Getting to finals hasn’t been a problem for Waterford over the years - and Liam Cahill is hoping they’ve now stumbled on the habit of winning them.
Just the county’s fourth ever League title bridged the gap to their last silverware when winning the same competition in 2015.
In the meantime they lost another two League finals, one of them after a replay, three Munster finals and two All-Ireland finals.
It was put to Cahill afterwards that stopping that rot, with a victory over Cork that was probably more comprehensive than the final six-point margin suggests, was particularly important.
“Ah yeah, it is, it is,” he agreed, before countering: “There can be a lot of dramatics made about that as well.
“The way we’d look at it is we’re putting ourselves in a position to get to finals and putting ourselves at the top table with the best teams and once we continue to do that the door will open and the penny will drop and we will get silverware but it’s nice, it’s a good start for this group, a good start.
“The real test will be the big challenge that’s coming from Easter Sunday onwards.”
That’s when Tipperary come to Walsh Park for a Munster Championship match for the first time since 1996 - the day that Cahill made his Championship debut against the county he now manages.
Tipp courted his services after Liam Sheedy’s departure last year but it was clear to see on Saturday evening why Cahill opted to stay put. Limerick may be the class apart over the past few years but Waterford are providing increasingly compelling evidence that they can bridge that gap.
Their workrate, physicality, pace and clinical finishing was ultimately too much for Cork, who have been brought to an abrupt halt after a largely progressive League campaign with the All-Ireland champions coming to Pairc Ui Chaoimh on April 17.
“We always said we’d take each game of the League in its own merits,” said Cork boss Kieran Kingston.
“Getting to the final was obviously a bonus. I think getting to a second final in six or eight months, two national finals, is positive from the point of view of developing the group but obviously disappointing that you didn’t get over the line in either of them.
“We have to reset and close off the League in the next couple of days and get ready for a massive campaign again in the Munster Championship in two weeks’ time.
“Take from this game but also take from the other games as well and look at the League overall as opposed to tonight or indeed any other one on an individual basis.”
Waterford made the brisker start to the game and while Cork got to grips with them for a period to draw level, two Waterford goals in a minute drove a wedge between the sides that ultimately proved decisive.
Patrick Curran slotted the first in the 26th minute and Stephen Bennett, who hit 2-11 on the night, quickly followed up with the second and Waterford maintained a six-point advantage at half-time at 2-10 to 0-10.
Cork made slight inroads in the third quarter but Bennett’s second goal in th 48th minute undid their good work and though the Rebels responded well to that setback, their comeback never carried a conviction that made you feel Waterford would be reeled in.
Dessie Hutchinson’s goal six minutes from time dispelled all doubts about the outcome, with Robbie O’Flynn netting a consolation for Cork from the game’s last play.
Cahill, who has the likes of Jamie Barron and Austin Gleeson to welcome back, insisted that there was no downside to reaching such altitude with a gruelling Munster Championship around the corner.
“I think every player wants to hurl and hurl matches and win competitions,” he said.
“There’s a myth out there that the League is losing its value and that it’s not important. I think the League wasn’t important for anyone that wasn’t in the final tonight really. That’s the reality of it.
“It is week after week but that’s what these boys train for and it’s fairly condensed but these guys are big fit men and they recover well and we look forward to what’s coming in a couple of weeks’ time.”
WATERFORD: Shaun O’Brien 7; Conor Prunty 7, Conor Gleeson 8, Shane McNulty 7; Calum Lyons 8, Tadhg de Burca 8, Jack Fagan 7; Darragh Lyons 7, Carthach Daly (0-1) 8; Neil Montgomery (0-1) 7, Jack Prendergast (0-3) 8, Patrick Curran (1-3) 8; Michael Kiely 7, Stephen Bennett (2-11, 0-9f) 9, Dessie Hutchinson (1-0) 7.
Subs: Shane Bennett for Kiely (57), Kieran Bennett for Montgomery (65), Pauric Mahony for Daly (66), Billy Power for Curran (69), DJ Foran (0-1) for Prendergast (70+2).
CORK: Patrick Collins 6; Sean O’Donoghue 8, Damien Cahalane 6, Ciaran Joyce 7; Tim O’Mahony (0-1) 7, Mark Coleman 6, Robert Downey 6; Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-1) 6, Ger Millerick 6; Robbie O’Flynn (1-3) 8, Shane Barrett (0-2) 7, Seamus Harnedy (0-1) 6; Conor Lehane (0-2) 6, Alan Connolly 5, Patrick Horgan (0-10, 0-8f, 0-1 ‘65’) 7.
Subs: Shane Kingston (0-3) for Connolly (HT), Conor Cahalane for Harnedy (43), Jack O’Connor got Lehane (48), Sam Quirke for Millerick (57), Mark Keane for Barrett (65).
REFEREE: Liam Gordon (Galway).
QUOTE ME ON THAT
“There’s a myth out there that the League is losing its value and that it’s not important. I think the League wasn’t important for anyone that wasn’t in the final tonight really.”
Waterford manager Liam Cahill.
STAR MAN - Stephen Bennett (Waterford)
Spilled a few wides in the first half but other than that a deadly display of marksmanship from Bennett. Took his two goals brilliantly and is primed to have a big summer.
AN OTHER - Carthach Daly (Waterford)
Jamie Barron will presumably return to the Waterford midfield when fit but this youngster will take some shifting when that time comes. Looks to be a terrific prospect.
UP NEXT
WATERFORD: April 17 v Tipperary (h)
CORK: April 17 v Limerick (h)
