Wexford legend Larry O'Gorman has tipped Wexford to bounce back from their Leinster final disappointment to really put it up to Waterford this Sunday.
The Yellowbellies face their neighbours at the redeveloped Pairc Ui Chaoimh in the All-Ireland hurling quarter-finals in a repeat of last year's last-eight clash which was convincingly won by Waterford.
Galway proved much too strong for Davy Fitzgerald's Model men at Croke Park last time out, but O'Gorman believes Wexford's lacklustre display that day can be partially put down to players being swept up in the swirl of excitement running through the county.
"In the build-up to the Leinster final, the atmosphere in Wexford was electric. And the players were more or less involved in that as well, you couldn't miss what was going on. It was incredible," the 1996 All-Ireland winner told 2fm's Game On, adding that Fitzgerald will make sure that emotional charge is thoroughly out of the system.
"I think that might have taken too much out of the guys, it might have gotten them up for the game but I think it sucked a lot of energy out of them.
"The last two or three weeks have given Davy the chance to come back in and sit down and talk with them about not getting sucked in by whatever happens outside the white lines.
"It's okay for the supporters but what happens inside those white lines is more important to us.
"We all know on Sunday that it is Wexford's last hurrah and it is Waterford's last hurrah, and we need to bring the performance that we brought up to the Leinster final into Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
"It will be a mighty battle between teams that are really hungry for success."
Waterford go into the game as firm favourites having ended Kilkenny's interest in the Championship last time out, and O'Gorman is under no illusions that it will take a complete performance to overcome the Deise.
"I was talking to Lee Chin the other night and I told him it would take a mighty effort from everyone, the whole 15 and the subs," the former Hurler of the Year said.
"We are all aware that Waterford have some classy hurlers, from full-back right up the corner forwards, so it's important that our big guys step up to the plate and don't play for 40 minutes, or 50 minutes, we've got to play for the hour because Waterford will hang in there.
"It will be a mighty battle between teams that are really hungry for success."
"One thing we have going in is that Davy has been with Waterford and he knows a lot of these guys. When Davy was with Waterford he told everyone he could see no weakness in their team.
"Now he is with Wexford he is able to point out those weaknesses."
One such weakness was evident at Semple Stadium a fortnight ago, when Waterford blew and eight point inside the final 15 minutes before finally beating Kilkenney in extra-time.
And O'Gorman warned that any team sent out by Fitzgerald would be well-placed to capitalise if a similar situation arises on Sunday.
"Waterford just laid down the hurls and tried to see out the remainder of the game and you don't do that to Kilkenny," he said.
"If that creeps into their head on Sunday, 10 or 15 minutes to go and you're six points up and you think you have it in the bag, we still have lads on our team that are quite capable of scoring a goal or two that could turn the game around.
"Waterford will have to be wary of what's ahead of them. The players in Waterford realise that Davy will have this Wexford team driven right to the very end. He will make sure they don't throw in the towel."
Live coverage of Tipperary v Clare (Saturday, 3pm) and Wexford v Waterford (Sunday 4pm) in the All-Ireland hurling qualifiers on RTÉ 2, RTÉ Radio One and match tracker on RTÉ.ie, with live radio commentary of Cork v Mayo (Saturday, 5pm) and Galway v Donegal (Saturday, 7pm) on RTÉ Radio One Saturday Sport and match tracker on RTÉ.ie in the All-Ireland Football qualifiers.
