for a goal. Waterford secured their seventh Munster title with one point, 1-21 (24) to 3-15 (25), win. The All-Ireland semi-final saw another clash with Kilkenny and another three point defeat, a first half salvo of three goals giving Waterford a mountain that proved too difficult to climb. Gallingly for Waterford, Kilkenny had come through the All-Ireland series, and would lose out in the final to Cork who themselves had come through the ‘back door’. Paul Flynn’s tally of 0-13 against Kilkenny would copperfasten his first All Star award, with Dan Shanahan getting his first and Ken McGrath winning his second, only the second Waterford man after John Galvin to win multiple All Stars.
2005 and 2006
For the most part, 2005 and 2006 saw Waterford go backwards under Justin McCarthy. A narrow defeat to Cork in the Munster semi-final left Waterford in a round robin group in the All-Ireland qualifiers, where facile wins over Dublin and Offaly were rendered moot by a 4-14 (26) to 0-21 defeat to Clare in the final group match in Ennis
Cusack Park (Ennis)
Cusack Park is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. It is the home of the Clare Gaelic football and hurling teams...
. This left Waterford with a more difficult quarter-final against Cork, in which stout Waterford resistance was ended five minutes from the end by a Brian Corcoran
Brian Corcoran
Brian Corcoran is a former Irish sportsman. He played hurling and Gaelic football with Erin's Own and Cork in the 1990s and 2000s.-Early life:Brian Corcoran was born in Caherlag, Glounthaune, County Cork in 1973...
goal, Cork eventually winning by 1-18 (21) to 1-13 (16). An eight point defeat by Tipperary in the 2006 Munster championship, Waterford’s largest championship defeat in eight years, suggested Waterford were in decline, but a 1-25 (28) to 2-20 (26) win over Galway in the qualifiers, allied with comfortable wins over Westmeath
Westmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
and Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
, gave Waterford another shot at Tipperary in the quarter-finals. This time they took their second chance, surviving a late Tipperary rally to win by 1-22 (25) to 3-13 (22). Cork stood between Waterford and the final, and another tension-filled match saw Cork overhaul Waterford in the last ten minutes. Waterford kept in touch to the point where a late Ken McGrath free from his own half could have given Waterford a draw, but Cork goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack
Dónal Óg Cusack
Donal Óg Cusack is a well-known Irish hurler and Ireland's first openly gay elite sportsman. He plays hurling at club level with Cloyne and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999....
took the risk of blocking the ball from going over the bar and Cork held on for a one point win. Eoin Murphy
Eoin Murphy
Eoin Murphy is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Shamrocks and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team between 2001 & 2011. During his childhood years he attended St. Colmans school in Fermoy. It was here Murphy began to distinguish himself winning a Dean...
won his first All Star award, while Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Lismore and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1998 until 2010. In recent seasons Shanahan has come to be regarded as one of the best players in the game being named undisputed Hurler of the Year...
and Tony Browne
Tony Browne
Tony Browne is an Irish sportsman. He plays hurling with his local club Mount Sion and is a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1991 to present. He is currently the longest serving player in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.-Club:Browne plays his club hurling with the...
both won their second award, Browne his first in eight years.
2007
Justin McCarthy
Justin McCarthy (hurler)
Justin McCarthy is an Irish former hurling manager and former player, who took over as manager of the Limerick senior inter-county team in October 2008. He played hurling with his local club Passage and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.As a player McCarthy was involved...
secured another year in charge on the back of the performance in 2006, and after an indifferent run in the group stages of the 2007 National League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
which say Waterford just qualify for the quarter-finals, there was little to suggest a successful year. But tight wins over Tipperary and Cork saw Waterford into another League final, and with the scores level going into injury time in the final against Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
, two late points gave Waterford a 0-20 to 0-18 victory and only their second National League title. Waterford’s winning ways continued with a three point win over Cork in the Munster semi-final in a game overshadowed by the suspension of three Cork players in a brawl that took place before their first round win over Clare. In the final against Limerick, Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Lismore and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1998 until 2010. In recent seasons Shanahan has come to be regarded as one of the best players in the game being named undisputed Hurler of the Year...
scored three second half goals as Waterford won the Munster title for the eighth time. The Intermediate hurling team also won the Munster title
Munster Intermediate Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Intermediate Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1961 for the strong hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland...
for the very first time, although they would eventually lose to Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
in the All-Ireland final
All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship is a hurling competition played between the strong hurling counties of Ireland. In some cases the teams consist of players who are not on the senior squads for their county , or in others of players who are from junior or intermediate clubs...
