'No buzz could replicate that,' says Paul Shankey as Waterford rewrite the record books
BUZZING: Waterford manager Paul Shankey, right, celebrates with Alan Dunwoody. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile.
“How do managers at the top do it?” was the question Paul Shankey asked as he obliged an unexpected swirl of interviews.
A signal, if one were needed, that these days don’t come around too often for the footballing people of Waterford.
This was a win to rewrite the record books; their first championship victory over their neighbours across the Comeraghs since 1988, their first in Munster since 2010, and their first in the championship since 2018.
Having finished winless behind London at the foot of Division 4, they are now one more shock against Clare away from a Munster final and Sam Maguire football.
“It’s absolutely brilliant. There’s no buzz could replicate that,” said Shankey. “That was just fabulous and a fabulous way to play in the second half.
“I just hugged anyone who was close to me. We’re not used to it. What’s seldom is wonderful.
“It’s mad. Everyone who came on the field, you know them because they're parents and brothers and sisters and partners. Everyone knows everyone.” It was two late goals from Tom O’Connell (2-3) that sent the Fraher Field faithful among the 1,071 crowd into a state of elation, sealing a change of fortunes that looked unthinkable at the break.
The Déise appeared to have blown their chance after wasting the gale-force wind in a first half where they scored just one point. It was their second wind, as Shankey put it, which proved far more elemental.
They returned utterly transformed, carrying the ball into gusts that rattled the roof of the stand but not this Waterford side. Down 1-2 to 0-1 at half-time, they won the second half by 2-6 to 0-3.
They took their first lead in the 67th minute when O’Connell fisted home and he sealed it two minutes into stoppage time from a shot that rebounded back off the upright. A huge performance from the Brickey Rangers dual star who’s fresh out of the U20 grade.
“We've had a tough year. It's tough going into games and getting beaten well,” said Shankey.
“We knew with every week they were getting better and you could just sense it. The first half, it didn't look like that. I was very disappointed but they really let loose in the second half.
“The wind was really no advantage. It was a struggle because it was blowing to one corner and it was like a beach wind. It was a swirling breeze into one side.
“Playing against the wind in the modern world is nearly easier because you're forcing things in the first half. We looked a bit leggy but the lads got their second wind and drove it on.
“We'll celebrate tonight but obviously, there's bigger teams ahead. We'll be brought down to reality quite quickly but we'll worry about that when it comes to it.
“I don’t think Clare are shaking in their boots but we can’t wait.”
Tipp entered without captain Steven O’Brien and Seán O’Connor, their vice-captain and top scorer. Last year’s captain Conor Sweeney was fit enough to come off the bench for his first appearance in 15 months.
Waterford had their own injury trouble with centre-back Dermot Ryan withdrawn from the starting line-up before the throw-in.
They fell flat for a start. Their first five attacks were all turned over and they only mustered five shots all half, with a 31-minute wait for their first and only point from Stephen Curry.
With little over two minutes on the clock, Tipp opened with a goal. Cathal Deely produced four early turnovers which led to 1-1 and it was his wayward shot that was drilled home by championship debutant Mark Stokes.
Fittingly for a team half populated by newcomers, Stephen Grogan, Riain Quigley, and Peter McGarry accounted for their next three points.
With the wind, their cardinal sins were inaccuracy, impatience, and a lack of control, spraying eight wides and dropping two frees short.
Curry kicked two further points and O’Connell converted a pair of frees to level as Tipp, fatally, went 27 minutes without a score.
For the 2020 Munster champions, it’s an altogether new reality as they head straight back into the Tailteann Cup.
“We have to be very honest with ourselves and recognise there’s a very significant turnover of players there,” said manager Paul Kelly. “With more experienced players, they have had very near misses (against Waterford).
“There were 16 or so lads left the group before we started this year. There’s upwards of 12 to 16 new chaps, some of whom have never played for their county before. We possibly had 10 or 12 young lads that are making their debut in that 26 today.
“I don’t think we were lazy in any shape or form trawling the county. Everybody had an opportunity.
“Nobody goes out to make mistakes and that first half was something to be proud of. That second half unfortunately was quite disappointing. We didn’t show the energy, positivity, speed, and support that I would’ve expected given the first half.
“It’s a huge learning curve and hopefully we just keep learning.”
T O’Connell (2-3, 0-3 frees); S Curry (0-3); J Curry (0-1 free).
M Stokes (1-0); S Grogan, P McGarry, R Quigley, T Doyle, C Sweeney (0-1 each).
P Hunt; R Browne, C Walsh, C McCarthy; B O’Keeffe, S Whelan-Barrett, R McGrath; M Curry, J Curry; C Mac Craith, D Fitzgerald, W Beresford; S Curry, T O’Connell, J Power.
C Ó Currín for McCarthy (56, inj), A Dunwoody for Mac Craith (63), J Walsh for Fitzgerald (70).
E Comerford; T Condon, J Feehan, P Feehan; S Grogan, J Morris, C Cadell; K Costello, C Kennedy; C O’Shaughnessy, M Stokes, C Deely; R Quigley, P McGarry, J Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials).
E Moloney for Deely (42), C Sweeney for Quigley (42), S Neville for O’Shaughnessy (52), S O’Connell for Condon (53), T Doyle for Stokes (59).
B Griffin (Kerry).
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