Cullinane delighted with close encounters

Waterford selector Sean Cullinane says winning tight games is a “bonus” for a young Déise side who are learning the ropes at inter-county level.

Sunday’s one-point win over Tipperary was the second game Waterford have won with a last-minute point — their opening day victory over Clare was the other — and the victory gives Waterford some breathing space ahead of their last league game next Sunday at home to Galway.

“It’s a bit of pressure off that you hopefully won’t be involved in a relegation battle,” says Cullinane. “But what we’re delighted with is the fact we’ve won some tight games.

“That’s very important for what is a young team, after all. The inexperienced players are beginning to learn what it takes to win games, and that can only be good as the team develops.

“Every game is a learning experience but the bonus for us is that they’re winning as they’re learning. The fact they’ve done so well in the four games they’ve played is a good sign for thefuture, whether that’s the immediate future, next weekend and this year’s championship, or for Waterford in general over the next few years.”

Waterford pressed hard in the last 10 minutes, pinning Tipperary back in their own half and carving out several good chances. Cullinane said he and the backroom team were delighted with the players’ attitude.

“We were very happy with the lads’ determination and appetite in the final 10 to 15 minutes,” said Cullinane. “That’s something we’ve worked on, something we’ve tried to bring into the team — a never-say-die attitude, and they’ve responded well, we’ve seen that from the lads in every game we’ve played this year.”

As for that dramatic late point from Kevin Moran which won the tie, Cullinane admitted he thought the Waterford captain had lost his opportunity earlier in the passage of play: “Initially I thought he was going to shoot, but he turned back infield and I thought ‘his chance is gone’, but he went back onto his left and had a go.

“From the second it left his hurley it was going over the bar. I was wishing it to go over, anyway!”

Moran himself said he felt his side “deserved something out of the game.

“It was a bit of a hit and hope shot,” said the De La Salle clubman. “I was lucky enough. We’ll take it – I thought based on the last 15 minutes we deserved something out of the game.”