Exciting times for Waterford, says Kevin Moran

For all intents and purposes, it looked like Waterford were smarter cookies than Cork in both the mocks (Division 1 final) and exam (Munster semi-final) last year. As if Cork hadn’t learned from the trial run.

Kevin Moran wouldn’t paint it that way. As they cross swords again in Páirc Uí Rinn this Saturday, the Waterford captain says Cork weren’t tactically naive. “I think that’s unfair on Cork. I suppose they had their own way of playing, which at the time they thought might work. When you are in a game like that, sometimes you try and focus on what you are naturally good at and obviously carrying out a game-plan without hamstringing yourself over it and really focusing too much on it.

“There is a fine balance there, really. After that, it’s very hard to see what other teams are doing and see the naivety or how successful other teams are in their actual game-plan when they are playing. I think it’s more of a thing you’d notice more on the outside looking in.”

Moran isn’t trying to dumb down what Waterford achieved in beating Cork twice in the space of five weeks. “Yeah, that was huge, we were in a really good place for the four or five weeks before the league final and the four or five weeks afterwards. The momentum continued throughout the summer; (we) just couldn’t get the couple of wins against the Tipperarys and Kilkennys.”

Waterford did justice to their title of reigning champions in beating Kilkenny last weekend although Moran doesn’t see the campaign as a title defence. “I think it’s a new year. I don’t think it comes into play that much. It was, what, nine months ago now. Obviously, you don’t forget about it but you have to put one year aside, whether it’s a good year or bad year. It’s what’s in front of you and things you can change and do the right thing and try and win a few games.”

Neither are the players of the belief 2016 has to be the year 1959 is consigned to the past. The board executive’s endorsement of McGrath until the end of 2019 has bred confidence into the group. Moran, 29 next month, says he has never known a more exciting time playing for Waterford.

“Obviously, we are a young team and if we can improve another bit, that’s all we want and just keep going in the right direction. Derek and the lads have been given a four-year plan and that’s the continuity we want in the county board and they have the foresight to see that so that’s important as well.

“We can’t really put all our eggs in the one basket and say, ‘2016, it must be, it must be,’ but we can’t afford to have an off year and go back down. It’s just about progress and trying to keep developing.”

So many times regarded as the heartbeat of the team, Moran has had to learn with added attention from opponents. Man-marking is something he has become acquainted with over the course of the last 12 months. “It’s something you just have to deal with. There are various challenges in every game and within the game, who you are on, you are moved to certain positions at certain times in the game.

“I won’t say it got to me or anything like that but I was aware of it and, look, it’s something you have to try and meet head-on-head with and get the better of your opponent, whichever way possible.”