Fáilte chuig gaa.ie - suíomh oifigiúil CLG

Football

football

Tom McGlinchey hoping to generate momentum

Waterford manager Tom McGlinchey.

Waterford manager Tom McGlinchey.

By Cian O'Connell

Tom McGlinchey has grown used to dealing with adversity, but he remains enthused by the overall response of players within Waterford.

A raft of different reasons - injuries, retirements, work commitments - ensured there was considerable change to the Waterford panel.  The popular McGlinchey, though, didn't find it a hard sell getting new bodies to commit to the Deise cause.

"No, I brought 10 new players in this year," McGlinchey says. "They were delighted to come in and it was great. In Waterford it’s very hard to get them up to scratch in six months.

"That takes time like so it’s just trying to build momentum and then when you are losing games narrowly and not getting momentum it’s hard."

Saturday evening's trip to Thurles for a Munster Quarter-Final against Liam Kearns Tipperary is a demanding assignment for Waterford according to McGlinchey.

"Look, it’s going to be hard for the Tipperary game," he admits. "We know that, but I suppose realistically what we are looking is probably doing something in the qualifiers.

"Let us be realistic here, Tipp are probably going to beat us and beat us well. In fairness to Liam he probably has the nuisance of having to play us seven days before he plays Cork as he said.

"I'm saying that because I know Liam Kearns for 25 years, I'm friendly with Liam, this isn't just having a go at Liam. Of course there is no talk about us because realistically we shouldn't be beating Tipperary."

Last year Waterford came close to a stunning win over Cork. "I suppose Cork were the same and I won't say they took us for granted, but weren't as up for it as they should have been and nearly got caught out," McGlinchey reflects.

"Will it happen against Tipp? I doubt it, hopefully it will. I doubt it, the lads put in a great effort last year, but that was 2017.

"It is 2018 now, we have new fellas in the panel so it is going to be hard. Realistically we are looking for that elusive win in the qualifier."