Patrick Horgan believes Waterford will be an entirely different proposition when they cross paths with Cork in May.
The Déise travelled to Páirc Uí Chaoimh for the Division 1A opener and, as some had feared once the respective teams were named, offered little resistance to a home side hell-bent on impressing new manager Ben O'Connor and allowing a little more healing for last July’s All-Ireland final nightmare.
From a 15-point drubbing at the hands of Tipperary last summer, the O’Connor reign began in style as they filleted Waterford by the same scoreline on a sunny winter’s afternoon on the banks of the Lee.
While Cork went with 10 of the side that started the All-Ireland final, a depleted Waterford had just six players that started the opening round of the 2025 Munster championship against Clare; goalkeeper Billy Nolan, defenders Iarlaith Daly, Conor Prunty and Mark Fitzgerald, midfielder Darragh Lyons and forward Jamie Barron.
Cork were 10 from 10 with their opening efforts at the posts and there was very little let-up from the hosts. The Déise, minus their All-Ireland winning Ballygunner contingent, offered little resistance while also struggling to cause real trouble for the Cork defence.
Free-taker Reuben Halloran and Jamie Barron were the only forwards to score from play.
Patrick Horgan, who brought his inter-county career to an end following the latest All-Ireland final heartbreak, was watching on as a supporter and admitted the afternoon wasn’t as difficult as he had suspected.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Inside Sport, hurling’s all-time top championship scorer admitted it was always going to be a huge ask for Peter Queally and his understrength side.
"You could see Waterford were down big players, including Ballygunner players," Horgan said. "There were very few players that played championship last year.
"Something that might have caught them out is coming up to Páirc Uí Chaoimh, a really fast surface and a really big crowd for the first game of the league.
"As a Waterford player coming in, it might have been a bit daunting playing a team as experienced as Cork."
The next time they are likely to meet is in round three of the Munster SHC, when Cork will make the trip to Walsh Park in May.
Waterford’s record in the round-robin since it was introduced in 2018 makes for grim reading having lost 18 of their 24 games, though they toppled the Rebels on their last championship visit in 2024. Horgan expects, with a whole host of players to return, that they could pose a much bigger challenge come championship.
"When they meet again, it will be in Walsh Park and it could be a very different game to the game we saw Sunday," he said.
With Horgan departed, who O’Connor entrusts with placed-ball duties has been an issue for discussion.
Declan Dalton dispatched a thunderous penalty on Sunday, while both Alan Connolly and Darragh Fitzgibbon split the posts from frees. Horgan says it could be a fluid situation as the season progresses.
"There are a few options," he said. "It just depends on the area of the field, how much does it take someone out of position. Deccie Dalton can take them as well as anyone can. Alan Connolly can take them, Darragh Fitzgibbon can take them; it just depends where it is.
"There is no point bringing Darragh Fitz all the way up (from midfield), but also there is no point sending Deccie Dalton all the way back (from the forwards) as you just lose shape, and it can be hard to get that back, especially as an inside player trying to get back in after taking a free position out the field."
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