Derek McGrath’s men were cold-blooded and clear-headed

It was a brilliant team performance by Waterford and another illustration of superb management from Derek McGrath and his crew, writes Anthony Daly.

We played a league game against some team in 1992. I can’t remember who it was against. All I remember is that I was absolutely cat. I met Cyril Lyons in the Queen’s Hotel at the team meal afterwards. We were playing Waterford in the championship about five weeks later. ‘Look Dalo,’ Cyril said, ‘you’ll be judged on the 29th May.’ Twenty-four years later — Mother of God! — I can still remember the date. It was etched in my mind solid for those five weeks before we played Waterford. It still is because I thought about nothing else. I wanted nothing else. That story came to mind immediately after yesterday’s game.

The 5th of June was etched in the minds of the Clare and Waterford players since last October’s draw but I’m sure it was burned into every fibre of every Waterford players’ being since the league final defeat four weeks ago.