McGrath will do or die for Decies

SOME things never change. It’s championship week in Waterford and, as usual, much of the talk centres on the talents of Ken McGrath.

When the debris of last Sunday's League final defeat at Gaelic Grounds was parsed and analysed, one issue kept cropping up the deployment of the Mount Sion magician in defence.

It was hardly the only reason for another baffling performance from hurling's most enigmatic team, but a lot of people feel Waterford would have been better served with

McGrath further up the field. In the Decies, they are wondering not only about McGrath the forward, but McGrath the midfielder.

Since returning from a knee injury he has played four games in the half-back line. Until last Sunday, nobody had any qualms. Of course a defeat, particularly of the sort experienced in Limerick, can change everything. Now, the cries are for McGrath to be jettisoned from defence into his more familiar role.

"Before Sunday, everything was okay," the Waterford captain said at the Guinness hurling championship launch in Croke Park yesterday. "They were happy with me in the half-back line, but you lose one game, don't play as well and people start to question. Everyone wants change. I am enjoying my hurling, I wouldn't be pushing for a massive change yet. Before Sunday, I thought I was doing quite well there.

"And I think it's a small bit unfair to the lads in the attack. Before Galway, nobody was moaning about the forwards, nobody was saying anything when they were hitting 1-20. Once you lose a game, everything is wrong."

It wasn't just a game, however. It was another big day when Waterford failed to turn up, another afternoon when they perplexed their supporters and the GAA public. McGrath remembers the deadening silence on the bus journey home. It wasn't a nice place to be.

"People were bewildered after last Sunday, wondering what went wrong. We let ourselves down but we also let our people down because we were so flat. It was one of those days, simple as that." This Waterford team has had a lot of those days. When McGrath sat down to watch the tape on Tuesday, he might have recognised the pattern of the match.

"Even watching it, it was hard to know what happened. We had a few chances in the first half which if converted, could have made a huge difference. But we did peter out once Galway got on top of us.

"People have held up the Clare game on Sunday but that wasn't on anyone's mind. We were certainly trying not to, we wanted to win the league title, there isn't too many league medals in Waterford and we just wanted to go out and give it a right go. Maybe we were thinking about Clare without even realising it.

"It could have been in some fella's minds, but we were told to eliminate Clare from our heads. It was an easy excuse to hold up, but we didn't want it to be. It is a bonus now in a way, it gives us a chance to bounce back on Sunday." If they do manage to bounce back, it will further fuel the Waterford riddle. A team that can look class in every department one Sunday, totally flat and uninspired the next Sunday. Although he missed the bulk of the league through yet another injury, McGrath feels the team were stringing together a number of good performances. It was what the team talked about on Tuesday night, after a severe training session. "We had a chat among ourselves, about the league final, about Clare. And there was a sense that what happened against Galway was in the past; we were trying to raise the spirits of the team. The week before the first game of the championship, you have to be in good form, your mind has to be in good shape."

They might still be unsure of McGrath as a stopper, and the confidence that was laced into his game in his first few league games wasn't as assured against Galway, but there is no doubt that he leads the Waterford cause this weekend. If the team fall at this early hurdle, the buck might also stop with McGrath as captain and the rare talent. Those who feel this Waterford team will always fall short made another entry into their book of evidence last weekend. They have a compelling case, but Waterford, being Waterford, can destroy all exhibits in Thurles with one of their thundering displays. At this stage in his county career, McGrath is able to tune out the criticism of his team.

"A lot of people are quick to knock us, when we are beaten. Maybe, they are right in some respects, about certain things, but we are still getting to finals, still competing with the best teams. People have short memories, it wasn't too long ago that Waterford teams were getting hammered in the championship. This team is not, we are always there or thereabouts. We are doing our best and that is all we can do. I think people are too quick to criticise this Waterford team, all those finals or big games we lost, they were against good teams. People forget that Galway are a good team and are flying at the moment. I know this set of lads, they are a good bunch, we have worked hard together to get this far, and I don't care what anybody else thinks, to be honest." Back when McGrath was still a gifted hurling prodigy being whispered about outside Mount Sion, he manned the defence for club and county. Waterford are used to him weaving his magic in attack, but he does have defensive pedigree. Of course, these days, maybe even the hurlers aren't quite sure where they are going to line out when they play for Waterford.

Sunday, though, sees Ken captaining Waterford for a Munster championship encounter. When he leads the team out against Clare, a dream will come through for McGrath. He will feel the tingle of excitement and talk, among the fans, will be of him. As usual. And he knows how special it is to be captain for a Munster championship tie. "Sunday should be an experience, both teams love Thurles and the fans, they love it. You come in on the bus and see both sets of supporters in the square and around the pubs, it is a great feeling."