Pauric Mahony believes the Waterford players owed their management the level of performance demonstrated against Kilkenny in the drawn All-Ireland SHC semi-final and says it proves they can match the reigning champions.
Mahony’s haul of 0-14, which included nine frees, looked to be good enough to send the Déise through to the decider, but Brian Cody’s men fought back from five points down to salvage a draw in Croke Park.
With the 21-point Munster final defeat still fresh in the memory, few gave Waterford any chance of claiming just a second Championship win over their neighbours.
However, they looked a side completely removed from the rigid, defensive outfit that crumbled against the Premier County as they raised the white flag on 24 occasions, before a late Walter Walsh goal helped Kilkenny to earn a second bite of the cherry next Saturday.
Mahony was imperious throughout and the Ballygunner clubman says his team-mates owed Derek McGrath and his management team following the no-show in Thurles.
“After the Munster final, we felt we let ourselves down as players, we felt we let the management team down,” he told RTÉ Sport.
“We had a point to prove. We went some ways to doing that today.”
Some wayward shooting in the final stages cost the Munster side dearly, but Mahony doesn’t subscribe to the view that they have missed their chance of an upset.
Indeed, the WIT student argues that the performance demonstrated that, on their day, McGrath’s team are a match for anyone.
“We said if we got the basics right, the hooking, the blocking, the chasing, the tackling...
“We know we are well able to match them. Kilkenny are there, the All-Ireland champions, it’s going to be one hell of a challenge for us to get back and be ready for six days’ time but it’s something we are really looking forward to.
“We’re still in the Championship and that’s all that matters.”
