Fitzgerald heartbroken as Waterford bow out

Davy Fitzgerald was crestfallen as he reflected on his Waterford side's six-point defeat to Kilkenny in the first of the All-Ireland SHC semi-finals.

Fitzgerald's men bounced back from their Munster final hammering by Tipperary to beat Galway at the quarter-final stage recently.

But Kilkenny proved unbreakable in this afternoon's clash at Croke Park, which marked Fitzgerald's fourth successive semi-final appearance with the Déise.

"Disappointed? Yeah (I am). I suppose a lot of people were expecting a massacre today, but it didn't happen. Sorry to disappoint some people," he said.

"I am very proud of the guys. Where we were four weeks ago wasn't easy when I had to face all of you guys (the media).

"For the lads to pick themselves up the way they did shows unbelievable character. I am so proud of the guys, 'tis unreal.

"You know sometimes you need a bit of luck and you need things to go your way. If we are to beat Kilkenny we need everything to go our way."

Waterford reached the 2008 All-Ireland final in Fitzgerald's first year in charge, however they have suffered three semi-final defeats on the bounce now - two to Kilkenny and one to Tipperary last year.

In today's encounter, two first half goals from Richie Hogan set the Cats on their way. Fitzgerald was disappointed with his side's play in the lead up to that opening third minute goal.

"The first goal I wouldn't be a bit happy with the way we conceded it. Then 31 minutes on the clock, I remember looking up at it and I think we were within two points off these guys.

"We were back in it and we were going hard at them. We get a chance. John Mullane has a chance of a goal, went for goal and in fairness he had a great game. He could have put that over the bar or it could have been in the back of the net."

The former Clare goalkeeper also highlighted some fouls that went unpunished before Hogan rippled the net again on the half hour mark.

"If you see their second goal, Tommy Walsh pushed a guy clearly and there was a thrown hand-pass - two instances in the one play," he insisted.

However, he was quick to move the blame away from referee Barry Kelly, adding: "Let me say this quite catagorically, Barry Kelly had a good game and was probably unsighted and didn't see it.

"What I am saying to you is that small little things make such a difference - it's unreal. If we had gone in at half-time two or three points down compared to six, it would have been a different ball game.

"In fairness I have to say the referee had a good game. Kilkenny missed a lot of chances, they were good as well.

"Could we have capitulated after going 10 or 11 points down? We could have thrown up a white flag and gone but we didn't.

"We made a conscious effort that we were going to hold as tight as we can. I thought the lads, for the amount of ball that came down on top of them, did really well.

"That second goal will haunt me after this game. It will haunt me. To me it changed the game. If we could have hung on until half-time we would have got some confidence.

"The easiest thing today when we came under pressure was to throw up the white flag. They could have done that, but they didn't and that says a lot about them. I have nothing but admiration for them."

Still mindful of Hogan's second goal, Fitzgerald added: "That's a killer - when you get blatantly shoved on and a ball thrown and it ends up in the back of the net.

"You are there and you are tearing your hair out. Are you allowed say anything? You are not. Kilkenny deserve their victory today overall."

The Sixmilebridge native was immediately linked with the vacant Clare managerial position when his former team-mate Ger 'Sparrow' O'Loughlin stepped down last month.

Fitzgerald, who was reappointed by Waterford last September for another year, refused to reveal this evening whether he wants to stay on as the Déise boss.

"I'm just so tired, I can't even think about tomorrow hardly," he conceded.

"And I haven't thought about it (staying in charge). I just want to go home and relax and just chill out. I can 100% tell you that I haven't even thought about it and that is 100% fact.

"I have to say that I love dealing with that bunch of guys inside there (in the dressing room). I really, really, really like it.

"I love dealing with the genuine people in Waterford who have supported me so much. I can't say nothing, whether I am there next year or not - I don't know.

"I couldn't say enough about those lads. They have given me everything. After that Munster final the easiest thing they could have done was tell me to go scratch when I told them not to go out drinking and that I wanted them in Fraher Field the next morning - they didn't.

"Very few teams would have done that. They took in on the chin and they came back. They are good and I have some pride in those guys. I'm so happy to be involved with them guys."