National stage is set for Déise, says Murphy

NOT so very long ago Waterford hurling supporters, who grew up seeing Cork and Tipperary monopolise the Munster championship, would be satisfied with the occasional big win.

In recent times, expectations would have stretched to realisable ambitions of annexing the championship itself.

Now, after two wins in three years, they are looking to Justin McCarthy’s team to extend that progress into the All-Ireland series.

Eoin Murphy, from the Shamrocks club, says while the players are aware of these expectations, they have the maturity to cope.

“We have strung a few good performances together in Munster this year and they should stand to us. We had some battling games and maybe a few years ago Waterford would lose those kind of games. Now, we have that bit of steel, that character within us. And it’s bearing fruit.”

A medical rep with Abbot Laboratories, he acknowledges the defence has changed since he established his place at the start of 2002. Along with Tom Feeney, he is the only one left from the team that started that year’s All-Ireland semi-final against Clare.

“Sunday’s game against Kilkenny will be our second semi-final in two years. It gives those who played a bit more experience that we can look back on and learn from mistakes that maybe were made,” he said.

“Maybe things got to our heads because it was the first one in a long time. Hopefully we can draw on that experience and put it to use.

“That game with Clare was very close. They snuffed us out, like they nearly snuffed Kilkenny out in the first game two weeks ago. They are good at closing teams down, it’s their style of play. We were still only three points off, but we lost. It’s all about winning. Nobody remembers who loses.”

Murphy doesn’t dispute that Kilkenny’s successive games in the last fortnight may give them an advantage in terms of match fitness.

“It’s very hard to say which team will have the advantage. Games bring on players and Kilkenny’s saga with Clare will bring them on. But to play in an All-Ireland semi-final is about pride and you have to be positive. You can’t look back and say, ‘oh God, the six-week break was bad or the six-day break wasn’t good for Kilkenny.’ It’s all about being mentally right.

“Kilkenny put on a brilliant display against Galway - and then drew with Clare the next day. That’s the beauty of this game, you never know what’s going to happen. That’s why we play. You can’t tell what’s going to happen on Sunday. We will be well up for it. Kilkenny are deserved favourites after winning the last two All-Irelands.

“But they are up there to be shot at and we’ll give it a right crack.”