.
A shock loss by Cork at the hands of Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
in the qualifiers meant Waterford had to face a full-strength Cork in the quarter-finals. Ahead for most of the game, Waterford once again found themselves behind as the match entered injury time, but a Stephen Molumphy
Stephen Molumphy
Stephen Molumphy is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling and football with his local club Ballyduff and hurling with the Waterford senior inter-county team.-Early and private life:...
goal and a controversial pointed free from Eoin Kelly, after Donal Óg Cusack
Dónal Óg Cusack
Donal Óg Cusack is a well-known Irish hurler and Ireland's first openly gay elite sportsman. He plays hurling at club level with Cloyne and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999....
was penalised for lying on the ball in the small square gave Waterford a second chance. A week later, two Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Lismore and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1998 until 2010. In recent seasons Shanahan has come to be regarded as one of the best players in the game being named undisputed Hurler of the Year...
goals proved instrumental in giving Waterford a 2-17 (23) to 0-20 win. Waterford had only one week to prepare for an All-Ireland semi-final rematch with Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
and this time it was Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
who got off to a flying start, leading by ten points inside the first ten minutes. Waterford would cut the gap to a point late in the second half but frailties in the full back line were punished by Limerick with late goals to give them a 5-11 (26) to 2-15 (21) win, condemning Waterford to their fifth All-Ireland semi-final loss in ten years. The season ended on an upbeat note with a record five All Star awards, Tony Browne
Tony Browne
Tony Browne is an Irish sportsman. He plays hurling with his local club Mount Sion and is a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1991 to present. He is currently the longest serving player in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.-Club:Browne plays his club hurling with the...
and Ken McGrath
Ken McGrath
Ken McGrath is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Mount Sion and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1996 to 2011.He is said to be one of the best hurlers to ever walk...
winning their third awards, Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Lismore and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1998 until 2010. In recent seasons Shanahan has come to be regarded as one of the best players in the game being named undisputed Hurler of the Year...
his third also, and Stephen Molumphy
Stephen Molumphy
Stephen Molumphy is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling and football with his local club Ballyduff and hurling with the Waterford senior inter-county team.-Early and private life:...
and Michael Walsh
Michael Walsh (Waterford hurler)
Michael 'Brick' Walsh is an Irish sportsperson. He plays both hurling and football with his local club Stradbally and has been a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team since 2003.-Early life:...
their first. Shanahan was further rewarded by being named undisputed Hurler of the Year
Hurler of the Year
Hurler of the Year can refer to the following.* Texaco Hurler of the Year* All Stars Hurler of the Year* GPA Hurler of the Year...
.
2008
Waterford started off the year with a Munster Championship first round clash with Clare GAA
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
at the Gaelic Grounds
Gaelic Grounds
The Gaelic Grounds or Páirc na nGael is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Limerick City, Ireland, home to the Limerick hurling and football teams....
, Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
on 1 June 2008. Waterford, missing a number of first team regulars such as Ken McGrath
Ken McGrath
Ken McGrath is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Mount Sion and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1996 to 2011.He is said to be one of the best hurlers to ever walk...
, Eoin Kelly
Eoin Kelly (Waterford hurler)
Eoin Kelly is a famous Irish hurler who plays for both the Waterford senior inter-county hurling team and club hurling for Passage GAA...
and Eoin Murphy
Eoin Murphy
Eoin Murphy is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Shamrocks and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team between 2001 & 2011. During his childhood years he attended St. Colmans school in Fermoy. It was here Murphy began to distinguish himself winning a Dean...
succumbed to a youthful Clare team on a scoreline of Waterford 0-23 Clare 2-26. Soon after the game, manager, Justin McCarthy
Justin McCarthy (hurler)
Justin McCarthy is an Irish former hurling manager and former player, who took over as manager of the Limerick senior inter-county team in October 2008. He played hurling with his local club Passage and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.As a player McCarthy was involved...
