Waterford's unsung heroes enjoyed a day they'll never forget when they knocked Tipperary out of the Munster SFC on Sunday afternoon, and RTÉ football analyst Enda McGinley believes such successes are crucial to ensure the fire still burns bright in players from counties regarded as lesser lights.
A brace of late goals from Tom O'Connell left Tipperary shellshocked at Fraher Field, with the Déise's 2-07 to 1-05 victory their first over the Premier County in 36 years.
A provincial semi-final against Clare at the same venue beckons. Regardless of the outcome of that game, McGinley insisted that minnows shocking higher profile opponents can only be good for the game.
"It is so critical," the former Tyrone player and ex-Antrim boss said on the RTÉ GAA Podcast, while also referring to discrepancies in funding levels between counties. "The closer teams are, the better things are.
"For teams working at the lower level, and having managed with Antrim, you become acutely aware of the effort that those players have to put in, completely against the grain.
"There is zero glory about being a Waterford county footballer. That is something you're doing out of a personal conviction, out of, hopefully, a pride to be linked with the county, and trying to make the very best of yourself.
"You'll get very little credit from your clubmates. You'll get some support from your family, but they'll question you plenty of times, maybe, as to why [you're doing it]."
McGinley, a three-time All-Ireland winner with the Red Hand, believes players from the country's football powerhouse with the loftiest of goals could learn a valuable lesson from the commitment displayed by players who tog out for their county's despite the remote prospect of either success or reward.
The Errigal Ciarán clubman said: "It always grinds me to gears, particularly when I was with Antrim, you'd hear some Tyrone players - and you'd hear this across the board, across the bigger counties - an interviewer would ask, 'do you think you can win it?' The response is, 'I wouldn't be here if we didn't think we can win an All-Ireland.
"Right, well, why not? Why would you not? If you can't win an All-Ireland, which the vast majority of teams can't, are you saying you wouldn't then tog out for your county?
"How does that reflect on your dedication to your county and your game? Contrast that with the Division 3 and Division 4 teams."
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