Griffin full of positives after five-point haul

CALM and articulate, sweating slightly, Tony Griffin was a relaxed figure in the tunnel under the Mackey Stand in the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.

The Clare forward’s solo cycle for charity across Canada and Ireland last year was a testament to his single-mindedness, but yesterday he was talking up his teammates when reminded about his five-point contribution.

“I was more satisfied with the fact that it’s progress for me, which I badly needed. Last year was my last time playing a competitive game, and the lads had so much work done.”

Griffin wasn’t finished with the praise there.

“Anytime you play Waterford they’re an open team, and the scores come perhaps more easily than against the likes of Cork and Kilkenny. Having said that, I feel we’ve some of the best forwards in the country, year in, year out, and they’re not recognised when it comes to All-Star selections — the likes of Diarmuid McMahon and Carmo (Tony Carmody), and we’ve fantastic young players coming through.

“We’re trying to progress in the right direction, and that means getting better, and being more successful each time you go out.”

Asked if the mood had been positive in the Clare camp before the game, Griffin introduced a note of realism.

“We’ve always looked on the positives, I suppose — if you looked at it any other way there’d be no point in hurling in Clare.

“But I can’t remember who won the first-round games in the Munster championship last year so in six months nobody’s going to remember what happened. It’s up to us to go on and do something else.”

The forward also praised his manager, Mike McNamara: “When Dalo (Anthony Daly) was in charge things were fantastic. Maybe things weren’t as positive last year, without laying the blame at anyone’s door. This year things are very positive.

“Waterford were without Ken McGrath, Eoin Murphy, Eoin Kelly — that’s a very depleted Waterford side. I don’t think we’re getting carried away. We’re playing the kind of hurling we want to play, and lads have been working on that. In itself that’s progress.”

Before he headed to the dressing-room, Griffin smiled when asked about drifting between the full- and half-forward lines.

“I’m trying to get fit! I’ve a lot to do yet. I suppose today was a decent start.”

Five points? A little better than decent.