Waterford learning lessons along the way

When Waterford’s senior hurling management visited the Kilkenny dressing-room last Sunday they came away with a fresh appreciation for their opponents, and their physical presence in particular.

Back in the blue and white corner they had a teenage starter who only collected his leaving certificate results this week, Shane Bennett, tipping the scales at just over 11 stone.

The Cats had sprung Shane Prendergast from the bench to start instead of Jackie Tyrrell: Prendergast is a seasoned 29-year-old, over six feet tall and close to 15 stone.

“It was obvious how strong they were, when we went in,” said Waterford selector Dan Shanahan. “Powerful, powerful players. Years of strength and conditioning, seasoned, mature men.

“That’s another lesson for us. For our players to reach the next level they’ll have to match that physicality. Our lads put in a huge effort in terms of strength and conditioning all season, we couldn’t fault them, but for some of them it’s been only a year or two of that level of gym work. A lot of the Kilkenny lads would have ten years of that training behind them, and fair play to them, they were awesome on Sunday.” Kilkenny’s pattern of holding players until they’re mature physically and mentally, ready for intercounty combat, isn’t a luxury many counties can afford.

Waterford had U21 players everywhere in Croke Park last Sunday — Austin Gleeson, Tadhg de Burca, Bennett, Colin Dunford; Kilkenny started none.

Waterford knew all that before taking the field last Sunday, however. They learned more over the 70 minutes in Croke Park.

Their much-discussed system of play survived the test, but the 1-6 they conceded directly through their own errors was fatal.

“A few times we tried things and they didn’t come off,” said Shanahan.

“The thing is, against other teams you might get away with that the odd time. You drop a ball or you over-carry it and get caught up in traffic, and other players mightn’t punish you for it. Not Kilkenny, though.

“Every time we made a mistake last Sunday we suffered for it on the scoreboard — bang, bang, bang. It’s in their DNA that they’ll do the right things. Loose ball, over the bar. A clearance into their hand, over the bar.

“That should teach you as well, it should show you that that’s the level. Any mistake gets punished to the utmost.

“We went toe to toe with them but we were lacking a bit of firepower. The difference in physique didn’t help us, we tired a bit in the second-half when we were chasing the game — and we missed Paudie Mahony, his runs off the ball were a big part of our plans all year — but we had a lot of plusses as well. We learned a lot.” The learning curve was steep for everyone this year, said the Lismore clubman. They had young players with All-Ireland minor medals jangling in their back pockets, players familiar with reading their names in the programmes being sold in Croke Park. But playing in the curtain-raiser and running out for the main event are two different things.

“Even the build-up, for most of the lads that was a new experience,” said Shanahan.

“Fair enough, Brick (Walsh) and Kevin (Moran) have played in All-Ireland finals, but for a lot of the younger lads the couple of weeks beforehand was a new experience — everywhere they went people were asking how the game would go, all day every day. You learn from that. You learn where not to go if you get back there the next year, for instance; you learn what to do to make sure you’re ready.

“And we have to learn too, on the management side. We wouldn’t pretend to know everything, and we’d be well aware that we’ve probably made mistakes along the way. We’re not perfect either.

“In fairness it’s worth saying the county board gave us huge support all year. Anything we wanted we got.” There’s more pressure now for 2016, of course. They’re in Division 1A, which should raise standards, but it also means other teams will come gunning for a scalp.

“Look at Limerick last year in the All-Ireland semi-final. They went to war with Kilkenny and nearly got over the line, it was very close.

“Wexford were the same, they had a couple of massive games with Clare, the All- Ireland champions, and when they got the win we thought they were back.

“But this year didn’t go their way at all, for either of them, from the start of the league through to the championship. We’re very conscious that there’ll be a target on our backs from early next year. We know that.” One big plus would be Brick Walsh staying on. Though he’s only 32, the Stradbally man has a lot of miles on the clock, but in training and in games he’s a vital part of the jigsaw.

“We’d want him to stay with us, big-time,” said Shanahan.

“He’s the first on the field for training every night, the last to leave. No issue with fitness, discipline — a pleasure to deal with and a warrior on the field. We’d need him for the journey we want to take. He’s crucial to us because he’s a leader, a strong man.” The team’s dedication is a help. Shanahan chuckled at the number of times the players were in the dressing-room after training, discussing where the best coffee in Waterford could be had.

“That’s the level of dedication, and they drove it themselves. We weren’t telling them to stay off the drink. We didn’t have to. They chat away about going for a cappuccino here, an espresso there — a bit of a difference from our day, in fairness.” In Dungarvan and Waterford and Lismore there have been plenty of slaps on the back for the players who’ve given the supporters in the southeast an enjoyable summer. But Shanahan added they’re already thinking of 2016. We’ll meet up soon and have a think about it, chat about what changes we need to make — ourselves, as a management team, as well as the panel.

“There have been plenty of people telling us around home the last week that it’s been a great year, and they’re right, it was great to pick up silverware and to make the Munster final. But we have to change our mindset, too. We want to get up there with Kilkenny and Tipperary. For it to be a great year for us, we had to beat Kilkenny last Sunday. We didn’t, and the disappointment was massive as a result.

“We couldn’t have asked for any more from the players, in fairness. The effort they put in was savage, on the field in training, in games, away from the field in terms of their lifestyle and commitment.

“The challenge now is to find another few per cent in them, and to find a few per cent more in ourselves as a management team.”

The hurt of defeat by Kilkenny may be still raw but Waterford are already planning for 2016

We couldn’t have asked for any more from the players. The effort they put in was savage.