Déise’s fighting spirit gives Cullinane hope

Waterford hurling selector Sean Cullinane says he and his backroom colleagues are heartened by their players’ attitude in the Munster final.

Waterford went behind to two killer goals but Cullinane says they didn’t fade out of the game after either score.

“After we conceded the first goal against Tipp we were able to get a couple of scores to get back into it, and after they got their second goal we had chances again, but we just didn’t take them that time.

“One good thing we’ve taken out of the game is that even when they got the goals our heads didn’t go down, the lads kept driving on. We created chances and fair enough, we didn’t take them, but at least we were creating them.”

Cullinane says training has gone well since the provincial loss as Cork loom into sight.

“Training’s been good since the Munster final, we had a few niggling injuries but we’re hoping they’ll clear up. Darragh Fives and Aidan Kearney were out for that game, and they’re a huge loss. They could play anywhere from No 2 to No 7, but we’ve had to soldier on for the last few weeks without them, so we’ll just have to carry on.

“Darragh pulled up in the U21 game against Clare the other night so he’s out of contention.”

There’s a lot of focus on the second game this Sunday, Kilkenny versus Limerick in the other quarter-final.

“We’ve a fairly experienced team now, even though there’s a few young fellas in there as well, but if the limelight is going to be on Limerick and Kilkenny then all the better,” says Cullinane.

“I won’t say it keeps the pressure off but it’s probably a bit of help.

“I know everyone’s expecting a backlash from Kilkenny but Limerick are going well. It all depends on the attitude of the Kilkenny players, whether they’re asking questions of themselves. We’ll find that out on Sunday.”

Both Cork and Waterford would relish a semi-final clash with Galway, but Cullinane isn’t moving from the old cliche about the next game being the one that counts.

“Absolutely, no one is looking beyond this weekend.

“I know people were talking about the Munster final losers avoiding Kilkenny, but we would have preferred to go into the All-Ireland series as Munster champions, certainly. If we get over Cork on Sunday we’re back in an All-Ireland semi-final anyway.”

Cullinane pays due tribute to Sunday’s opponents, saying: “Cork were unlucky, they might have beaten Tipp in the championship if they’d taken those two goal chances in the first half, and even with that there was still only a point in it after 74 minutes or so. They could have won it, so they were close enough.

“In fairness to Offaly and Wexford, Cork didn’t have to raise their game as high to beat them, whereas Sunday they’ll have to raise their game, because obviously we’re all expecting a game of far higher intensity.

“Over the last few years Cork-Waterford have been tremendous games. I know people have added up the respective scores and found there’s only a point or two between the two teams when all the games are put together. I’d be expecting on Sunday there’ll only be a point or two in it again.”