was fired from his position by the Waterford County Board. It was rumoured at the time that player unrest had a lot to do with the decision. The Waterford County Board acted quickly and appointed former Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald
Davy FitzGerald
David Fitzgerald is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He is a former manager of the Waterford senior hurling team....
as new Waterford manager on 10 June 2008. The loss to Clare sent Waterford into the All-Ireland Qualifier Series. The first round match against Antrim GAA
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
saw the return of both Ken McGrath and Eoin Kelly. Davy Fitzgerald
Davy FitzGerald
David Fitzgerald is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He is a former manager of the Waterford senior hurling team....
started his Waterford managerial career with the unusual decision of placing Ken McGrath at full back in order to strengthen the full back line. The decision paid off and the match turned out to be a complete mismatch, with Waterford running out winners on a scoreline of Waterford 6-18 Antrim 0-15.
Waterford were then pitted against Offaly GAA
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in their Phase 4 Qualifier on 19 July 2008 at Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
, Thurles
Thurles
Thurles is a town situated in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...
. After a stern test in the first 60 minutes, Waterford eventually pulled away towards the end winning on a scoreline of Waterford 2-18 Offaly 0-18. This resulted in Waterford reaching the All-Ireland Quarter Finals and a match-up against Leinster runners-up Wexford GAA
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
. This was a competitive match which tooed and froed from one side to the other. However, a late barrage of points saw Waterford over the line by 2-19 to 3-15. The win against Wexford lead Waterford to their sixth All-Ireland Semi-Final since 1998. The opponents would be a highly fancied Tipperary GAA
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
, who were reigning National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
and Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
champions. Waterford started a blistering page, going 6 points to nil up after only 10 minutes. However, Tipperary were level going in at half time. Both teams scored goals in rapid succession in the 2nd half. Waterford's nerve held and they managed to win by two points on a scoreline of Waterford 1-20 Tipperary 1-18. It was Waterford's first semi-final win since 1963 and brought to an end a run of 5 consecutive semi-final defeats. They met Kilkenny in the all-Ireland final, but they failed to perform to their potential and were heavily beaten. The inter-county year ended with Eoin Kelly
Eoin Kelly (Waterford hurler)
Eoin Kelly is a famous Irish hurler who plays for both the Waterford senior inter-county hurling team and club hurling for Passage GAA...
being named as the Déise's only all-star.
2009
Waterford played Limerick in the Semi Final of the Munster Championship in Thurles on June 14. The game was not a good game with players referring to the sliotar as being like a bar of soap. The match ended in a draw 1-8 to 0-11 and is said to be the worst Munster Championship game in modern times. The replay took place the following Saturday evening. Waterford were comfortable winners on a scoreline of 0-25 to 0-17. Waterford played Tipperary in the Munster Final on July 12 in Thurles, having agreed to play the game there to mark the 125th anniversary of the foundation of the GAA in the town. Waterford never looked like they were going to win and lost by four points on a scoreline of 4-14 to 2-16. A positive result on the day was the Waterford minor hurlers' victory over Tipperary, the county's first Munster championship success in the grade since 1992.
Waterford went into the All-Ireland Quarter-Final again Galway as outsiders. Having struggled throughout the game, with John Mullane
John Mullane
John Mullane is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club De La Salle and has been a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team since 2001.-Club:...
not scoring until the last minute, Waterford eventually emerged one-point winners in an exciting finish. Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan
Dan Shanahan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Lismore and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1998 until 2010. In recent seasons Shanahan has come to be regarded as one of the best players in the game being named undisputed Hurler of the Year...
came on as a sub with 4 minutes to go and proved to be Waterford's saviour, setting up fellow substitute Shane Walsh
Shane Walsh
Shane Walsh is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Fourmilewater and gaelic football with The Nire. He plays at inter-county level with Waterford....
to score the only goal of the game before winning a vital free for Eoin Kelly to convert. Mullane's point set up a semi-final clash with reigning three-time champions Kilkenny. Despite two goals from Shane Walsh, Kilkenny led for most of the game and eventually won by five points before going on to win their fourth title in a row.
