54 The Championship Irish Daily Mail, Friday, July 10, 2015

by shane After a ropey start, Maurice mcgrath Shanahan is free and easy ATERFORD for- wards, like the appendix, the Irish language and Jim Corr, are Wbeside the point. It is their lot to be incidental to bigger stories, but just as the virtues of some body parts, the native tongue and plain band members should not be quickly overlooked, so the effectiveness of the Waterford forward line must not be underestimated. For most of the spring, though, their story has been about prevention and structure. Derek McGrath was bold enough to place a high importance on security when producing a system for his young team. The team did record big scores on the way to finishing top of put their Division 1B, and their proficiency in attack continued in the knock- out stages as they won the compe- tition outright, scoring 0-20 in the quarter-final against Galway, 1-19 in beating Tipperary in the last four, and snaffling 1-24 against in the final. WATCHING brief... best foot TIPPERARY v WATERFORD Throw-in: 4pm, Sunday, . TV: LIVE on RTÉ2 from 1.15pm. Referee: James Owens ().

They treated themselves to another 3-19 when shocking Cork in the provincial semi-final last forward month, but still the analysis of between us as well. To see Dan get Waterford centres on their the goal in the Munster final, that structured game. was a day I’ll never forget.’ The most effective forward they The career of Shanahan the FRIDAY PROFILE younger has flickered rather than had snapped his shin bone playing for his club before the Munster Age: 25 flamed since then. Difficult years semi-final, and being deprived of followed for Waterford, and as the Pauric Mahony meant they were County: Waterford freewheeling generation of the last expected to become even more decade retired, intimidating gaps maurice Summer status: He looks ready were left. obdurate in the Championship. By dint of a second comprehen- to lead the Waterford forward There were occasional glimpses sive shelling of Cork in little over a line the way his illustrious older of the talent of Maurice, as when month, though, Waterford are now brother did a decade ago. he scored 1-3 against a bamboo- being appreciated for what they shanahan zled in a League create as much as what they stop. match three years ago. However, And that means more focus on there were questions raised about Maurice Shanahan, the 25-year-old belted in against Cork a favourite as his brother, if slighter seventh season in the county sen- his work-rate and his dedication to Lismore forward who finished last part of his repertoire. Maurice than Dan. ior squad. He came on as a substi- tackling. month’s win as man of the match, Shanahan caught a ball over the It will be impossible for the tute in the Munster final loss to He was just one of the players after scoring 1-9. head of Damien Cahalane and ran younger sibling to avoid having his Tipperary in 2009 when he was still transformed by the arrival of He took on the free-taking hard at the opposing goal before efforts measured against those of a teenager, and the following year McGrath as manager two years responsibilities in the absence of cutting left to make an angle and the brother who went before him. the pair shared the pitch in Water- ago. Structure and work-rate were Mahony; because of the accuracy lancing a shot high past That his career is following a ford’s last provincial title win. introduced and the freshness of of the latter, it was feared Water- . similar arc doesn’t dissuade com- It was also the occasion of Dan the approach invigorated the team. ford would suffer especial hardship The strike dragged Waterford parisons, either. Shanahan’s last great inter-county The addition of as from placed balls. level on the scoreboard, but its Dan Shanahan was seven seasons act, sweeping in the decisive goal a selector was a clever move by After a ropey opening, Shanahan effect was more powerful than into his inter-county career before in extra-time of the replayed final McGrath, linking this generation settled into the responsibility and that, triggering a scoring burst he scored a Championship goal. against Cork. Like his brother, he with the storied one that went scored seven frees as well as a 65. that left Cork floundering. He was seen as big and promising had come on as a replacement in before them. It was the goal, though, that left McGrath’s team are unbeaten in but people waited and waited for the match. ‘The big reservation was that the lasting effect; it sent Waterford 2015, playing nine matches and the detonation. He exploded into ‘I remember going to the final Maurice was there,’ said Dan fans into a tizzy, and for neutrals winning eight of them. For that hurling prominence a decade ago, and we were at the back of the bus during the League. it was evocative of another record to be extended on Sunday, but his best days were in 2007. together,’ Maurice Shanahan As Waterford have matured into a Shanahan. Shanahan the younger will have to He finished up as Hurler of the recalled. ‘That was a bit different, team scything through every chal- Dan, older brother of Maurice by star again. Year after smashing in eight goals alright. To play with your own lenge posed by 2015 so far, reserva- 13 years, became one of the stars of He was used as part of a two-man through the summer. brother for Waterford was tions are falling before them. the game in the mid-2000s with full-forward line against Cork, and His brother has managed nothing something special. goals like the one his little brother at 6ft 5ins he is as obvious a target on that scale, but this is his ‘There is a fair few years’ gap @shanemcgrath1 it’s just another match — connors NOel Connors has urged his By MICHEAL CLIFFORD many Waterford have won backroom staff, just be experienced Waterford rookie team-mates to close in comparison to Tipp and yourself and keep the defender. their ears to the annual in line for their first final Cork, that have great outside out,’ he added. ‘When you are 19 years of hype around the Munster start in Sunday’s showdown tradition,’ said Connors. In his first four seasons as an age, you are very young and SHC final and treat it as the against Tipp in . ‘It was something that inter-county hurler, naive and probably don’t game that it is. Lauded as the most special triggered in the back of my Connors played in realise the situation that Even though it is only three day in the game’s calendar mind, saying that this was Munster’s showcase you’re in. years since Waterford last after the All- final, going to be an event that game every season. ‘Another aspect to that was contested a Munster final — Connors, still just 25, will be was definitely going to be However, he has just one I was going in with lads that losing by seven points to appearing in his sixth final something different. medal to show for it, after had been there so many Tipperary in Páirc Uí (including the 2010 replay Ultimately it wasn’t, losing to Tipperary in 2009, times before and I was Chaoimh — as many as eight against Cork). But he insists it was a match. ’11 and ’12. fortunate enough to play of Derek McGrath’s team are that, if he had a chance to ‘At 19, it’s hard to detach He returns to the final this in four Munster finals in likely to start in their first go back in time to his first in yourself away from such Sunday with a new-found a row,’ he added. provincial decider. 2009, he would take a outside views and people appreciation for what it ‘It was something that you Keeping the , Shane Fives, different approach. having discussions with you takes to reach a final, thought was going to outside out: , Tadhg de ‘I would definitely be myself. about what it really means. something he admits he was happen on an annual basis. Waterford’s Burca, Colin Dunford, Jamie From the outside of the ‘I would firmly believe that, unaware of previously. Looking back on it, it was Barron, Jake Dillon and camp, people go on about for people that are playing ‘I didn’t cherish it as much as something that was over in Noel Connors could all be Munster titles and how it, or the 26 or on the I should have,’ admitted the the blink of an eye.’ Irish Daily Mail, Friday, July 10, 2015 The Championship 55 Henry: Why

Main man: Maurice Shanahan Holden is no (main) was sensational against Cork (inset) as the leader of the attack sportsfile ordinary Joe here will only ever be By paul keane one JJ Delaney, but as far as ster final win. There were high balls is concerned Joey going in and it’s something that peo- Holden is doing a ple wouldn’t see but his holding off of Tpretty good job of imperson- or , just ating the all-conquering holding them away to leave Eoin Murphy to get the ball, those simple full-back. things were done very well and are Delaney’s shock retirement in the really important in that position,’ wake of ’s 2014 All-Ireland said Shefflin. triumph should have left manager ‘I think he’s the natural fit for full- ferociously searching for back. And he’ll learn. He’s learning a replacement. However, just a few with each passing game and I’ve months on and the full-back position been very impressed with him. I has already returned to a pillar of wouldn’t expect anything less from strength for Cody’s team. him. Even when Joe Canning got that Holden signalled his ability to nail great goal, Joey didn’t react in any down the vacancy with a series of way, he just stayed playing in the strong displays when moved to full- same way.’ back for Shamrocks who If Shefflin was of a mind to, he could would go on to claim the AIB easily take umbrage at Kilkenny’s All-Ireland club title. fine Championship form in his His greatest challenge so far in the absence. It’s been a near seamless position at county level came last transition to life without him and Sunday when he