With just one series of matches to come, the Allianz Hurling League still has issues to resolve. But it was the shadow of championship that was preoccupying the managers in Walsh Park, Waterford where, before 5,865, the home side put away Tipperary with little fuss in a storming second half that saw Stephen Bennett finish up with 1-16.
Waterford now top Division 1B and face second-placed Kilkenny in a fortnight to finalise the placings, as Dublin retain an outside chance of the playoffs. In 1A, Cork and Wexford had put their semi-final places beyond retrieval on Saturday.
More urgent talk afterwards concerned injuries. Tipperary All-Ireland winning captain and Hurler of the Year Séamus Callanan was revealed to be touch and go for the county’s championship opener – a return to Walsh Park on April 17th.
"Yeah, he broke a finger there Friday night," said manager Colm Bonnar, "so will be out four or five weeks. He has done so much to get back after his back injury. He did a lot of prehab and it took him maybe eight weeks to get right but unfortunately for him, he won't be able to hurl for another six weeks at least so that will be cutting it tight anyway."
There was also worry for Waterford manager Liam Cahill amid the satisfaction with a comprehensive victory over his own county, when All Star full back Conor Prunty had to go off 10 minutes before the end.
"That's a concern – we don't know how bad it is yet but he said it's his hamstring so you'd imagine a minimum three weeks. That's the big downer from today but we have a good medical team, Paddy Julian and Ken Murphy and the boys will get stuck into it during the week and get him back as soon as possible."
On the field, Waterford made clear the pecking order against Munster rivals with the round-robin championship getting underway in six weeks, running out 1-28 to 0-21 winners against Bonnar’s work-in-progress team
Cahill still has some heavy hitters to return between All Star talent like Jamie Barron and Austin Gleeson, as well as Calum Lyons, and also the ranks of recently crowned All-Ireland club champions, Ballygunner.
“It’s brilliant. You can’t beat winning and having five of these guys in around you, it’s superb . . . but there is a big difference between county and club - and Ballygunner are at the very top of the club game. Even in the early training sessions they found it tough because of the intensity required.
“But they’re getting there and it was great to get some game time into two or three of them today. We look forward to having them all back for Nowlan Park in two weeks’ time.”
But Cahill’s mind is already focusing on the next time Tipperary are in town.
“Hopefully we’ll arrive here in good shape in six weeks’ time – it’ll be a different atmosphere, different pace, but it is what it is today, a prep game for six weeks’ time.”