2010
Waterford started out by winning the Waterford Crystal Cup
Waterford Crystal Cup
The Waterford Crystal Cup is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 2006 for the top inter-county teams and third-level universities and institutes of technology teams in the province of Munster in Ireland.The series of games are...
, their first since 1998. They defeated Clare in the Munster Semi-Final and won their ninth Munster title when they defeated Cork after extra time with a cracking goal from Dan Shanahan in a replay in Thurles. The All-Ireland semi-final saw them lose at that stage for the seventh time in thirteen years, beaten by seven points by Tipperary.
Honours
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
s: 2- 1948, 1959
- All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
s: 1- 1992
- All-Ireland Minor Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship is an annual competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for competitors under eighteen years of age in the game of hurling played in Ireland.The series of games are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland final...
s: 2- 1929, 1948
- All-Ireland Junior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Junior Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship was a hurling competition organized by the Gaelic Athletic Association in Ireland. The competition was originally contested by the second teams of the strong counties, and the first teams of the weaker counties...
s: 2- 1931, 1934
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
s: 2- 1963, 2007
- Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
s: 9- 1938, 1948, 1957, 1959, 1963, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2010
- Munster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
s: 3- 1974, 1992, 1994
- Munster Minor Hurling ChampionshipMunster Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for the youngest competitors in the province of Munster in Ireland...
s: 4- 1929, 1948, 1992, 2009
- Munster Junior Hurling ChampionshipMunster Junior Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster Junior Hurling Championship is a junior "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council....
s: 3- 1931, 1934, 1936
- Munster Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipMunster Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Intermediate Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1961 for the strong hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland...
s: 1- 2007
- Waterford Crystal CupWaterford Crystal CupThe Waterford Crystal Cup is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 2006 for the top inter-county teams and third-level universities and institutes of technology teams in the province of Munster in Ireland.The series of games are...
s:3- 1998 2010 2011
- McGrath CupMcGrath CupThe McGrath Cup is a Gaelic Football competition played between the Third Level Colleges and Counties in Munster.The following Third Level Colleges take part:* University College Cork * Tralee IT* University of Limerick...
s:1- 1981
Waterford Hurling Team
- Manager: Michael RyanMichael Ryan- Sports :* Mike Ryan , former New Zealand marathon and long-distance runner* Michael Ryan , America baseball outfielder* Mike Ryan , former Major League Baseball player...
(Ballymacarbary) - Selectors: Nicky Cashin (Abbeyside), Br. Philly Ryan ( Mount Sion)
Squad as per Waterford vs Clare (Munster Semi Final 2010)
Club Hurling
BallygunnerBallygunner GAA
Ballygunner GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballygunner in County Waterford, Ireland. The club is exclusively concerned with hurling.- History :...
are the current Waterford Senior Hurling Champions after beating Lismore
Lismore GAA
Lismore GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Lismore, County Waterford, Ireland. The club enters teams in both GAA codes each year, which includes two adult hurling teams and one adult Gaelic football team in the Waterford County Championships....
1-17 to 0-19 in the 2009 final replay.
- Waterford Senior Hurling Championship
- Waterford Minor Hurling ChampionshipWaterford Minor Hurling ChampionshipThe Waterford Minor Hurling Championship is a hurling competition played by GAA teams in Waterford in Ireland. All players have to be under the age of 18 in the year in which they take part here. The competition is organized by the two divisions of Waterford GAA county board - East Division and...
- Waterford Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipWaterford Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipWaterford Intermediate Hurling Championship is the second-tier hurling competition organised by the Waterford Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The competition is confined to clubs in Waterford in Ireland. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the...
- Waterford Junior Hurling ChampionshipWaterford Junior Hurling ChampionshipWaterford Junior Hurling Championship is the third-tier hurling competition organized by the Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The competition is confined to clubs in Waterford in Ireland. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the...
- Waterford Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipWaterford Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe Waterford Under-21 Hurling Championship is a hurling competition played by GAA teams in Waterford in Ireland. All players have to be under the age of 21 in the year in which they take part here. The competition is organized by Waterford GAA county board....
