Waterford boss Derek McGrath is well aware of the “mind games” played between managers ahead of big games but still declares second-tier champions Clare “the best team in the country”.
The sides meet in Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League final in Thurles (3.30pm) after the Déise comfortably overcame Limerick, and Clare blasted All-Ireland champions Kilkenny off the park at Semple Stadium in their respective semi-finals.
McGrath relays a story to RTÉ Sport about a conversation with his father after their 3-23 to 1-18 semi-final win, during which Clare boss Davy Fitzgerald was quoted, calling the current league title holders “the best team in the country, without a shadow of a doubt.”
McGrath says: “I didn’t see it. My dad said it to me on Monday when I was in having the tea in my mother and father’s house and my dad said, ‘Davy said, we’re the best team in the country’.
“Listen, that’s understandable, that’s anyone’s prerogative. I’m probably doing it; I’m contradicting myself by doing the same. I actually genuinely believe Clare are the best team in the country.
“I'm conscious of psychological mind games in the run in to the match where each team management builds the others up as favourites.
“To me, there is a gap there between the development phases of the teams. Clare have been there and done it, we haven't. Clare are now where we would like to be in a few years.”
The Banner topped Division 1B, the same feat that Waterford managed last season before beating Cork in the final by ten points.
McGrath can see the similarities between the sides’ progression as far as the League is concerned but is eager to point to the fact that Fitzgerald’s men have a lot more in the locker at this stage.
"The parallel is obvious in terms of the actual progress with Clare getting to a league final having stayed unbeaten all year,” says McGrath, who took over from Michael Ryan in late 2013.
“I don't think there is a sense that any team in 1B can relax to say any game is a gimme.
“There are definite parallels to be drawn from the progress of both teams. I think our journey is slightly different to Clare's in that our journey, we feel, is only starting.
“Clare's journey has three All-Ireland Under-21s, an All-Ireland senior, the core group of players in their team - the Conor McGraths, Tony Kellys, Shane O'Donnells, Colm Galvins - the players that have won three Under 21s on the trot – they are probably a bit more seasoned and mature than our guys, who haven't gone through that process of winning Under-21s and seniors.
“Shane Bennett did his Leaving Cert last year, Austin Gleeson is 20 years of age, Patrick Curran is 20 years of age, Tom Devine is 20 years of age.
“If you had have told a Waterford person two years ago Barry Coughlan would be full-back, Tadhg Burke would be centre-back, Patrick Curran would be centre-forward and Tom Devine would be full-forward [they would have laughed at you].”
The two sides also have a Munster Championship semi-final date on 5 June. A common theme of pre-Championship meetings is the question of whether the teams are showing their full hand.
McGrath insists that’s not the case with a trophy on the line.
“We’ve made no secret of our approach to the League,” he says.
“We are not a team that feels we can gear ourselves for a Championship run.
"The perception is that Kerry and Dublin [footballers] do that every year and that they can time their run physically so every week we play it’s extremely serious approach and you would question the sustainability of that into the future.
“Waterford have won three League titles and there’s a League title to be played for so I can honestly say if I am sitting in with ye [the media] and we’ve been beaten comprehensively I won’t be saying that to ye.
“I have no problem focusing on the Championship but we’d be disappointed because we’d be giving it everything we have in the League and if we are after being comprehensively out-played, out-thought, that will just be what’s after materializing on the day, and it won’t because we have an eye on the Championship.”
