SHANE: BETTER Déise AHEAD

THE eternal Waterford question.

They’re the biggest hurling stronghold still waiting to break their All-Ireland hurling duck since Limerick bridged a 45-year gap in 2018.

The Déise, of course, lost All-Ireland finals in 2008, 2017 and 2020, with their latest defeat in a decider two years ago coming at the hands of superb backto-back Liam MacCarthy Cup winners Limerick.

But former skipper Shane O’Sullivan insists Liam Cahill’s side are closer than ever.

They are up against Tipperary, whom they beat by seven points at the quarter-final stage of the championship last year, at Walsh Park tomorrow in a Division 1 fixture, having also got the better of Galway in the qualifiers last year.

Gruelling

So Cahill and Co will be looking to build on that kind of form as they seek to end their long All-Ireland famine.

Limerick again had their number in last year’s semi-final, after the Déise endured a gruelling series of knock-out games.

However, O’Sullivan is confident Waterford are heading in the right direction now.

“It could happen this year,” says O’Sullivan, speaking about an All-Ireland drought that goes back all of 62 years to 1959.

“Not saying it will or it won’t, but it could.”

There’s a feeling that the issue has been more in the head than the wrists or the heart.

But O’Sullivan has noticed an important change.

And he notes: “This group of players are very mentally strong. That bit is much better. Obviously, I know them personally. Some of them are family to me (Pauric Mahony is his nephew).

“Limerick were so good the last three or four years, that it was incredibly hard to catch them, but we don’t fear anyone.

“Also, the other teams are not as good as they were, so we have more opportunities.

“My generation, 2008, mentally we weren’t strong enough.

“Now they are, and they are getting more mental strength from every performance and from every year. We are closer (to All-Ireland glory) because of that.”

Help

And O’Sullivan (36) believes Ballygunner’s All-Ireland win, the first adult senior national title to go to the county since 1959, will “100 per cent” help Waterford.

Ballygunner were only the third Waterford club to even reach an AllIreland senior final after Mount Sion (1982) and De La Salle (2009).

“Waterford are the next best team to Limerick. Limerick are superb, but they are not unbeatable. They can be beaten on their day,” he insists.

“We overpowered Laois and they were exceptional. But they weren’t as good last week (against Antrim). Still, it’s (only) the early stages of the league.

“They will believe that little bit more.

“Maybe with a little influx of some of our (Ballygunner) youth that don’t have any inhibitions and worries, that have always won (things), that might help as well.

“We are closer than we ever were.

“Waterford have competed in more All-Irelands in the last five, six or seven years than we did in the 50 years before.

“We can definitely win an All-Ireland, for sure.”

EYES ON THE PRIZE: Waterford manager Liam Cahill is totally focused