Make or break for Waterford

IT’S 50 years since Waterford won an All-Ireland. I didn’t see that one, but I did see many of those Waterford players, the likes of Tom Cheasty, Larry Guinan, Philly Grimes, Austin Flynn, Frankie Walsh, Ned Power, Seamus Power, Martin Óg Morrissey – they were big men, in every sense, great hurlers, part of a great hurling team.

Compare the Waterford team today with that of 59, and again you have great individuals, the likes of John Mullane, the Prendergast brothers, Eoin Kelly, Ken McGrath, Micheál Brick Walsh, Tony Browne in the last few years, likewise Paul Flynn, big Dan when he was going well; the difference is in the team. The 1959 individuals became a great unit, that hasn’t happened with this current side. They’ve come close — three Munster titles and a National League — but they have yet to win the big one. This is the make or break year for this team, and this is the make or break game. They reached the All-Ireland final last year, they’re back again but I believe that if they lose this game, then they are finished.

What these guys have to do is play as a team, something they failed to do last September. I’ve seen teams collapse many times over the years but never saw it happen as completely as in that All-Ireland final. That tells me a lot more about Waterford than any of their individual abilities, and that doubt is there again for tomorrow. If things start to go wrong for Waterford – and things often do, especially in games you’re expected to win – will they again start to act as individuals, and forget all their responsibilities to the team? Waterford will need everyone firing tomorrow – will their backs, a problem for them in the last few years – stand up to the pressure? Noel Connors, an outstanding underage player, might tighten up that area, and Eoin Murphy is well established in the other corner, so as long as Declan Prendergast holds up his end, in front of a very good keeper in Clinton Hennessey, Waterford should be okay here.