Write Waterford off at your peril, cautions Doyle

DON’T write off Waterford! That’s the advice from former Tipperary manager Michael Doyle in the face of growing doubts about their ability to beat Clare in the opening round of the Guinness Munster SHC in Thurles on Sunday.

Doyle has a better appreciation than most of what Justin McCarthy and his players are experiencing since their NHL Final flop to Galway.

Twelve months ago, his side were pipped by Kilkenny in a thrilling League decider before losing to Clare in the championship seven days later.

“We looked back on the League final a little differently to Justin McCarthy. We could have won it,’’ says Doyle. “ The main drawback before the Clare game was the injuries we picked up especially to Philip Maher.’’

Doyle agrees that it’s unfair to expect a team to play two games on consecutive weekends. Even an extra week’s break would be a considerable help.

“We certainly did our best to win the League. Once you get to a semi-final or a final you want to win. Conor Hayes hit the nail on the head when he pointed out that it’s the second most important competition of the year. So, when you get there why not go all out to win it,’’ he added.

He has no doubt that the Waterford team was distracted against Galway, offering the view that they had ‘two eyes on this Sunday’s game.”

“I think it showed. I saw in some article where Paul Flynn said they had a tough week training last week. That may have been a factor. I assume they didn’t go out to play badly, but their preparations were geared for this weekend.

“I think Sunday’s game is going to be very tight. A lot of people are saying that this Waterford team is poor. I don’t think Waterford will lie down anything like they did last Sunday. They are a good outfit. They will need to be against Clare who are nearly back to the Ger Loughnane era. ’’

In the meantime, he feels strongly that the GAA needs to take a fresh look at the League schedule, feeling that the present system is always going to make it difficult for Munster teams. He favours a return to the old system.

“They should start the competition earlier playing a few games before Christmas. Teams are in as good a nick at that time of the year, if not better. With a little bit of tinkering around you could play two or three rounds before Christmas. That way, you’d give fellows a longer break. They wouldn’t need to be back playing until say mid-March!”

Meanwhile, Justin McCarthy is adamant that Waterford have consigned last Sunday’s defeat to history, with the focus firmly on the game in Semple Stadium. From the outset, McCarthy was determined that the five point loss to Galway would not be allowed to overshadow preparations.

“The league is over, it has been won and lost, and next Sunday is another day’’, McCarthy said. And, he has no doubts that the squad can bounce back in the best possible way.

“It’s the Munster championship we’re talking about. And if we can’t lift ourselves for that kind of occasion then we may as well not be there at all.’’

It’s a view shared by County Board chairman Paddy Joe Ryan. “This team is resilient group and they will want to do themselves justice next Sunday in a way they never did against Galway’, he said.