Waterford winners whatever the result

WIN or lose, Waterford’s hurlers will be welcomed home by thousands on Monday evening after their first All-Ireland final appearance for 45 years.

Sunday’s result will determine whether the mood in the city for the homecoming is one of unrestrained celebration or mooted acceptance, but either way the team have gone further than many expected this year and crowds are sure to turn out to congratulate the players and thank them for their efforts in 2008.

The team will arrive back at Plunkett Station by train at 6.30pm and will go to a civic reception at the Quays, via open-top bus.

The reception will be held on a stage between the Clock Tower and William Vincent Wallace Plaza, and the welcomes will be led by Mayor of Waterford city Cllr Jack Walsh.

Frank Roche of Waterford City Council said that they will be “sparing no effort” to ensure Monday’s homecoming is memorable, “for all the right reasons”.

He asked the public not to cross Rice Bridge to the train station on Monday evening as there will be no public access at that point.

“Instead, if people wait along the quays nearest the stage then the team will be brought slowly through the crowd so everyone gets a good chance to see their sporting heroes. We’ll also have large screens so that proceedings on the stage can be followed by those who don’t have a direct view or aren’t close to the stage.”

A cordon will be put around the city centre to avoid congestion and the council are encouraging people to use parking spaces at the Regional Sports Centre and other locations at the Cork Road. There will be extra capacity on bus services to allow quicker and more convenient access.

Acknowledging that the council are “in the hands of the gods” with regard to the weather, Mr Roche said the only circumstances in which they could foresee a cancellation of plans for Monday were if the final was drawn and the team had to prepare for a replay.

Meanwhile, Waterford’s hurlers have been sent to the capital with words of encouragement from all walks of life ringing in their ears, led by the city’s mayor Cllr Jack Walsh.

“Getting to this point has been a dream come true,” said Cllr Walsh, who is originally from Kilkenny, but now a Waterford supporter after moving from Ballymacow across the border several years ago.

“The wins so far this year have lifted our hearts,; instilled in us even greater pride in our city and county and has shown juvenile players across the city and county that with commitment and passion comes honour and glory.”

The campaign so far has “floated all boats”, he said, prompting people to get out and puck a sliotar all over the county. “It would give me immense pride as Mayor of Waterford city to watch the Liam McCarthy Cup being paraded across Rice Bridge to the Deise.”