On this occasion the picture was worth a thousand words. The Waterford footballers, legs dangling over the quayside in Dungarvan, are chatting away together and the image captures that sense of fulfilment which comes after a championship win.

I’m not sure if I ever noticed before that Father’s Day falls around Bloomsday.

The Waterford footballers’ joy at outlasting their hurling counterparts in the Championship has been tempered somewhat by an unkind Round 2 qualifier draw.

Wexford 1-18 Waterford 3-14

What’s seldom is wonderful.

Star Tipperary forward Conor Sweeney has less than a week to get fit for their Munster semi-final against Cork next Saturday.

New York aside, no county has endured such miserable form on the provincial front this decade as the Waterford footballers.

The time is coming when the provincial football championships will cease to exist, says Waterford manager Tom McGlinchey, accusing the GAA of putting all their energy into developing the Super 8s.

The Gaelic Players Association has added its voice to the growing anger over the cancellation of Allianz Football League games

Limerick manager Billy Lee has blasted GAA chiefs for their treatment of teams in Division 4.

Dublin selector Jason Sherlock has accepted an eight-week ban for getting involved in a sideline incident against Galway.

The GAA’s new referees development chairman Willie Barrett believes the number of team officials on sidelines can be reduced after a spate of suspensions for managers and selectors.

Waterford manager Tom McGlinchey has received an eight-week sideline ban after he chose not to contest the proposed suspension last night.

Negativity, according to new GAA president John Horan, attracts more attention than positivity so it was with extra emphasis that he delivered a plea to Congress delegates on Saturday.

Following their 12-point McGrath Cup win over Waterford in Meelick on Saturday, Clare manager Colm Collins says it would make sense to double up their January 14 tie with Cork, rather than play each other on successive weeks.

A first championship win as Waterford boss eluded him on a scorching Saturday but Tom McGlinchey couldn’t question the character of his players. They gave another honourable display in defeat, particularly in the first half.

The idea that for Cork the only way is up is completely wrong. There’s new depths there to plummet, writes Colm Cooper.

Waterford football selector Tony Corcoran is optimistic the Déise can spring a shock against Derry having retained almost their entire panel for the qualifiers.

Déise boss Tom McGlinchey hopes Saturday’s brave showing against Cork will make Waterford football an easier sell to players not involved in the county set-up. 

I have written on these pages on more than one occasion regarding the need for reform of the All-Ireland Football Championship, writes Seán Kelly

Waterford 0-11 Wexford 0-12: An irate Waterford manager Tom McGlinchey remonstrated with referee Shane Hehir on the full-time whistle after Wexford squashed their promotion aspirations.

Eoghan Cormican believes David Power can take Wexford back to Division 3.

Waterford football has been rocked by the decision of players from county championship-winning side Stradbally to snub Tom McGlinchey’s senior set-up for the 2016 season.

It’s rare you’ll find a Waterford football team wear the tag of ‘reigning champions’, and while manager Tom McGlinchey is relishing the opportunity to successfully defend their McGrath Cup crown, his hand isn’t quite what he was dealt 12 months ago.

Laois GAA top-brass will meet later this week to begin the search for a fifth county football manager in nine years.

Waterford 1-7 Offaly 1-20: This we expected. Tom McGlinchey’s letter, read out at last Monday night’s County Board meeting, had us forewarned.

Idle talk concerning the structures of the provincial and All-Ireland football championships has to end and realistic solutions implemented says Waterford manager Tom McGlinchey.

Waterford boss Tom McGlinchey has called on GAA top-brass to put weaker counties out of their misery and introduce a two-tier football championship structure.

Tipperary 1-24 Waterford 0-5: Where Tipperary provided further grounds for optimism here with the vitality and confidence of their display, Waterford’s total ineptitude raised the question of whether they remain fit to dine at championship’s top table.

Peter McNamara looks ahead to this weekend’s GAA Championship action.

Their growing confidence inside the whitewash is at long last being matched by their words off it; Tipperary football speak has never been so bold or assertive.

Longford manager Jack Sheedy is unlikely to opt for an ultra defensive formation when his charges attempt a giant-killing act against Leinster champions Dublin in Croke Park tomorrow.

TOM McGlinchey was 28 — “just a baby,” he says — when he was appointed manager of the Tipperary football team in 2000.

Seán Barron and Michael O’Halloran are the two Waterford debutants for Sunday’s Munster SFC quarter-final against Tipperary in Semple Stadium (3.30pm).