Waterford's Munster final victory means that all of the major hurling counties - with the debatable exceptions of Dublin and Laois - have enjoyed breakthrough success in recent years, writes Seán Moran

The impact of these victories on the counties concerned is widespread, vindicating the work of all those who have promoted hurling through difficult times and ensuring that the future is assured, at least in the medium term.

One man who has particular reason to feel a sense of satisfaction is Tony Mansfield, a young member of the panel the last time Waterford won Munster in 1963.

In the meantime, he has been involved with county teams at various levels and was manager for what was, until Sunday, the county's biggest success since - the 1992 All-Ireland under-21 championship.

He says he was surprised by the margin of victory, but not that much by the win itself.

"We felt in an ideal position," he says. "After Tipperary beat Limerick the national media praised them up. To me, it seemed hard to believe that Tipp considered Waterford a danger.

"I said to Noel Dalton who was on the (1992) under-21 team. I said to him it was a perfect situation: No expectations and the team flying in training.

"I met Billy O'Sullivan (former player amongst those acknowledged by captain Fergal Hartley in his acceptance speech) at an under-age match and he was saying the same thing, that they were very confident."

Whereas the joy at winning a Munster title was foremost in the county, there was also considerable satisfaction at the manner of the win and the performances of individual players.

"It was as good a display of hurling as they have produced. Technically they were better and their commitment levels were higher. In the physical stakes they were hungrier with Fergal Hartley in particular taking a lot of punishment.

"He was like Philly Grimes who stood for the team against Tipp in 1959 and then scored eight against them in '63. Hartley now has that stature. I remember when I first saw him as a minor, he reminded me of Eamonn Cregan the way he picked the ball and moved.

"Ken McGrath is as good a player as he always was. It's just in the nature of things that unless you win something it doesn't get noticed as much."

Some of the players admitted to harbouring doubts up until the final whistle, but Mansfield undercuts them by five minutes, saying that Waterford's last score in the 65th minute convinced him.

"When (David) Bennett pointed I knew Tipp were beaten. Two people came down and shook my hand afterwards: Michael McNamara (former Clare trainer, currently with Galway) and John Fenton (former Cork All-Ireland winning captain) - which I really appreciated.

"For our generation it was very emotional to be honest.

"I had helped out in my time and done my best and was hoping that something I'd said to any of the players I'd trained had rubbed off on them. Hurling is a way of life and for Waterford people there's great satisfaction in this.

"Someone wrote in the papers that the structures in Waterford were wrong. But all of those players had people who gave them time as they grew up. It could have been a teacher or a schools coach or someone down in their club, but there was someone there to give them a love of hurling and teach them how to play. Somebody's doing something right in Waterford."

Among Mansfield's tours of duty at senior level was the season 13 years ago when he led Waterford to victory over Cork in the Munster semi-final. Tipperary defeated his side heavily in a controversial final when two Waterford players were sent off.

The years that followed were disappointing at senior level, slipping to a nadir in 1993 when the county gave Kerry a first championship win since the 1920s. But at underage level there were signs of hope with a minor All-Ireland appearance in 1992, followed that autumn by the under-21 success of Mansfield's team.

Aside from 1989, the county's record against Tipperary in Munster finals has a positive aspect. Sunday was the third successive Munster final that Waterford have won by beating Tipperary as All-Ireland champions. This was an omen that Mansfield hadn't forgotten.

"I met a Tipp man on Saturday night who said Waterford were lambs to the slaughter. I told to be careful. 'You could end up very sick,' I told him. 'The greatest team from your county that won All-Irelands in 1961 and 62 and in 64 and 65 would have won five in a row if it wasn't for Waterford in 63'.

"I remember that day. I was sitting on the substitutes' bench in Limerick and watching the parade go by. I saw Tipp looking over at the Waterford players and the body language was clear. They were worried.

"We had beaten them in the 1962 Oireachtas final and the 1963 League final - which John D Hickey said was one of the greatest games he'd ever seen."

As the men of 1963 can finally leave the stage to a younger generation, the benefits of the victory will percolate through the system - raising the profile and status of Waterford hurling into the future.

"This will set us up for another decade," says Mansfield. "I spoke to Shamie Hannon (Waterford selector) and said that this was great for everyone involved in keeping hurling going over the last 40 years, a major boost at the right time.

"In a way, this sort of success is very hard for the team to manage with all the hype and pressures. But that's tomorrow's problem. We can enjoy today."