Fitzy: We have three serious injury worries for decider

WATERFORD boss Davy Fitzgerald said his side are facing an injury crisis ahead of the Munster senior hurling final.

“We finished strong, we played good hurling at times but we know we’ve to improve for the Munster final,” he said after Saturday night’s win over Limerick.

“It was nice to see the lads finish strongly because we’ve got a lot of work done.

“We’ve been decimated with injuries, we have three who are in serious trouble. Ken (McGrath) is long-term, Kevin Moran is in big trouble and Stephen Molumphy... you saw how slow I was to take him off, because he was on fire. And it would take a lot for him to come off, because I’ve rarely come across a lad like Stephen Molumphy, he has heart and soul.

“He’s in big trouble, and there’s a possibility we could be down the three of them. We have strength in depth, though. It isn’t easy to leave off certain lads and if I didn’t get it right I wouldn’t be getting a pat on the back. That’s management. I have two great guys with me in Maurice Geary and Peter Queally and we sat down and talked it out.”

Fitzgerald revealed that Waterford hadn’t overworked last week in training. “We did absolutely nothing during the week. That’s the truth. We trained for 15 minutes on Tuesday and did less on the Thursday. We believed we had the work done so there was no point in going mad.”

Star forward Eoin Kelly had a point to make to Waterford’s critics. “A lot of harsh things were said during the week about us, but we just got back to work. They were hurtful things, what was said, but if you took offence at everything that was said you might as well not be playing the game.

“People said it was a poor game last week, but the conditions were poor. People have forgotten what this team has done over the last 10 years, the games we’ve played.”

Kelly, who finished with 0-12, picked out the Sunday Game panellists in particular.

“I wouldn’t say they watched most of the game – they said there were no yellow cards and there were three. I don’t know what they’re talking about. They’re there to analyse and they’re getting paid well for it, they’re doing a job. We’ll go out and do our best, and if we get slagged off we get slagged off.

“It’s the same thing in Ireland. When you’re up people want to knock you, so we’ll take that with a pinch of salt.”

The forward also rejected suggestions Waterford were still suffering a hangover from last season’s All-Ireland final defeat.

“We can’t do anything about last year. Today is different, it’s a different year, and a lot of fellas last Saturday didn’t even play last year, it’s a totally different panel. A few lads are still hurting over last year but we can’t do anything about that now – Kilkenny were great on the day. We’re looking forward, not back.”

Limerick manager Justin McCarthy acknowledged that his side were chasing the game from the off, despite starting with the wind.

“We had to try fellas out too, it’s a transition period for Limerick. It’s not going to happen overnight and those two championship games will stand to a lot of players.

“Sometimes the breeze is a help, sometimes the play is more open against the breeze. I felt two points wasn’t much to be behind by, but our lack of scoring power and the chances we missed gave them an edge. Every time they went for scores they went over the bar.”

His centre-back, Brian Geary, was equally disappointed.

“We left ourselves down and fell away in the second half, simple as that. Waterford did as only Waterford can, tacking over points.”