Curran hoping for big performance against Deise

Cork centre-back Ronan Curran expects another tight game from Waterford when the sides meet in Sunday week's Munster SHC semi-final in Thurles.

Cork suffered heartbreak earlier this season when Waterford beat them in the league semi-final, and Justin McCarthy's Deise side have been one of the major success stories in the GAA so far this year.

Having won the league title, beating the current All-Ireland champions Kilkenny in the process, Waterford will be confident of chalking up another big win at Semple Stadium on Sunday week.

Curran, named today as the Opel Gaelic Player of the Month for May, is eagerly awaiting another crack at Waterford.

"We are used to playing each other at this stage. They have always been close games so there is no reason for any team to fear anyone else," Curran told breakingnews.ie.

"We all know each other very well and every game we play will be close - that's the way it is between us and Waterford. They have a few very good players on their team."

Although Waterford may carry the favourites' tag into next week's game - as league champions - Curran reckons the tag matters little in games between the heavyweight pair.

"Obviously we have been favourites over the last few years but I don't think we will be the next day, after Waterford beating us in the league semi-final and them going so well.

"But in a game like this one, it will be so close I don't think the favourites' tag counts for anything.

"We know it is going to be tough. It's going to be a hard battle and as I said, anything can happen on the day - especially with the forwards Waterford have. So we just have to go out there and try do our best on the day and hopefully we'll come through in the end."

Man of the match in Cork's first round defeat of Clare, Curran places major importance on winning the Munster championship and is not entertaining thoughts of going through the 'back door' route in order to reclaim the All-Ireland crown Cork lost to Kilkenny last September.

"It always has an influence, it still is the Munster championship and it means allot to every Cork person," admitted the St Finbarr's clubman.

"We go out to win every game and obviously the easiest route to get to any final is to go straight through rather than any back doors. You don't know where you'll end up or who you will meet so we'll go out to aim to win that game (against Waterford) and do everything possible to do so."

Just like the Rebels will be doing every in their power to grasp the Liam McCarthy Cup again, following last year's disappointing final defeat to Kilkenny.

Curran added: "We are very disappointed with last year and more disappointed with the performance we put up in the final because we weren't really happy with the way we played that day.

"We know that there is a lot more in this team and with another few new faces, we'd hope that we can challenge for the All-Ireland again this year."