Moran a fan of Déise’s sharp style

Kevin Moran believes Waterford are playing an improved style of hurling under Michael Ryan.

Even though the De La Salle man failed to reach the All-Ireland semi-finals for the first time in his career this season, he feels the team have been sharper. He gives credit to Davy Fitzgerald, who led Waterford to an All-Ireland final and three semi-finals, but the new management’s tactics are the way to go.

“It’s not so much we enjoyed it more but I think we played a better style. I think our hurling was that little bit sharper.

“Davy was fabulous when he was here with Waterford. He gave everything to us all. But then a different management comes in and when Ken McGrath and Seán Cullinane got involved it was a different style than we were used to in the last three or four years.

“For the future and the next few years I think that’s the way to go. Your hurling has to be really sharp and you have to have a quick style or brand of hurling. We showed bits of it this year and hopefully we can show even more of it next year.”

Moran expects Waterford to benefit next year after another season under fitness coach Pat Flanagan.

“At the start, it was like ‘what it this man doing?’ Then, all of a sudden, you’re feeling quicker and stronger and feeling really good on match day. He was excellent.

“A year is actually a very short space of time when you’re trying to get yourself right physically and next year is important to build on what we have done this year.”

He naturally rues the quarter-final defeat to Cork, which with Kilkenny winning the other last-six game, would have sealed Waterford a semi-final spot against Galway, a team they have a fine record against.

However, he is buoyed about the 2013 season after seeing what Galway did against Kilkenny in the Leinster final.

“Yeah, for the likes of ourselves it’s very encouraging to see that. We beat Galway in an All-Ireland quarter-final and, what, nine months later they come with a performance like they did against Kilkenny.

“It can be done and if the work is put in and there’s a performance on the day there is very little between teams. Maybe we could do something. Galway could go on and win an All-Ireland and it would give us great encouragement as well.

“The big thing for Galway is to try and replicate that [performance] now on Sunday.”