Waterford deliver a warning

Waterford under-21 success: Waterford might be ranked 31st in the country at football but they may not be at that level for long, writesGavin Cummiskey.

We should have heeded the warning signs that went out around the country last week when the Waterford under-21 footballers turned over a hotly-tipped Cork outfit. Yet, with Kerry next on the agenda the renewal of normal service was expected soon enough.

A Dublin and Kerry All-Ireland semi-final seemed on the horizon. But this Waterford side, which needed a replay to beat Clare in the earlier rounds, changed all that in claiming their first Munster underage crown last Wednesday night.

The ramifications will be strongly felt in Kerry. The under-21s were the county's last surviving hope of an All-Ireland after the departure of the seniors and minors, both on the same disastrous afternoon in Croke Park last month.

Although Páidí Ó Sé has yet to throw in the towel, the defeat has done manager Jack O'Connor's candidacy for the top job few favours.

The achievement isn't a surprise in Waterford though. Football has been threatening to make the breakthrough for several years now and manager Pat Nugent has watched this team develop since under-14 level.

"There is nothing special about this lot except that they have put in the time and effort and shown the inner belief to do this.

"Waterford are ranked 31st in the country for football but we have the players. Of the seven under-21 Munster finals we have been in, two were in the '70s but four were in the '90s."

They beat Kerry at under-21 level three years ago to reach the Munster final, unfortunately there was an even stronger breakthrough from Limerick that year.

At minor level, three years ago, Kerry beat this side with a late score. This time the tables were turned thanks to Shane Walsh's injury-time goal.

They don't want for experience either as Michael Crotty, Ger Hayes, John O'Reilly and Mark Power all play regularly for the seniors in Division Two B of the National Football League.

The most influential figure in the proceedings was dual star Michael Walsh as he eclipsed the presence of senior Kerry midfielder Seamus Scanlon. Walsh wasn't fully available until the Cork match because of his commitment to the senior hurlers - a long-term problem that Waterford football will just have to accept.

Hurling still rules supreme but with an All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin due for Thurles on September 21st the whole county will, for the short-term at least, become fonder of the big ball.

An interested spectator at Walsh Park was Dublin selector and UCD manager Dave Billings, there to watch the fortunes of centre back Edmund Rockett and replacement Eamonn Walsh, both of whom are UCD students.

"Speaking from a neutral point of view it was a marvellous occasion: two good teams that both really went for it," said Billings. "We certainly have a tough task ahead. Waterford have as good a midfield as there is at under-21 and a good style of play. Shane Walsh reminds me of a young Joe McNally, he is a big man with nimble feet.

"I thought Kerry were going to win it late in the second half but Waterford came at them again. Liam Ó Lonain looks a superb athlete, he ran all night," he added.

The match is shaping up to be a close contest, especially considering Dublin haven't played a competitive match since April. Their only advantage in that is that Nugent hasn't had an opportunity to see them play.

But for formidable Dublin to ignore the Decies's achievements to date would be a grave mistake. Just ask the Cork and Kerry panels that were littered with intercounty stars.