Counting his blessings

Dermot Dooley has never really allowed himself to consider the thought, but under different circumstances he would be on the sideline in Nowlan Park this evening.

In guiding De La Salle College to back-to-back Harty and Croke Cups in 2007 and ’08, the Coolderry man and Derek McGrath were joined at the hip.

When McGrath was appointed to succeed Michael Ryan as Waterford manager last October he asked his work colleague and clubmate to become involved. Aside from their relationship, it made sense: nine of the team that started the first Munster quarter-final game against Cork in May played under their tutelage in the school.