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Much of Limerick’s good defensive and attacking play revolves around his mid-front line.
The staff are constantly on the move and goalkeeper Nickie Quaid has a lot of practice taking long throws to areas where his targets are moving.
The tall, physically strong middle right forward, Gearóid Hegarty, is the number one target. It occupies several reception positions; turning to his doorman; transferring to the other wing, and also being available moving to the center from the wing.
Cian Lynch returns to space from forward center as an option, while Tom Morrissey, on the other wing, falls deep along the sideline.
When Hegarty gains possession, he runs straight to his marker or diagonally toward the goal. He fuels the inside attack or connects with Morrissey, coming towards him from the center in a loop or down the same wing creating an overhead.
Sucking two defenders on a single man is the goal. A simple shock to the free man sets the score.
The great man from St. Patrick always has options: a quick pass to Lynch straight down the middle; midfielders Darren O’Donovan or Will Donoghue with similar lines; or Kyle Hayes joining the attack from the middle.
This line has averaged eight points per game, in addition to winning free games and providing assists to score. Waterford will have to close this line to win.
It will require rigorous man-to-man marking and will prevent them from getting caught clean. This requires athleticism, endurance, and discipline. Calum Lyons, Tadhg de Burca and Kevin Moran will need a lot of help from midfielders and channeling attackers to subdue this crucial area.
Overloading the rucks to break the ball and follow the inevitable runners from midfield is essential. It’s a difficult proposition to hold for 75 minutes. However, it is the main battlefield and the team that dominates this area will be halfway to the title.
On puck-outs, Nickie Quaid bides his time until the best option is available and is very accurate. Protecting his defense will be Déise’s main focus on Quaid’s reboots.
Dropping the forwards back as additional cover for the wings and obstructing the center of midfield reduces Quaid’s options.
Giving short shots to either corner, rather than going man-to-man across the field, is the percentage tactic and playing percentages is vital for Waterford. Once the short puck is taken out, Waterford’s covering attackers push up to obstruct the middle.
Limerick cornerbacks are used to advancing in possession and when challenged, they unload well-practiced hand passes to available colleagues moving into space.
Waterford must minimize this by marking discharge targets well at Limerick’s 45m line, avoiding being pulled into two-v-ones and forcing long 50/50 pressurized deliveries from the Treaty corners.
This would disrupt Limerick’s usual system of team play, reducing the game to unstructured individual maniacal competition. However, if Waterford cannot interrupt Limerick’s reboot possession and the terms are dictated by the men in green at launch, it will be an uphill battle for Waterford.
Déise goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe will have more than 30 possessions.
Some will come from the general game, but most will be puck-outs. In the second half against Kilkenny, Déise’s puck-out strategy concentrating on “feeding” the right-half forward position provided his platform for victory. Kyle Hayes is a great unit. It will operate in this landing zone and will be assisted by fellow outposts.
As a result, it may be more profitable for O’Keeffe to investigate other areas.
Limerick readied himself with his full attack line at 30/35 m, while his front midfielders retreat to the 65 m line and quickly approach his opponents on short shots.
This makes it difficult for goalkeepers to choose their teammates on the field. Drawing Limerick back up creates pockets of space. Waterford goalkeeper O’Keeffe may have to operate as a ‘high goalie’, carrying the ball onto the field after back passes from short puck-outs and presenting possession to the moving media. into space.
O’Keeffe’s invention carries risks, but the rewards may outweigh them. Retaining most of the possession of the puck-outs will be a big challenge. However, it is imperative for victory.
The competition for supremacy between Limerick’s defensive midline and its direct opponents will have a great influence on this game.
Kyle Hayes has been reassigned to left midfield to add height, strength and pace to the position. Captain and central defender Declan Hannon leans back to cut the space in front of his baseline, confident that his midfielders will cover him. Once they lose the ball, they prepare to avoid goals.
Diarmaid Byrnes, a zone defender, occupies the right wing and is their ‘postman’ for the field quality ball on their inside attack.
If Limerick is not pressed in the middle third, a quality ball will be delivered to the best attackers and it will be extremely costly for Déise’s defense.
Consider the psychological boost for Waterford if Byrnes is denied long-range point opportunities; he is forced to enter ad infinitum instead of making trademark runs down the right flank, and is pressurized to throw a long ball forward with his left side undercut.
It would remove a major attack ploy from the Limerick system. This would be a great advantage for Déise’s inner defense. Defending the 50/50 deliveries gives them a fighting chance.
Waterford’s best chance of progressing against Limerick’s mid-backline will be on their left attacking wing.
Keeping Byrnes busy on defense will be important. Jack Prendergast, Jack Fagan, Jake Dillon or Ian Montgomery can accomplish this by constantly rotating, being available for possession as transition ball outlets by retreating to their defense and then running to Byrnes at every opportunity.
This could open the defense of the Treaty.
Waterford will operate with two ins and an extra body in the middle third. Austin Gleeson, alternating in and out with Stephen Bennett in center positions with Dessie Hutchinson at the side.
His performances are crucial to Déise’s efforts. Bennett and Gleeson are good in the air, and one way to get around the middle baseline is by airdropping to the edge of the big rectangle.
The key here is the speed, the trajectory and the angle of the ball from the 65m line on the wing, which gives the attacker the advantage.
Waterford will need goals to sustain its challenge for victory. Limerick goals will kill the game in their favor.
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