Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald has leapt to the defence of his players, despite suffering four successive league defeats ahead of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship meeting with Cork on April 21st.
The Deise lost out to Clare, Cork, Wexford and Kilkenny in their recent league outings - ultimately suffering relegation to Division 1B next season.
Waterford won just one championship match last year, when they were already out - defeating Tipperary - but Fitzgerald is adamant that there is plenty of cause for optimism going into the most important point of the campaign.
He spoke to WLR Sport after Saturday's defeat to Kilkenny.
"We're right there, we're within a score again. I'm proud of them, they battled hard, worked hard. As I've said the last few days, I think it's getting match fitness into certain guys. We're going to fade out because we're having the match fitness in their legs. We were right there again, had a chance."
"You can make many excuses, we didn't get as many frees as we probably should have in the second half. Monty had a chance at a goal, probably right through. Had a few different things, but all in all, we were right there with every team in this league. Right there, missing a lot of bodies."
Criticism of his methods is not getting to Fitzgerald - and he is certain that the Deise will prove the doubters wrong when push comes to shove.
"People can have a go if they want, I don't really care, to tell you the truth. I know these guys are working hard. We have one objective, we have a championship coming up. We want to be really out there, competitive and see where we go.
All four defeats were by a single score, and Fitzgerald believes Waterford will come good sooner rather than later.
"We've had the opportunities. We've missed wide. I think you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out, do you? I honestly think the stats are there to show you. Today probably was our day where we probably could have created a bit more, but today was the first day we had six up front completely. So we're trying to get that mix right."
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