No inbetween for Derek McGrath, he’ll be loved or loathed

WHEN people think of Waterford hurling, it’s about so much more than a county that hasn’t won an All-Ireland since 1959. From the mid-1990s, we witnessed the emergence of some brilliant players – the likes of Ken McGrath, Tony Browne, Paul Flynn – and then on through the Noughties with Eoin Kelly, John Mullane, Dan Shanahan.

All of these were skilful, off-thecuff stars. Gerald McCarthy and then Justin McCarthy set them out to play and hurling people everywhere developed this wonderful grá for Waterford and their swashbuckling style. But they weren’t all like that. Fergal Hartley, Stephen Frampton, and the Prendergast brothers, Seamus and Declan were cut from a slightly different cloth, the rocksolid types needed to backbone any team. There were no frills with these lads.

I was down in Ardmore for a few days last week and met up with Declan. This small village in west Waterford is still celebrating being crowned All-Ireland junior champions. Seamus (right) is 38 and hit 1-8 to pick up the man of the match award in the final. Declan turns 37 next month and locked down the full-back line. Deccie is a farmer and the brothers have different personalities to the likes of Dan. A bit was made of the fact that they voiced criticism over the setup of the current team under Derek McGrath and the sweeper system that has divided more than just Waterford.

To me, it’s refreshing that they were honest enough to call it as they saw it, Declan showing a bit of brotherly love by backing up Seamus’ claim. There is no issue between the lads and McGrath – John Mullane is Derek’s brother in law and when he heard the Ardmore lads had gone to Spain for a couple of days as a reward, he told me that he must text them to wish them well.

The Prendergasts’ view is just reflective of the mood of the county. Seamus said it has split supporters. That’s what I’m finding. The question now for Waterford is do they stick with roughly the same plan for the rest of 2018? Or do they ditch the sweeper, try and add something extra in an attacking sense and hope not to leave yourself open at the back?

I felt last year that they really developed their game, taking a counter-attacking, running game to another level. And very nearly got there. I’ve been saying it more than anybody, though, that you can’t win an All-Ireland with an out-and-out sweeper. That a failure to commit enough bodies to an inside line will ultimately come against a team, particularly in the expanses of Croke Park on the big days.

Even though Waterford made huge strides, it says a lot that their two best players in an attacking sense were Kevin Moran and ‘Brick’ Walsh.

It must be so tough playing as a forward in the inside line where you are up against two or sometimes three players a lot of the time. Taking punishment all the time. Flogging yourself until a tactical replacement comes in.

Look at Galway last year and the level of their forward play. Or look at the Tipperary forward line when Lar Corbett was flying it or Seamus Callanan and John McGrath now. They are not looking over their shoulder at the line wondering if they are going to be substituted.

Confidence is so important to any forward. I understand why Derek felt they had to change initially and lock things up at the back. And I understand that there is still an element of protecting the fullback line. But I think they have the players now to do their job without the protection of a sweeper.

Tadhg de Búrca could play at three; Austin Gleeson is a natural six. So yes, I would love to see them play more orthodox. If they are going to stop all the talk about their style or go all the way, then that’s how I see it.

Look at Derek whose demeanour is so honest and passionate, or Dan as selector hurling every ball on the sideline or Austin Gleeson who is capable of so much. That has to be allowed to express itself on the field. It will be interesting to see how they approach the last round league game against Clare.

With Walsh Park in a state of disrepair and the capacity down for the two home championship matches to be hosted against Tipperary and Cork (it’s Clare and Limerick away), it’s going to be a really testing Munster campaign.

Winning breeds confidence – that’s why that win against Cork last Sunday was very important. Waterford seem to be playing a very risky strategy in not taking the league that seriously. There is no history to say this approach has worked before. Even when Kilkenny weren’t winning the league, they were trying hard to win all their matches. That’s why they have never been relegated on Cody’s watch. Galway won the league last year and used it as a springboard to the All-Ireland. Winning is a habit.

Derek McGrath seems to be putting all his eggs in the one championship basket with the likes of Brick Walsh to come back into the frame. The way things are going, he’ll either end up being hailed as a genius or being slated.