Déise grace can’t mask a system of imbalance

Hours after Sunday’s latest Munster SHC draw, Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh thumbed a message on the Waterford WhatsApp players group. Nodding to his fumble that led to Patrick Maher’s first goal, he claimed responsibility for the draw but vowed to make amends against Limerick this Sunday and encouraged his team-mates to look ahead to the game.

Tue, 05 Jun, 2018 - 01:00

John Fogarty

John Fogarty is the Irish Examiner’s GAA correspondent, with unique insights into the action on the pitch and in the Gaelic games’ corridors of power.

There was no mention of Alan Kelly’s mistake, an attitude in keeping with Derek McGrath’s post-match interviews. Described in one of those offerings by McGrath as “the greatest team player ever to play for Waterford”, Walsh was once again considering the collective first.

Equalling Henry Shefflin as the player with the second most numbers of Championship appearances with 71 on Sunday, 35-year-old Walsh gave another demonstration of his value to the Déise, toggling between wing-back and being used as spare man following Michael Cahill’s sending off. Even with that error in mind, he was a serious contender for man of the match.