Football
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
on a scoreline of 2-08 to 0-04. They were represented by :Erins Hope Dungarvan. In recent times, the county has twice won the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship
All-Ireland Junior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Junior Football Championship is a Gaelic Athletic Association competition for junior gaelic football inter-county teams in Ireland. The definition of what constitutes a junior player differs from county to county. In some, the junior team is the second team after the senior team...
. In 2003, it created a major shock in winning the Munster Under-21 Football Championship, beating Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
in the final.
On 20 May 2007, the Waterford Senior Team broke a 19-year run without a championship win, defeating challengers Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
at Fraher Field, Dungarvan
Dungarvan
Dungarvan is a town and harbour on the south coast of Ireland in the province of Munster. Dungarvan is the county town and administrative centre of County Waterford. The town's Irish name means "Garbhan's fort", referring to Saint Garbhan who founded a church there in the seventh century...
by 1-06 to 0-07. The starting team fielded by manager John Kiely consisted of:
Tom Wall; Justin Walsh, Thomas O'Gorman, Shane Briggs: John Phelan, Edmond Rockett, Paul Ogle; Mick Ahern, John Hurney; Brian Wall, Gary Hurney
Gary Hurney
Gary Hurney is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling and gaelic football with his local club Abbeyside/Ballinacourty GAA and with both Waterford senior inter-county teams...
, Ger Power; Wayne Hennessy, Andy Hubbord and Liam O'Lonain.
League Promotion
In 2010, after going so close to promotion in previous years Waterford went unbeaten in the league (beating Leitrim, London, Kilkenny, Limerick, Clare and Wicklow and secured draws against Longford and Carlow), but in the final had to give second best to Limerick at Croke Park.
Honours
- All-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
s: None
- All-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
s: None
- All-Ireland Minor Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Minor Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
s: None
- All-Ireland Junior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Junior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Junior Football Championship is a Gaelic Athletic Association competition for junior gaelic football inter-county teams in Ireland. The definition of what constitutes a junior player differs from county to county. In some, the junior team is the second team after the senior team...
s: 2- 1999, 2004
- National Football LeaguesNational Football League (Ireland)The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
: None
- McGrath CupMcGrath CupThe McGrath Cup is a Gaelic Football competition played between the Third Level Colleges and Counties in Munster.The following Third Level Colleges take part:* University College Cork * Tralee IT* University of Limerick...
: 1- 1981
- Munster Senior Football ChampionshipMunster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
s: 1- 1898
- Munster Under-21 Football ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe Munster Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster, in Ireland....
s: 1- 2003
- Munster Minor Football ChampionshipMunster Minor Football ChampionshipThe Munster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council. The current Munster Minor football champions are Tipperary. Clare won the inaugural...
s: None
- Munster Junior Football ChampionshipMunster Junior Football ChampionshipThe Munster Junior football championship is an annual Gaelic football competition between the Munster GAA counties. The rules with respect to who is eligible vary between the counties. In Cork and Kerry, the players can not play with a senior club. In the other four counties, any player who is not...
s: 3- 1948, 1999, 2004
Waterford Football Team
- Manager: John Ownes
- Selectors: Ger PowerGer PowerGer Power is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Austin Stack's and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1973 until 1988. Power captained Kerry to the All-Ireland title in 1980.-Early life:Ger Power was born in Annacotty, County...
(RathgormackClonea-Power/Rathgormack GAARathgormack GAA is a GAA club based in the Rathgormack region of County Waterford. Originally two clubs, Clonea-Power and Rathgormack amalgamated in 1987 to form one club.-History:...
), Tom Condon (Sliabh gCuaSliabh gCua-Saint Marys GAASliabh gCua - Saint Mary's GAA is a GAA club based between Dungarvan and Clonmel, County Waterford, Ireland. The club plays both hurling and gaelic football. The club can trace its way back to 1927 but it was in 1970 that the present club Sliabh gCua - St. Mary's GAA was formed. The club still uses...
)
Squad as per Waterford vs Cork (Munster Quarter Final 2009)
Club Football
The Nire are the current Waterford Senior Football Champions after beating BallinacourtyAbbeyside/Ballinacourty GAA
Abbeyside/Ballincourty GAA Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Abbeyside, County Waterford, Ireland. The club plays both hurling and gaelic football and competes in both senior codes in County Waterford....
by 0-12 to 0-8 in the 2008 final.
