Do or die.
That's the gauntlet that lies ahead of the Waterford ladies' footballers on Sunday in Fraher Field.
Pat Sullivan's team welcome the back-to-back All-Ireland Champions Meath to Dungarvan knowing that they absolutely must win if they are to extend their year.
Last weekend's loss to Donegal on the opening day has put the players' backs to the wall with Donegal now top of group 2. Waterford are bottom based on score difference and Meath will open their account when the first whistle blows in Fraher Field.
A loss against Meath could spell disaster, with a relegation playoff floating on the horizon, while victory would be coupled with an anxious one week wait until Donegal and Meath play the final game in the group.
Donegal loss
Last weekend was a story of missed chances and failing to hold on to what they had that could have made the difference. Ten wides in the second half proved costly, while their first-half goal from Lauren McGregor could have been a turning point, if not for Donegal finding the back of the net themselves within 90 seconds of Mcgregor's green flag.
"We felt we left the game behind us last weekend," she says. "We didn't perform and we know that we have a huge uphill to face on Sunday with Meath coming to us. Like, they're the All-Ireland Champions the last two years. It's going to be a tough battle, but if we perform, I think we'll be ok, we'll be able to beat them I think," McGregor notes.
The Champ Champs
The Déise can beat Meath. In fact, they have already done so. Changing room talk of "League is League and Championship is Championship" aside, Pat Sullivan's team have shown that they can beat the Royals.
It ended 2.05 to 1.09 in favour of Waterford with McGregor firing to the back of the net on the day as she continued her terrific goal-scoring run in the league.
One point was enough to see them past Meath at Ballinlough.
It might be a slender hope to hold on to, but nonetheless, the players know they can do it. The same argument could have been applied ahead of the Donegal game, but that would have proved foolhardy in the end.
The action is underway from 1.30 pm and we will have updates on air throughout the afternoon here on WLR.
