Could this finally be the year of the Déise?

On the way into Semple Stadium yesterday I met three fine Waterford men, Tony Wright, Michael O’Donnell and a man with a great Clare name but who assured me he was all Waterford, Paddy McNamara.

They insisted I share their tea and sandwiches, but then informed me that was all any Clare man was going to get off Waterford on this day. They were a bit wary of Clare, they said, but were confident of victory. Well, as the game proved, they had every right to be wary of Clare, but not so much right to their confidence of victory.

Waterford won this game because of the strength they had on the bench. Had they lost, however, legitimate questions would have been asked about why those guys were left off in the first place. Ken McGrath came on in the 64th minute, scored a wonder point from well inside his own half, but the two Prendergasts, and Declan especially – what a difference they made.