Prendergast says young guns bringing a spark to Waterford

He’s glad now he came back. After almost a decade and a half in Waterford’s white and blue Seamus Prendergast decided to give 2014 a go, and with a minute left against Cork two weeks ago it was like 2004 all over again. Just as he did in that immortal Munster final, the big Ardmore man had nudged Waterford ahead.

“I thought of 2004 alright, but I had another chance a minute or so later only one of the Cork backs got a slight hook on me. If I’d gotten that one we’d surely have won — you can go from hero to zero fairly quick.”

He sees the new youngsters coming into training and recognises the mindset: “Every year you need three or four new players, young players, coming through and pushing for places.

“The best thing about these lads is that a lot of them come in with that background of success, winning Harty Cup medals or, in some cases, All-Ireland minor medals from last year.

“What you have then is a group of youngsters with no fear in them. Waterford need to push those guys on to the next level at senior.”

Some of them can arrive ahead of schedule. Take the Waterford wing-forward who got the vital goal against Cork: Austin Gleeson, one of last year’s minor stars.

“Austin’s lucky enough in one sense that he’s a big man, which helps a lot when a youngster is trying to make the breakthrough at senior level,” says Prendergast.

“On top of that he’s playing senior club with Mount Sion for the last couple of years, so lining out with or against older players wouldn’t be anything new to him.

“And he’s a natural hurler, a natural ball-player, so there’s no concerns about him in that way — he has all the skills necessary to do the business if he gets on the ball.”

Waterford were rank underdogs against Cork, but the Norbrook Laboratories employee knows favouritism isn’t an issue when the two counties meet.

“You’d hear it going around that we had no chance, you’d hear it from people as you’re at your business, but one thing from playing for Waterford for as long as I have, every year there seems to be a little doubt in people’s minds about the team.

Prendergast is sympathetic to the financial pressure Waterford fans are under, however.

“It’s tough going at the moment, we’d have a lot of support traditionally from the west of the county but the big crowds come from the city, which has been hit very bad recently – just look at Bausch and Lomb in recent days.

“And €25 is a lot – if you’re bringing a family it’s €100 plus. But I’d still hope we’ll have a good following there this weekend.”

He’s disappointed not to be getting a start but glad to be involved. Glad of the support from Aisling, his wife. Glad to be going back to Thurles Sunday.

“I wouldn’t have come back if I didn’t think I was good enough to start. Obviously I’m disappointed not be starting the games, but that’s the way it is. I still feel I have a contribution to make, though. I suppose the older lads have more of an idea of what’s needed to succeed in the Munster championship than the youngsters, so if things need to be upped in training or if they need a bit of direction we’re happy to chip in.”