Kevin Moran says Déise are thinking big
Waterford were underdogs last weekend, emerging from Division 1B to face a Tipp side who narrowly lost out on last year’s All-Ireland title after a replay, but a late Padraic Mahony point got Waterford over the line in Nowlan Park.
“It’s a big statement, but big statement games are what we needed to win, whether that’s by a point or 10,” said Moran.
“We’re delighted — there’s no point in brushing it up any other way. It was badly needed for Waterford hurling.”
The men in white and blue had to claw their way back into contention after a disastrous opening.
“We got hit for a couple of goals at the start of the game,” said Moran.
“But we’ve a load of work done, we try to get numbers around the ball and keep working hard, to see where that takes us.
“We’re delighted, the team needed a day like today and now we have a league final to look forward to. We’ve nothing won but it’s great that the Waterford public are rowing in behind us and taking an interest.
“We had a couple of bad seasons, we’re just trying to get some pride back in ourselves, back in the team, and I think that was evident Sunday.”
Waterford face Cork on Sunday week in the league decider, and the two sides collide in the Munster championship in June, but Moran doesn’t see that familiarity between the teams as an issue.
“Cork will be on a high and we’re playing them in the Munster semi-final as well, so it’s great to have two such big games to look forward to in the next six to eight weeks.”
Moran added that the hard work put in by the team has given them confidence as championship beckons, despite some disappointing recent seasons.
“We didn’t really think about it or talk about it too much, but we knew we had done a huge amount of work since before Christmas. We knew we weren’t as bad as we’d appeared in the last few years. We have some serious hurlers, as well as a few players who weren’t even playing on Sunday, who’ll be in contention to start the league final and the Munster semi-final.
“Obviously at the start of the year nobody would have given us a chance of making the league final, we were in 1B, but we believed we could win on Sunday, we believed we could beat Galway in the previous game and we’re looking forward to the league final now as well. I don’t think too many people would have predicted this at the start of the year, but that’s sport. That’s why we all love it and enjoy it.”
As for the Barry Kelly decision to award a sideline cut instead of a 65 when the sliotar hit the corner flag, Moran could call on his experience in another code for a precedent.
“In soccer if it hits the corner flag. it’s a throw-in, I know that! It definitely hit the flag, and we were thrilled it was a sideline cut.”
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