Kevin Moran believes Davy Fitzgerald’s second coming in Waterford will prove to be a catalyst for progress.
Moran, who played under Fitzgerald during the Clare man’s first spell as Waterford boss between 2008-11, feels his return has come at the right time for this current group of players.
“I do, for growth and development and nurturing players through,” says Moran. “The nucleus of our team is going to be those minor and under-21 teams that won in 2013 and 2016.
“He’s used to intercounty set-ups, I don’t think anyone wanted a rebuilding phase. The nucleus of the team is there, the lads are at the prime age.”
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Waterford’s opening two games of the league ended with a draw at home to Dublin and an away win over Laois. The Déise won the Division One title under Liam Cahill last year but were unable to maintain their form throughout the championship.
Cahill’s departure left a degree of uncertainty hanging over the group and in the weeks after their championship exit the mood music in the county regarding the senior hurlers was sombre. Fitzgerald’s arrival changed the discourse, though only time will tell if he can bring the success Waterford fans crave.
“My initial reaction was very positive,” recalls Moran of the appointment. “I thought it was a very good move by the county board. Davy is an exceptionally good manager.
“He’s such a professional fellah. What’s very good about him, and people wouldn’t realise, is that he’s a very good man-manager. He’d speak to you, pick up the phone. Get the best out of you. Whether things went good, bad or indifferent for you on the Sunday, you could expect a phone call from Davy on the Monday or Tuesday. Those are the small things that you don’t see.
“So I thought it was a very good move. I thought he did a brilliant job with Waterford when he was with Waterford a few years back – I don’t think he got the credit he deserved.”
Still, Moran reckons Limerick remain a cut above the rest of the pack and the former Waterford captain says John Kiely’s side will be difficult to stop in 2023.
“I hope I’m wrong because I’d love to see Waterford push on, but I think Limerick could be even better this year,” states Moran. “I saw them the last couple of games, against Cork and against Clare, they’re very comfortable in what they do.
“They seem to have an incredibly driven group and I’d say an exceptionally good management set-up. They’ve all the right tools in place. They’ve Cian Lynch and Peter Casey coming back in. They’re going to be firing on all cylinders when push comes to shove so I think it’s going to be very difficult for the chasing bunch to bridge that gap.
“They’re an exceptionally good team and I think it’s going to be hard for anyone to beat them. They’re obviously deserving favourites to win the All-Ireland and, at this moment in time, I can’t see anybody else doing it.”
After 16 years in the blue and white, Moran retired from intercounty hurling in November 2021, so this will be his second season watching from the stands.
“The team has changed. The lads that I would have been playing with and friendly with are all gone as well. It’s a new team. You’re a supporter now,” he says.
“I’m still trying to play a little bit of club hurling, we’ll see how that goes. I’m coaching a couple of teams in my own club as well. It’s something that, a few years ago, I didn’t think I’d have such an interest in.
“I don’t miss it to be honest. You’d love to be that age again, playing on the top of the ground, but we all know time moves on. It’s someone else’s turn now.”
– Kevin Moran, a Fitzgibbon Cup winner with WIT, was speaking ahead of Thursday night’s Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup semi-finals: UCC v UCG in St Joseph’s Doora Barefield at 6.0 and SETU Waterford v UL at WIT sports campus at 7.30. Both games will be shown live on TG4.
