Cork recovery gives pointless Davy Fitzgerald hope

Waterford are without a point after two outings in the Munster round-robin, but all is not lost insists Davy Fitzgerald

FIGHTING ON: Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald reacts during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 2 match between Cork and Waterford at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Cork did it, so why can’t we.

Therein lies the thinking of Davy Fitzgerald when it comes to the near perilous task facing his Waterford team.

The Déise are pointless after two outings in the Munster round-robin. The county’s familiar role of propping up the provincial table has resumed.

In the three years of the Munster round-robin structure, only one team - Cork, 12 months ago - has managed to finish in the top three after back-to-back losses in their first two games.

In Leinster, there is a close precedent. Dublin, in 2019, and Wexford, last year, both claimed the third and final qualifying spot after failing to win either of their opening two games. Important to add, mind, that both sides did secure a draw and a point in one of their first two games.

Back to Waterford and the task in front of them.

“Cork lost the first two games last year and qualified,” said Davy, clinging to whatever bit of hope he can.

“You don’t know, we are certainly just taking the next game as it is and looking forward to having a go.” 

Having a go is certainly the operative phrase. From self-assured and strong-willed against Limerick first day out, Waterford were limp to the point of almost being submissive a week later against Cork.

If the Déise are to turn over their manager’s native county on Saturday and stave off a sixth consecutive Munster championship defeat, the performance needs to be more Jekyll, less Hyde.

Davy, reflecting on the nine-point defeat to Cork, had a small bit of a whinge that Jack Prendergast didn’t receive what he saw as a “blatant penalty”. On the whole, though, he couldn’t complain with their Páirc result.

“What we need to try and get is some consistency in our form, we need that. The hits that ourselves and Limerick had, it was very intense, but we weren’t like that (against Cork), so I’d like us to be a bit more consistent in that.

“We are five months into it, we are changing different things. Against Limerick we got X amount right bar our shooting. We didn’t play with the same intensity against Cork for whatever reason.

“I can't explain that, but please God we pick it up in the Clare game.” 

Let’s keep with the Banner for a second. Davy reckoned Clare were six points better than Limerick when ending the 17-game unbeaten run of the All-Ireland champions two weeks ago.

Familiarity will be in plentiful supply at Tom Semple’s field on Saturday.

“We know the challenge that’s coming,” the Waterford boss continued. “Nine of the team I had from my time in Clare are there. So they know what I’m about. I know what they’re about. I’ve come across them with Wexford, but the Munster championship is a different story altogether.” 

Munster’s cut-throat nature means Clare could well end up outside the top three despite inflicting a first championship defeat on John Kiely’s men in four years.

A suggestion offered by Davy at last week’s Dillon Quirke Foundation fundraising launch was that one spot in the knockout stages of the All-Ireland series be reserved for the top-performing league team.

“Coming back to Munster, it’s a minefield. You might get a game in Leinster where you have a chance to regroup and get back a bit. You have no chance here [in Munster].

“Maybe the league thing is a way to look at this. It would make it a small bit more interesting if there was one spot left that you could get into a qualifier. That might make the league worth (more). Even if the team that won it were okay, then whoever got to the final were rewarded, so you are rewarded for being the best you can be in the league.” 

One interesting subplot to Saturday’s game will be the level of Waterford support that travels to Thurles. Followers of Waterford hurling have had little to cheer in recent times. The county has lost their last seven Munster minor championship games, and their last five at U20 and senior.

Trying to find white jerseys in the stands and terrace at Páirc Uí Chaoimh was a game of Where’s Wally.

“We didn’t give them any reason to come to Cork, we didn’t play enough. The Waterford supporters probably have their reasons over the last year or two that maybe they are not happy with different things, and that’s fine.

“If we start getting results, that will take care of itself, so I have nothing bad to say at all about the Waterford supporters. We just have to get our side of the ship consistent. Listen, there’s two games left, let’s see how we get on.”