De La Salle's John Mullane insists he and his team-mates will not let complacency stand in their way of a place in the AIB All-Ireland Club Hurling final as they prepare for Sunday's semi-final against Antrim's Cushendall at Parnell Park, throw-in 2.30pm.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, Mullane stressed: 'No, absolutely not. We probably went down that road in the Munster Club final, but if we are to be beaten on Sunday it won't be from being complacent. We're fully focused on this mighty task to beat a very good Cushendall team so hopefully we can.'
The first time Waterford and Munster Club champions booked their place in this weekend's All-Ireland semi-final with victory over Adare in November, and Mullane paid tribute to the progress made by the club in recent years.
Mullane, one of the outstanding performers for club and county in recent years, said: 'Over the years we never had the players of the ability of the Mount Sions and the Ballygunners. However, players came through over the course of the last three to five years and we were able to get a team together that could match Mount Sion and Ballygunner.'
Looking back on the Munster final win, he revealed: 'It was an incredible feeling really, words couldn't describe the way I was feeling, and you know I suppose when the final whistle went my first thoughts were with the late Sonny Walsh and the late John Barron, who were two incredible figures in our club and it's when you have days like this that you think of the people who aren't with us today.'
Ulster kingpins Cushendall also harbour genuine hopes of advancing to the St Patrick's Day final, and captain Aidan Delargy believes that self-belief holds the key to victory over the Waterford outfit.
Delargy admitted: 'To get this club through to the All-Ireland final it would mean so much to the parish of Cushendall. If we can make it and give this club at least the chance of challenging for the title at Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day, it would be an absolute dream come true for the parish.
'I don’t think I would be able to find the right words to describe it if we do get over De La Salle. It would be the best feeling ever.'
He added: 'You just have to believe in yourself, believe that you can beat whoever it is that is in front of you. That is how I see it.'
The winner of Ballyhale Shamrocks v Portumna await in the final.
