Not exactly get out of jail but Waterford gave Galway the slip thanks to a slack second-half from the Tribesmen in Nowlan Park.

The seamless manner in which Waterford’s new hurling management has clicked with the players augers well for a third league final appearance in five years, according to former Déise defender Brian Flannery.

Clare will face Tipperary in the Co-Op Superstores Munster SHL final, having beaten Waterford in Fraher Field, Dungarvan in front of 3,039 spectators.

Mallow in early January will never be mistaken for Broadway, and the chill in the north Cork evening made it a testing venture for the 2,021 spectators in attendance for Cork and Waterford in last night’s Co-Op Superstores Munster SHL clash.

In his seminal book Moneyball, Michael Lewis observed that the play-offs could frustrate the hell out of some of the most progressive front offices in baseball because it offered such a small sample size.

Waterford 1-20 Cork 1-23: So foolish we were to think Waterford would go gently into the night.

Derek McGrath will take time to reflect before making a call on whether or not he’ll remain on as Waterford manager.

Limerick 2-26 Waterford 1-16

Ger Loughnane, as he is often capable of doing, not only had issued the last rites to this Tipperary team at half-time yesterday; he had also effectively organised the wake, was preparing the funeral, and was just about to start shovelling clay on top of the Tipperary coffin. 

After this game in Walsh Park Waterford manager Derek McGrath, who’d just seen his side beaten well by Kilkenny, was asked if the Cats had done a Waterford on Waterford.

Derek McGrath is frank about the All-Ireland final aftermath.

Waterford went a point up ten minutes into the second half. It had been tit for tat in the second period, but from that point on Galway had the scoring power to creep ahead and the experience to see out the game.

Derek McGrath is as talkative as ever but the toll of the day is clear.

Donal O’Grady gives his tactical breakdown of an intriguing All-Ireland final.

The excitement in Waterford is unbelievable but people outside of the team bubble must respect that bubble. Give the lads their own space. If he’s having lunch, let him have his lunch in peace. You can get his autograph next month, writes Tony Browne.

When defeated in a big game you cannot wait to get a crack at the same opposition, seeking revenge. There’s a matter of pride and unity of purpose involved. This is a powerful stimulus which provides a strong incentive for a committed response.

Some of Waterford’s players were still in the shower as Brian Cody waited to enter the dressing room and pass on Kilkenny’s congratulations.

Former Waterford hurler Brian Flannery says it would be a “disaster” if the most talented Déise team of the past 20 years had their summer ended as early as the second weekend of July.

Hurling pauses, if only to catch its breath. 

Galway 2-22 Waterford 2-19

Kevin Moran says Waterford are more than a match for any team when they work as hard as they did in Sunday’s Division 1A win over Clare.

Our writers tackle the talking points for a busy weekend of Allianz League action in hurling and football.

Influential Waterford defender Darragh Fives is no more than “50-50” for the Munster senior hurling final against Tipperary, according to Déise manager Derek McGrath, who will give the player as long as possible to prove his fitness.

John Mullane and I have had this ‘friendly’ €20 bet over the last few months on the outcome of the Clare-Waterford championship match in June, but we decided live on RTÉ Radio 1 yesterday to bring it forward by five weeks. Now it has turned into a rolling bet, the money still sweating in the pot until next Sunday. We hope.

Waterford’s match-winner on Sunday Austin Gleeson has endorsed manager Derek McGrath’s half-time directions to the team.

Thurles CBS (Tipperary)3-12 Ardscoil Rís (Limerick)0-12

JK Brackens shocked fancied holders Loughmore-Castleiney in the Mid Tipperary SFC final at Templetuohy yesterday and were full value for their 2-10 to 1-9 win.

Tipperary 1-15 Kerry 0-11

Love/Hate star Jason Barry said he has been bowled over by the success of the RTÉ drama, as he has been away from the hype at his Hollywood home.

Dungarvan 1-16 Tallow 1-10

Waterford were worthy winners of this senior hurling challenge at Fraher Field, Dungarvan on Saturday night to mark the official switch-on of the venue’s new floodlighting system by GAA president Christy Cooney.

A FITTING end to the Munster championship hurling season in sunny Mallow yesterday, a day stolen from late summer and a game to match.

GAA chiefs are set to investigate an incident in a Tipperary divisional game in which an umpire was injured.

CLARE had no problem at Cusack Park, Ennis, yesterday in dismissing the challenge of Down in the Allianz HL Division 2.

WATERFORD manager Davy Fitzgerald will strongly contest a proposed 12-week suspension handed down to him following last Saturday’s Allianz Division 1 game against Tipperary.

WATERFORD’S Michael Wadding last night expressed delight after his appointment as referee for the All-Ireland SHC final between Kilkenny and Tipperary on September 5.

The GAA has confirmed the referees and match officials for the All-Ireland Senior and Minor Hurling Championship finals at Croke Park on September 5.

A POINT on the call of full-time in extra-time by Paudric O’Mahony earned Waterford a draw in this throbbing, absorbing ESB Munster MHC semi-final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday night.

THE Dermot Weld-trained Anaverna earned a valuable bracket when making virtually all to land the Irish Stallion Farms Fillies Maiden at Wexford last night.