Waterford senior hurling boss Peter Queally says ‘eyes are wide open’ in terms of where they stand when it comes to making the top three in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship.

Never before have the Deise qualified from the province under the round-robin format, but they gave their chances a big boost with a perfect start on day one – as a scintillating showing against All-Ireland champions Clare put Waterford on two points with three more games ahead of them.

50% of the task done perhaps – just 25% of the journey complete. Sunday’s win represented the first time that Waterford have beaten the All Ireland champions in championship since a famous day on June 30th, 2002 – when Queally himself had a part to play.

Limerick come to Walsh Park on Saturday night, and while it will be a big ask to overcome a six-day turnaround, there isn’t any hint of excuses coming from the Deise camp.

Speaking after Sunday’s win against the Banner, you could see that Queally wasn’t prepared to rest on any laurels – attention had already shifted to what lies ahead. Making Walsh Park a fortress is imperative to the Deise’s fortunes going forward.

“A big thing coming into this game was home advantage”, said the Waterford boss. “We were very unlucky last year in Ennis that we didn’t get something out of it. It was always going to be different this year because we put a big emphasis on the fact that this game is now in Walsh Park. So, this game and Saturday’s game, another home game for us in quick succession – very important games for us because we have to get something out of these home games. We’d also like to build on what we created here last year. Our first two home games, we got a win and a draw out of it. It was important to continue that momentum and make Walsh Park a very, very hard place for other teams to come to.”

Queally felt that the second half performance warranted the two points on offer.

“I thought our use of the ball in the second half was much better. It naturally happens with the elements. I think the 15 minutes before half-time, we started directing too much high ball into our forwards. It didn’t suit us. It didn’t suit our inside line. It suits us better to play it through the lines and get better ball into our inside line. So, due to the elements, we had to get into a certain area in the second half and deliver a lot better ball inside, which suited our forwards. But having said that, probably the big change was the penalty and the goal. That gave us the impetus and momentum.”

27 April 2025; Clare goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan is beaten for Waterford’s first goal, a penalty by Stephen Bennett, during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 2 match between Waterford and Clare at Walsh Park in Waterford. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

“Having said that again, they came back into it after that and the second goal then was a huge momentum shift for us. It gave us the drive for home and the energy and the crowd and everyone getting behind us. It made that last 5-10 minutes just that bit easier for us.”

Ballysaggart man Stephen Bennett scored 2-8 on the day on what was his 100th appearance in white and blue – but Queally felt for the most part that he has actually had better games!

“Funny enough – I would have said Stephen has had better games until someone pointed out he scored 2-8, I said I didn’t know that! He was quiet in the first half. He did a brilliant second half. This is something about Stephen I’ve noticed the last few years. Even looking back on the analysis last year, Stephen was very injury-affected last year. When we looked back on the Limerick game and the Clare game last year, we took Stephen off after 50 minutes because that’s all he had in him. I was thinking to myself, why did we do that? Just thinking back, I remember he was injured or he was coming back from injury and he hadn’t a lot of training done. I said to Eoin and Dan this year, we ain’t doing it this year. I don’t care how bad he’s going. There’s so much in this fella.”

4 January 2025; Waterford manager Peter Queally, centre, with selectors Dan Shanahan, left, and Eoin Kelly, right, during the Intercounty Hurling Challenge Match between Waterford and Cork at Fraher Field in Dungarvan, Waterford. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

“Even if you think back on the league game here against Dublin, that was only his second game in six months”, Queally analysed. “He played against Antrim the previous week and we took him off after 50 minutes. That day, in that last three or four minutes, he provided a pass for Patrick’s point, the goal and the point in injury time. So that just sums up Stephen. There’s no end to him. He’s worked great on his energy and what he can contribute to it. Today, things might not have been going his way in the first half, but in the second half, he was just superb.”

The influence of the bench was notable and the Ballydurn man says it’s brilliant to have so much talent to call upon when push comes to shove.

“We knew we were happy with our first 15 and we knew they’d done a lot of work and been playing well for us – but when you look onto the bench, I knew that we could call on Michael, we could call on Patrick Fitzgerald, we could call on Shane Bennett, Austin Gleeson, Sean Walsh, even Conor Sheahan, who had a super league for us was another fella on the bench. Paudie Fitzgerald, these were great fellas that we knew would make a difference. In fairness, even at half-time, Kieran Bennett wasn’t bad in the first half, it was just the tactical change of bringing Michael Kiely to wing forward because of the wind and to have that ball winner there.”

11 February 2024; Patrick Crotty of Clare in action against Michael Kiely of Waterford during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A match between Waterford and Clare at Walsh Park in Waterford. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

“We did a little bit of a re-jig and that’s where Mikey’s strength came into it then. We were able to hit puckouts down on top of Michael. It might not have stuck, but there was no Clare man winning the ball, so that was important. All the others contributed as well. I thought Shane Bennett was very, very good when he came on too. He caused a lot of problems, he made the ball stick, he ran with the ball, he used it, he was unlucky for a score or two. Patrick Fitzgerald was outstanding too.”

The feeling on Sunday was one all of us in Waterford want to feel again – and Queally has laid bare the fact that no one wants a result of that calibre to count for nothing come May 25th.

“Our eyes are wide open as regards where it leaves us because we were in this position last year. Call it lucky or unlucky that we have our two home games so close together. We can’t make excuses afterwards, but we have to get something out of Saturday’s match. We’re at home to Limerick. It’s so important that we get results in these home games and we make it a bit of a fortress. We make it a place that is hard to come to. So we can’t use the six-day turnaround as an excuse – we have to come with all guns blazing against Limerick on Saturday night and try and get a result against them.”

“As I said to the lads, the away games look after themselves in a few weeks’ time, but we have to get something from the home games and we have to get right now for Saturday night. We’ll have to bring that same energy and intensity and work rate again in six days’ time when Limerick come to town.”

Waterford haven’t beaten Limerick in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship since June 12th 2011, when a late goal from John Mullane proved decisive – Saturday would be a really great time to change that – and Queally is calling on supporters to play their part.

“The home support gave us a massive lift. It means so much to us. It means so much to them players to get them behind us. We know how passionate they are. They always have been. It’s like nearly breaking up with someone. We missed them there in the last years. It was great to get them back today and to see the buzz. I knew when the announcer announced we had two minutes to go, no supporters going to the field – I said, you’re going to have some job hauling these back here. They deserve it too. The supporters have been brilliant. I’m delighted for them as well. They’ve been behind us through thick and tin and they deserve every day out that they get as well.”

WLR will bring you the game LIVE this Sunday thanks to George Corbett Cupra. – join our commentary team of Kieran O’Connor and Fergal Hartley LIVE from 5:45pm.

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