PAURIC MAHONY WANTS to put the “bad vibe” in Waterford hurling to bed by making a statement against Wexford.
An All-Ireland quarter-final against Limerick awaits the winner of Saturday night’s showdown in Nowlan Park.
After crashing out of the Munster Championship, the Déise set themselves back on course by beating Laois in the qualifiers.
Their summer held a lot more promise when they opened up a nine-point lead over Cork in the provincial quarter-finals.
But Waterford left the door ajar in the second half and Cork forced a replay, which the Rebels then won comfortably en route to the Munster title.
“We had to look at ourselves after the Cork game,” Mahony accepts. “We didn’t prepare the same way as the first day.
Advertisement
“The first day we were going out there to give it everything. Maybe we were over-confident the second day having been nine points up and in the driving seat the first day.
“That’s done and dusted now, it’s in the past. We had a good win against Laois, went about that in a professional manner and got the result. Now we’re just worried about Wexford.”
Mahony, far right, was joined by players from the other six counties still remaining in the All-Ireland series for yesterday's launch. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
Waterford shipped a lot of criticism for the Cork performance and Mahony admits there has been a bit of a cloud hanging over them since then.
“I suppose there’s been a bit of a bad vibe going around Waterford as a result of the Cork game when people felt we would have thrown it away.
“We know ourselves that we let it slip and would be the first to criticise ourselves.”
Was it all a bit much considering they’re such a young team?
“Maybe, but you have to handle what’s thrown your way. If you’re old enough and mature enough to go out there and hurl in front of 30,000 people then you have to be able to take the good and the bad.”
Wexford come into Saturday’s game on a resounding high after dethroning All-Ireland champions Clare in a second extra-time thriller last weekend.
The danger is that those two epics, clocking in at 180 draining minutes, will take their toll.
But after watching Liam Dunne’s side make a statement of where they are and where they want to be, Mahony knows the pressure is on Waterford now to do the same.
“This weekend is do or die for Waterford. It’s knock-out Championship.
“We’d put pressure on ourselves this weekend because we have to deliver and it’s about time we did deliver because over the last three or four years, we haven’t been happy with our performances.
“We’ve been knocking on the door and hurling well for 50 or 60 minutes without getting over the line.
“It’s time we started turning good performances into victories.”
'People felt we threw it away' - Waterford out to set things straight on do or die weekend
PAURIC MAHONY WANTS to put the “bad vibe” in Waterford hurling to bed by making a statement against Wexford.
An All-Ireland quarter-final against Limerick awaits the winner of Saturday night’s showdown in Nowlan Park.
After crashing out of the Munster Championship, the Déise set themselves back on course by beating Laois in the qualifiers.
Their summer held a lot more promise when they opened up a nine-point lead over Cork in the provincial quarter-finals.
But Waterford left the door ajar in the second half and Cork forced a replay, which the Rebels then won comfortably en route to the Munster title.
“We had to look at ourselves after the Cork game,” Mahony accepts. “We didn’t prepare the same way as the first day.
“The first day we were going out there to give it everything. Maybe we were over-confident the second day having been nine points up and in the driving seat the first day.
“That’s done and dusted now, it’s in the past. We had a good win against Laois, went about that in a professional manner and got the result. Now we’re just worried about Wexford.”
Waterford shipped a lot of criticism for the Cork performance and Mahony admits there has been a bit of a cloud hanging over them since then.
“I suppose there’s been a bit of a bad vibe going around Waterford as a result of the Cork game when people felt we would have thrown it away.
“We know ourselves that we let it slip and would be the first to criticise ourselves.”
Was it all a bit much considering they’re such a young team?
“Maybe, but you have to handle what’s thrown your way. If you’re old enough and mature enough to go out there and hurl in front of 30,000 people then you have to be able to take the good and the bad.”
Wexford come into Saturday’s game on a resounding high after dethroning All-Ireland champions Clare in a second extra-time thriller last weekend.
The danger is that those two epics, clocking in at 180 draining minutes, will take their toll.
But after watching Liam Dunne’s side make a statement of where they are and where they want to be, Mahony knows the pressure is on Waterford now to do the same.
“This weekend is do or die for Waterford. It’s knock-out Championship.
“We’d put pressure on ourselves this weekend because we have to deliver and it’s about time we did deliver because over the last three or four years, we haven’t been happy with our performances.
“We’ve been knocking on the door and hurling well for 50 or 60 minutes without getting over the line.
“It’s time we started turning good performances into victories.”
‘Mullane could play Saturday night’: Browne laments Waterford ‘what-ifs’ without star forward
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Championship 2014 All-Ireland Senior HC derek mcgrath GAA Last Chance Saloon pauric mahony Waterford Wexford