Davy Fitzgerald scans the wreckage. Waterford are running out of road and Saturday’s journey to Thurles brings with it the unforgiving ramifications usually associated with traditional knock-out hurling. Irrespective of the permutations, there is really only one way out now for Waterford. And he knows it.
“Cork lost the first two games last year and qualified out of it,” says Fitzgerald.
“All I can say is that in the next two games we will be giving it everything we can. That’s our mindset, to try and win every game, no matter what the story is.”
Essentially, it’s win or bust for Waterford against Clare. Even though a draw would keep them hanging on in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship, Waterford would be attempting to shove a double-decker bus through a letterbox to squeeze through to the All-Ireland series from that position.
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The county’s uncomfortable relationship with the round-robin format of the Munster SHC has continued this term, losing their opening two matches – against Limerick and Cork respectively.
Since the inception of the group stages in 2018 (it reverted to straight knock-out for 2020 and 2021) Waterford have played 14 Munster round-robin games. Their record reads: One win, one draw, 12 defeats.
A 13th loss would this weekend see Waterford’s interests in the 2023 championship come to an end.
Saturday’s game is technically a home fixture for Waterford, but renovation work at Walsh Park has necessitated the Déise to nominate neutral venues once more for such matches.
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The Waterford support at recent games has been noticeably down on what it would have been in previous years, but Fitzgerald reckons it is the responsibility of the team to provide the fans with an incentive to travel.
“We didn’t give them any reason to come to Cork, we didn’t play well enough,” says Fitzgerald. “The Waterford supporters probably have their reasons over the last year or two that maybe they are not happy with different things, and that’s fine.
“I can’t say anything to the Waterford supporters only that we are trying our best and we are working very hard. I thought we did very well against Limerick, not so well the last day, but if we start getting results that will take care of itself.
“We just have to get our side of the ship consistent, and if we do everything else will work out. But listen, there’s two games left, let’s see how we get on.
“We’ve lost two, we always knew playing Limerick in the first round [would be difficult]. Some people suggested to me that we should have just held for the Cork game but that was never going to be the case.
“You want to go out and be competitive in every game and we did, we put a lot of effort into the first two games. The biggest thing you’d have to be disappointed with is we didn’t play with the same intensity, ferocity, energy against Cork that we played with against Limerick.
“We didn’t play with the same intensity for whatever reason, I can’t explain that, but please God we pick it up in the Clare game.”
They will have to pick it up for the rest of the season, however long more that will be, without the influential Tadhg de Búrca, who suffered an Achilles injury in Waterford’s opening round defeat to Limerick.
The 2015 Young Hurler of the Year is a key player for the team but his career has been hampered by injury, he previously had two long stretches out recovering from cruciate ligament tears. This is another worrying injury setback for the two-time All Star defender, but Fitzgerald is hopeful De Búrca can return in 2024.
“Tadhg is one of the best players in the country, and especially with the system I play he’s pivotal,” admits Fitzgerald. “Tadhg is out for the rest of the season and I’m hopeful we’ll get him back next year, but we can’t dwell on that either.”
Waterford will be back in Semple Stadium for their last provincial round-robin game, when they will be facing Tipperary. Fitzgerald’s hope is that Waterford remain alive in the championship by that stage. But the absence of Fergal Horgan in this year’s championship is something Fitzgerald laments. The Tipperary referee has stepped away from intercounty officiating.
“I have to say it, I think he was one of the best I’ve seen over the last 10-15 years,” adds Fitzgerald. “You could actually talk to him, because there are some you can’t even ask them a question. You ask them a question and they are looking at you saying, ‘what are you doing?’
“I genuinely believe there should be dialogue between management and referees, before and after games. Tell us what way you are looking at reffing it, what you are looking out for.
“Fergal, top marks, top ref, can say nothing else, absolutely incredible.”
