Gary O’Keeffe: Waterford need to bridge title gap at underage level

The Waterford team before their Munster MHC semi-final victory over Tipperary at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

For the development of Waterford hurling, the county needs to take home the silverware from this evening’s Munster MHC final (Semple Stadium, 7.30pm), Déise boss Gary O’Keeffe has said.

The Waterford minor class of 2021 is attempting to end the county’s 12-year wait for a Munster minor hurling crown, a gap, according to O’Keeffe, that is too sizable for a hurling county such as theirs.

Waterford did win an All-Ireland minor title in 2013, but that piece of silverware came off the back of a provincial final defeat, one of four Munster minor final defeats experienced by the county since the 2009 win.

“It would be a nice gap to bridge,” said O’Keeffe.

“We've been in and lost a few Munster finals since 2009. For the development of the county, we need to be winning silverware.

“2009 is a big gap, considering Waterford is a strong hurling county. It is a big gap to be not winning Munster titles and hopefully, we can set that right on Monday.” 

Standing in their way is a Cork team that turned more than a few heads with their 40-point Munster quarter-final obliteration of Clare and then backed that performance up with a 10-point semi-final win over Limerick.

What has stood out for O’Keeffe is the physicality of a Cork side that belies their U17 status.

“Cork didn't allow either Clare or Limerick play or get into the game. Cork are a very big physical side, at this age that is a big thing for them. The Limerick game, they played to their strengths and got the result they needed.

“We'll be hoping to dictate our own terms on the game, but the physicality of the Cork side is going to be a big battle for us. We have five lads on our starting team who are underage again next year. At U17, some of those guys just aren't physically as strong as the Cork lads, so we'll be hoping to bring our own game to it, but we have to be cognisant of the fact that Cork have been very strong in both those games, physically as well as their hurling.” 

There is one change to Noel Furlong's Cork team from the side that began their 10-point semi-final win over Limerick. William Buckley of St Finbarr's comes back into the starting team at corner-forward, having missed the Limerick fixture because of illness.

Buckey started the quarter-final win over Clare, hitting five points from play across the hour. He replaces Kanturk’s Rory Sheahan.

Waterford, meanwhile, are unchanged from the side that overcame Tipperary last time out.

The winner of this evening’s game progresses directly to the All-Ireland final later this month.

CORK: P O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neill’s); D O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), K Lyons (Ballygarvan), J Byrne (Ballinora); J Dwyer (Ballincollig), B O’Connor (St Finbarr’s), T Wilk (Cobh); M Finn (Midleton), C Tobin (Bride Rovers); D Healy (Lisgoold), B Nyhan (Clyda Rovers), T O’Connell (Ballincollig); E O’Leary (Glen Rovers), J Leahy (Dungourney), W Buckley (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: D Costine (Cloyne), S Kennedy (St Finbarr’s), K Wallace (St Catherine’s), J O’Brien (Fermoy), D Cremin (Midleton), O O’Regan (Erin’s Own), A Walsh (Bride Rovers), R O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh), R Sheahan (Kanturk).

WATERFORD: C Troy (Ballygunner); C Keane (De La Salle), C O’Keeffe (Ballygunner), R Dobbyn (Ballyduff Lower); B O’Connell (Abbeyside), C Treen (Abbeyside), A O’Neill (Ballygunner); S Callaghan (Abbeyside), F Hallinan (Fourmilewater); L Ó Siothcháin (An Rinn), J O’Donnell (Ballyduff Lower), M Ó Mathúna (An Sean Phobal); P Fitzgerald (Ballygunner), J Twomey (De La Salle), P Cummins (Brickey Rangers).

Subs: S Ryan (Mount Sion), A Higgins (Abbeyside), D Walsh (Abbeyside), D Fitzpatrick (Ballygunner), M O’Brien (Stradbally), H Flanagan (Mount Sion), D Lalor (De La Salle), D Heffernan (Passage), S Pender (Roanmore), A Mansfield (St Oliver’s).