- Waterford Minor Football ChampionshipWaterford Minor Football ChampionshipThe Waterford Minor Football Championship is a Gaelic football competition played by GAA teams in Waterford in Ireland. All players have to be under the age of 18 in the year in which they take part here. The competition is organized by the two divisions of Waterford GAA county board - East...
- Waterford Under-21 Football ChampionshipWaterford Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe Waterford Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football competition played by GAA teams in Waterford in Ireland. All players have to be under the age of 21 in the year in which they take part here. The competition is organized by Waterford GAA county board.-Roll of honour:...
- Waterford Intermediate Football ChampionshipWaterford Intermediate Football ChampionshipWaterford Intermediate Football Championship is the second-tier Gaelic football competition organised by the Waterford Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The competition is confined to clubs in Waterford in Ireland. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the...
- Waterford Junior Football ChampionshipWaterford Junior Football ChampionshipWaterford Junior Football Championship is the third-tier gaelic football competition organised by the Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The competition is confined to clubs in Waterford in Ireland. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the...
Camogie
Waterford hosted the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship final of 1945, at a time Cork were in dispute with the Central Council of the Camogie AssociationCamogie Association
The Camogie Association organises and promotes the sport of camogie in Ireland and across the world. The Association has close ties with the Gaelic Athletic Association.-History:...
. They won the All-Ireland Junior Camogie Championship
All-Ireland Junior Camogie Championship
The All-Ireland Junior Camogie Championship is the most important competition for third-tier county teams in the women’s field sport of camogie. In accordance with the practice in GAA competitions the term junior applies to the level of competition rather than the age group...
of 2011. Notable players include soaring star award winners Karen Kelly
Karen Kelly
Karen Kelly is a camogie player and teacher, winner of two Soaring Star awards in 2009 and 2011 and played in the 2009 All Ireland junior camogie final. The leading scorer in her side's impressive march to the final, Karen has won two National League medals, Munster titles in the Junior and...
and Áine Lyng
Áine Lyng
Áine Lyng is a camogie player and sport science student. She won a Soaring Star award in 2009 and played in the 2009 All Ireland junior camogie final. Áine has been nominated for a senior All Star four times and has won Gael Linn medals with Munster in both Junior and Senior...
.
Under Camogie’s National Development Plan 2010-2015, “Our Game, Our Passion,” five new camogie clubs are to be established in the county by 2015.
Ladies Gaelic Football
Waterford has been very successful in Ladies Gaelic Football. The county was dominant in the 1990s winning the Brendan Martin CupBrendan Martin Cup
The All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship the premier "knockout" competition in the game of Ladies' Gaelic football played by women in Ireland...
five times.
Honours
- All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship: 5
- 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998
- All-Ireland Junior Ladies' Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Junior Ladies' Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Junior Ladies' Football Championship is a "knockout" competition in the game of Ladies' Gaelic football played by women in Ireland...
1- 1986
- All-Ireland Under-18 Ladies' Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-18 Ladies' Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-18 Ladies' Football Championship is a "knockout" competition in the game of Ladies' Gaelic football played by women in Ireland. The series of games are organised by Ladies' Gaelic Football Association ) and are played during the summer months...
: 5- 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2001
- All-Ireland Under-16 Ladies' Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-16 Ladies' Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-16 Ladies' Football Championship is a "knockout" competition in the game of Ladies' Gaelic football played by women in Ireland. The series of games are organised by Ladies' Gaelic Football Association ) and are played during the summer months...
: 5- 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998
- All-Ireland Under-14 Ladies' Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-14 Ladies' Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-14 Ladies' Football Championship is a "knockout" competition in the game of Ladies' Gaelic football played by women in Ireland. The series of games are organised by Ladies' Gaelic Football Association ) and are played during the summer months. All players have to be under 14...
: 1- 1998
Further reading
- A Story of Hurling in Waterford - compiled and written by Dickie Roche
- Working on a Dream - A Year in the Life of the Waterford Footballers - compiled and written by Damian Lawlor