was pitched in the five other high-profile players against Galway’s Joe Canning. who retired. Powerful full-forward Canning did ‘That’s always been the way, it’s snipe a goal with one terrific piece of never really been any different,’ opportunism, though even Cody claimed Shefflin, who is currently conceded it was virtually impossible working on his autobiography. ‘Each to defend against and, otherwise, year we’d say the trick is, and Brian Holden had a stormer. has consistently done this, to find Shefflin’s club colleague also dou- one or two new players. Ger Aylward, bles as county captain this season so and I know Joey was there last year, his inspired form couldn’t come at a but he’s in a critical position now at better time. Asked if he sees any- full-back, I think those two lads thing of JJ in Holden, Shefflin have seamlessly transitioned. smiled. ‘Well, JJ was JJ, JJ was ‘It’s been very impressive. A special, Joey is a bit differ- lot of players were either ent,’ said Shefflin. ‘But injured or away ear- you would see that lier in the year and same strength of there was probably doing the simple a lot read into the things well. League results, ‘I think Joey probably too much does those so. Now they have things them all back on the very well. field.’ is Meanwhile, Cork obviously in the mix h u r l i n g s e l e c t o r there as well. Paul is a says very explosive player t h e r e t u r n o f and wants to be on d e f e n d e r S h a n e the ball whereas JJ O’Neill is a tremen- and Joey wouldn’t d o u s b o o s t f o r mind if they weren’t tomorrow’s All-Ire- on the ball once land qualifier clash they were protect- against Clare. ing their area and I O’Neill was ruled think they both did out of last Sunday’s that very well.’ qualifier win over Shefflin said it was Wexford due to an the subtle pieces of ankle injury and Crow- defensive expertise ley said: ‘His experi- t h a t p a r t i c u l a r l y ence and his general impressed him about play are a tremendous Holden’s play in the Lein- asset to the team and Solid start: more especially in a has given Kilkenny game against a side of the calibre of Clare.’ assurance at full back Connellan rewarded GPA’s provincial plan John Connellan will start for Meanwhile, hurling Westmeath in Sunday’s Leinster manager TJ Ryan has made two The GPA is to recommend to Croke However, the most contentious SFC final clash with . changes to his team for tomorrow’s Park that the provincial football recommendation is playing the In the only change from the team qualifier clash with Dublin, with championships be played as four provincial championships off that defeated Meath in the Seamus Hickey returning to the stand-alone competitions in future. inside a five-week period at the end semi-final, Connellan gets a chance full-back line in place of the injured The players’ body is among the of spring with no feeding into the in place of Lorcan Smyth at . stakeholders invited by GAA All-Ireland series. corner-forward. comes into the half-forward line in president Aogán Ó Fearghail to They also called for the abolition of The change had been signposted place of Sean Tobin. make submissions on alternative pre-season competitions and League after Athlone man Connellan made Westmeath (SF v Dublin): D Quinn; K Daly, play-offs. They want the All-Ireland a significant impact when K Maguire, J Gilligan; P Holloway, K Martin, formats to the All-Ireland series. introduced from the bench against J Dolan; D Corroon, D Daly; G Egan, P Sharry, A first draft of their submission has SFC to be split into eight groups of Meath, bagging two points. R Connellan; J Connellan, J Heslin, S Dempsey. been distributed to members for four, the top side going into the last Cribbin has also made a number Limerick (SH v Dublin): N Quaid; S Hickey, 16 with the second and third-placed R McCarthy, S O’Brien; P O’Brien, G O’Mahony, consideration and it contains few of positional changes, with Denis W McNamara; J Ryan, P Browne; D Breen, surprises, the central plank of their teams playing off to join them. Corroon named at midfield and D Hannon, S Dowling; G Mulcahy, K Downes, submission being that the They have timetabled the Paul Sharry at centre-forward, but C Lynch. All-Ireland final to be moved starting positions are likely to have Tyrone (SF v Meath): N Morgan; A McCrory, All-Ireland series be played in a ‘Champions League’ format, with forward by two weeks, which little relevance after the Westmeath R McNamee, C McCarron; R McNabb, Joe would see it played on the first boss hinted that he will seek to McMahon, P Harte; C Cavanagh, M Donnelly; the seeding of the four-team T McCann, R O’Neill, R Brennan; D McCurry, Sunday in September. engage a defensive game plan for S Cavanagh, C McAliskey. groups determined by final Sunday’s final, a match his team is positions in the National League. MICHEAL CLIFFORD Connellan: impact man 25/1 to win. micheal clifford