A lack of unity and fighting spirit was evident in Waterford's championship exit, according to Sunday Game pundit Ursula Jacob.
Seven weeks after claiming a league title and many people’s tip as the side most likely to challenge All-Ireland champions Limerick, Liam Cahill’s side bowed out of the championship after a 12-point defeat to Clare at Cusack Park.
With Cork’s win over Tipperary, even a win for the Déise wouldn’t have been enough to progress to the All-Ireland series, but, given where expectations were at the start of the Munster championship, former manager Derek McGrath admitted it was a bitter pill to swallow.
After opening with a win over Tipp and coming off second best to the Treaty men, defeat to Cork was a huge set-back and, in truth, they have been well below par in their last two outings.
McGrath, who last month voiced his opinion that his county men had established themselves as the frontrunners to win the All-Ireland title, said the drain in confidence has been stark.
"You are trying to balance the unrealistic optimism. I felt the optimism was real," he said.
Derek McGrath on why the defeat to Cork may have drained the confidence out of Waterford #rtegaa #thesundaygame pic.twitter.com/zrLkHlySER
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 22, 2022
"Two or three weeks ago we left the Gaelic Grounds and the general narrative was 'they are the two best teams in the country’
"My own feeling on it is that the catalyst for the under-performance (against Clare) was probably the performance against Cork.
"When you feel you are going to get the home wins, when you feel you are nearly over the line, it’s a dissipation of confidence."
Speaking on the programme, fellow pundit Jacob said the manner of the performance against the Banner was most uncharacteristic.
'I felt they gave up; they didn't show very much heart' Ursula Jacob summing up Waterford's loss to Clare and their championship exit #rtegaa #thesundaygame pic.twitter.com/AKE1MNjcKB
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 22, 2022
"I think timing is everything. They seemed to peak and get to that level in the league and we thought they were flying.
"They didn’t have the same energy. The body language against Clare was off, everything was off.
"They didn’t look like a team united. I felt they gave up. They didn’t show much heart, they didn’t have that fighting spirit."
