Goalkeeper Poll

We had a very interesting result to our Goalkeeper poll, where we asked Waterford hurling supporters who they thought Davy Fitzgerald should entrust with the Number 1 jersey for the year ahead.

Finishing in first place, and the person Waterford supporters would most like to see playing on goal for Waterford in 2011 was Ballygunner’s teenage star, Stephen O’Keeffe. O'Keeffe won 44% of the votes with Clinton Hennessy in second place with 38% and Adrian Power in third place with 17%. O’Keeffe first caught the eye in 2009 in the Waterford minor’s run to the Munster title. He made two saves in particular in the final which left the large Thurles crowd in awe at the youngster’s agility. Since then, O’Keeffe has gone on to make the Ballygunner Number 1 jersey his own, displacing the long-serving Patrick Haran in the process. In Ballygunner’s successful 2009 Championship campaign, O’Keeffe again caught the eye with some superlative stops.

There are several facets to O’Keeffe’s play as a goalkeeper which make him stand out from the rest of his peers. The first, and probably the number one characteristic is his shot stopping. O’Keeffe makes saves that you would not see any other goalkeeper making, bar Brendan Cummins or Damien Fitzhenry. Even when a forward plays the ball low to the corners, O’Keeffe is still well able to get down and scoop the ball back out. His save in the County Under 21 final against Dungarvan last year was simply incredible when not twice but three times in quick succession, he got down to thwart the Dungarvan forwards.

The second aspect is not just his ability under the high ball but his confidence. On more than one occasion this year, I have seen O’Keefe come out of his square and get up above both the full-back and the full-forward to make a clean catch and clear the ball. In this regard, it does help that he is over six feet tall.

Then, when it comes to clearing the ball, O’Keeffe has a monstrous drive on the ball. His puck-out may not have the length of Adrian Power’s but it is a lot more accurate and may prove an asset if Waterford have the likes of Seam us Prendergast, Maurice Shanahan or Richie Foley in the half-forward line. Even from general play and when clearing the ball on the back foot, O’Keeffe is able to clear the ball well downfield and out of harm’s way.

O’Keeffe has also developed into something of a sweeper-keeper, in that he comes out of the goal to lend a hand to defenders. In Ballygunner’s game against Cratloe in the 2009 Munster club championship, Gunners’ full-back Alan Kirwan was being chased back towards his own corner flag with the ball. Instead of watching his full-back deal with the situation, O’Keeffe came out of the goal, Kirwan played the ball to him and O’Keeffe cleared it 80 yards down the field. Danger averted!

It remains to be seen who Fitzgerald will start with in the Goalkeeper’s jersey this year. With Adrian Power currently sidelined with an injury, and Clinton Hennessy having played all the games in the Waterford Crystal Cup, there is every chance that O’Keeffe will get a chance during the National League. If he does get the opportunity, chances are that he will grab it with both opportunities. Davy Fitzgerald will have a tough decision to make when the Limerick game comes around in June but that is a testament to the talent of the three guys he has at his disposal. We may not be well-endowed with talent all over the field but it looks as if the goalkeeping position is safe for years to come.