Waterford now sitting pretty after smashing nine-year Croke Park jinx

Waterford 2-19 Dublin 1-17: Beating a new look and youthful Dublin side brought the memories of his own transition year flooding back for Waterford manager Derek McGrath.

In particular, McGrath recalled the build-up to Waterford’s second game of the 2015 league campaign when Laois, who’d just run Offaly close, visited Dungarvan.

The sense of an invisible axe hovering above McGrath’s head was palpable, for a few hours before throw-in at least, with the manager fearing his pre-season clearout of household names would come back to haunt him.