Stradbally aim to be quick off the mark

Munster Club FC Final replayStradbally (Waterford) v Kilmurry-Ibrickane (Clare) Kilmallock, 1.30. On TV: TG4 Stradbally went within a couple of minutes of making history in last week's drawn AIB Munster club football final. Not alone would it have been Waterford's first success in this championship but it would have been the county's first senior football title in 106 years.

There's more to the woes of Waterford football than arid statistics but it's still impressive to note since the foundation of the GAA, in addition to that sole 1898 Munster success, Waterford have recorded only five senior football victories over Cork (1898, 1908 and '60) and Kerry (1911 and '57).

Within the county there aren't even any wired-up optimists proclaiming unlikely visions of the future. Billy Harty was manager of the Waterford seniors last season before stepping down: "We always said we'd go after a year. We were only plugging a gap and I'd be more involved with the underage coaching."

There are hopes John Kiely, who managed Waterford to two All-Ireland junior titles, might take over for the coming year but already there is a slight apprehension the county is floundering by making the appointment so late.

There was one surge of confidence 15 months ago when Pat Nugent's under-21s won the Munster championship, beating Kerry in the final. But even that's become a platform for anxiety.

There wasn't a great follow-through this year despite the eligibility of two thirds of the 2003 team and the title was lost without two central characters, Michael Walsh and his namesake Shane - the former lost to the hurlers and the latter a victim of some crazy scheduling in the West Division that saw him play - and get injured in - a match a few days before facing Kerry in last summer's semi-final.

"Waterford is a hurling county," says Harty, "and I don't think any of us would consider asking fellas like (Michael) Brick Walsh or maybe the Prendergasts (Séamus and Declan) to play for the footballers. Football is always the bridesmaid but she could be better dressed."

By Harty's reckoning, Waterford football managers for the past 10 years have never had the best 25 players available. The last three county footballers of the year haven't played with the seniors the following season (although Niall Curran the 2001 and '02 winner - Michael Walsh won last year's - was back this year). "Players turn their sights on getting on to the senior team and play there for a couple of seasons, then feel they've done that and move on," says Harty.

Last season Waterford had to travel on successive weekends to Derry and Down in the National League. Having left on Saturday morning they weren't back until after midnight on Sunday - all to be endured with no realistic prospects as compensation. Into this downbeat world has come the prospect of a rare success. Stradbally have won the last four county championships. The club's history features a five-in-a-row from the 1940s.

"Seán Ahearne is as good a coach as is in Munster," according to Harty. "He's a great motivator."For such serial success, it has been won by a young team with only George Walsh (Michael's brother, back from suspension tomorrow) and Oliver Costello around the 30 mark. Kilmurry-Ibrickane were hot favourites last week and to an extent might have let their attention wander, especially when leading by five, 0-8 to 0-3.

They will be expected not to repeat the slapstick defending that handed Stradbally goal chances but the Waterford champions also have room for improvement. Niall Curran's first-half misses (those that were) were aberrations by his standards but many of the team's 15 wides owed something to dogged defending.

Who's learned more? There have been suggestions Kilmurry goalkeeper Dermot O'Brien might be switched to centrefield to counter Michael Walsh's influence. O'Brien's good hands would be an asset out the field and his booming kick not as big a loss in goal given the reduced dimensions of Kilmallock.

Stradbally surprised their opponents last week with the range and variety of their game. Ger Power's diagonal deliveries from 50 metres departed from the expected script of relentless running and short passes.

Stradbally believe they won't start as slowly or finish as waywardly. Kilmurry think they under-performed. Take your choice but the view here is the Clare champions have greater room for improvement.