Connors: Déise still hope for final say

WATERFORD corner-back Noel Connors says his side remain hopeful of making the Allianz hurling league final.

Waterford had a one-point win over Cork in Dungarvan on Sunday, and Connors wants their good form to continue.

He said: “Any time you go out to play a game, you want to win, whether that’s an ordinary league game or the final.

“That’s the kind of momentum we have and we don’t want to let that go, we want to drive on again. It was good to get the win in Dungarvan and we want to keep going.”

The game was “nip and tuck”, as Connors puts it, with a Kevin Moran point deciding the issue.

“Anytime you play Cork,” said Connors, “Be it there in Dungarvan, Walsh Park, Cork or Thurles — you know you’re going to have a battle. There’s been a great rivalry between the two counties over the past few years especially, and it just came to the fore again Sunday. It was nip and tuck the whole way, point for point, and we were lucky to come out at the right end of it at the finish.”

There was a strong breeze in Fraher Field last Sunday, one which favoured Waterford in the first half. The home side were only one point ahead at the break but Connors said they weren’t overly concerned.

“One point probably wasn’t a huge lead in the circumstances, but as the saying goes, the wind doesn’t pick the ball up and throw it over the bar for you. It’s up to the team and the players to adapt to the wind because it won’t have the same bearing on each half — with the wind against you, the ball will probably be coming in high to you as a full-back, and when you face the wind, it’s more likely to come in low.

“The breeze was pretty strong there in the second half and we held out at the back, but in fairness to the forwards, they put their shoulders to the wheel as well. They made sure they kept their men under pressure at the other end. If they’re doing their job that way then it makes it a bit easier for us because it means the supply isn’t as good to opposition forwards.”

Connors is back to full fitness after an ankle problem but is looking forward to Waterford’s next outing.

“We’re up against Kilkenny, who are always a tough proposition, and obviously they’ll be keen to get another win after losing to Galway the last day. It’ll be hard up in Nowlan Park — it always is — but then these are the games against the very best, the games that you always want to play in.”