Waterford still off the boil

Waterford boss Davy Fitzgerald will be a worried man following the Decies' win over a young but fiercely competitive Offaly side at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
While the Decies eventually saw off the Faithful County's challenge Waterford rode their luck and were less than convincing winners against a team which is not yet currently up there with the country's top sides.
The first obvious flaw in the Decies' performance was the fact that Eoin Kelly hit 2-13 of the team's total of 2-18.
Kelly's performance was awesome whether from the placed ball or from play and it didn't seem to matter what angle he was shooting from.
Kelly has been one of the top players on the Waterford team for the last six years but he hasn't always produced with the consistency with which he struck yesterday.
However, the forward line, once much feared, is not firing as a unit and the two Kelly goals which were the difference in the sides at the end came from defensive errors.
Last year's hurler of the year Dan Shanahan seems totally off the pace and is a shadow of the player who lit up the championship last year with ten goals.
John Mullane looks back to his best and was very lively and dangerous in the first half but even he faded as the game progressed.
However, despite their huge physical advantage the half forward line of Shanahan, Hurney and Prendergast is not winning enough ball and they had a bad night at the hands of the Offaly half back line.
The Decies' own half back line looks decidedly dodgy too.
They struggled to hold Molloy and Shane Dooley and I am not convinced about the move of Tony Browne to centre half.
Browne has been a great player but he is no longer up to the pace of championship hurling and I think Ken McGrath's presence at half back is missed.
The one positive Fitz can take out of the performance was the fact that the full back line gave little away over the night and for a team which leaked goals in last year's All-Ireland semis this is a big plus.
Waterford are fortunate in that they will once again face Leinster opposition in the shape of Wexford in the next round of the qualifiers.
The Model men turned Waterford over at the beginning of this year's National League campaign but they were once again comprehensively beaten in the Leinster final after struggling to overcome Dublin in two games in the semi finals.
Wexford are not a good side and while Waterford will find them difficult to beat given their current form, Davy Fitz must be hopeful that another game so soon in his reign will at least give him the chance to work on some of the side's shortcomings.
The biggest single thing that the Clare man must hope for is that Shanahan, midfielder Michael Walsh or some of his other big players do eventually find their form and often the best way for that to happen is a run of games.
The Decies stumble on but only just and they won't be in the running for honours this season unless there is a huge improvement in their performance.

Great league final, bring on the real thing

Just coming down after enjoying a great league final.
Tipp were good value for their win even though there was only a score between the teams at the end of the game.
Felt heart sorry for Galway keeper james Skehill who made one dreadful mistake costing his side a goal near half time and it ended up being the difference between the sides.
Many a young keeper's career has been wrecked by one error in a big game and I hope Skehill will get past it.
The Premier men had heroes all over the field. I thought that Paul Curran was fantastic particularly in the first half, keeping Joe Canning almost anonymous.
Eamon Corcoran was another who really got stuck in when Damian Hayes was giving him all he wanted.
Shane McGrath was inspirational again in the middle of the field but the mobility of the Tipp full forward line caused Galway problems all day.
Lar Corbett (above) had one of those days when you think what a player, he just needs to do it more consistently, while Eoin Kelly kept the score board moving from frees and play.
Corbett's goal was the real turning point of the game coming within seconds of Galway spurning a goal chance at the other end. The Tribesmen found themselves five behind instead of being a point ahead.
Tipp's work rate was impressive throughout and they have added a bit of steel to their side.
Their defence was uncompromising even though it was undone by the Galway attack on three occasions.
Liam Sheedy's team will take a lot out of this performance, a National title will give his younger players many of whom were winners at the underage level a lift with a senior title already under their belts.
Tipp could go on from here, unlike Waterford who made the breakthrough in last year's league they are not in the last chance saloon and they will take this result with them into the championship.