Waterford goalkeeper Brianna O’Regan says the Déise have put their Munster final disappointment behind them and are fully focused on Sunday’s Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship opener against Tipperary in Azzurri Walsh Park.

The sides meet again just weeks after Tipperary claimed the Munster title with a 1-14 to 0-14 victory in Thurles. This result left Waterford frustrated after failing to hit their usual standards.

Speaking to WLR Sport, O’Regan admitted the defeat was difficult to take but insists the squad has responded positively in training.

“After the Munster final defeat, we just had to get back to the training ground and park it,” she said.

“We knew we were up against Tipperary again in the first round of the championship, so we just had to focus on ourselves.”

Waterford will welcome the chance to play at home after spending much of the campaign on the road, and O’Regan believes the Walsh Park crowd could play an important role.

“Any time you have a home venue, the Waterford supporters are always there in numbers, and they’re very good to us. Hopefully, they can come out again on Sunday and get behind us.”

The Déise came within touching distance of a first Munster title since 1959 but were ultimately undone by a second-half goal from Caoimhe Stakelum. O’Regan admits Waterford were below their best on the day.

“We know as a team that we didn’t perform on the day, so we just have to row in together now and row in on Sunday.”

The experienced goalkeeper also reflected on Stakelum’s crucial goal, revealing how players analyse such moments before moving on.

“You look at yourself first. Maybe I could have cut my angle a bit more, but we’ve highlighted it now, parked it and we’ll drive on.”

Despite the setback, Waterford remain ambitious heading into the All-Ireland series. Having reached the latter stages of the championship in recent years, O’Regan says the immediate target is another semi-final appearance.

“We just need to get back to the semi-final and see where it takes us. We’ve got there the last couple of years and just fallen short, so hopefully we can win our round robin games and drive on from there.”

O’Regan also highlighted the strength in depth within the current squad, with several younger players making a strong impact this season.

“We probably have the best panel we’ve had in a good few years. The younger girls are performing well in training and setting standards. It’s a good panel, and we’re delighted with how things are going.”

While Waterford will have home advantage, O’Regan knows the challenge facing the Déise against the reigning Munster champions.

“They’re going to come out and throw everything at us as they always do. They have a phenomenal team and some really, really good camogie players. We’re under no illusion about the test they’ll bring.”

Throw-in for Sunday’s Group 1 clash between Waterford and Tipperary is at 3.30 pm in Azzurri Walsh Park, with both sides eager to make a winning start to their All-Ireland championship campaign.

Sport on WLR is brought to you by Auto Boland Ford.

For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.