Stars of the future will make this summer one to remember

How many times have Waterford been in an underage All-Ireland semi-final? I’ll give you a hint. Enough times for you to be able to count it on your hands, even if you’re missing a finger. Successes like that of Sunday against Limerick are certainly not to be sniffed at.

Waterford are into the last four at minor level for the first time since 2014. A lot of water has gone under the bridge in those 11 years - but it’s worth taking a look back at some of the names on that team sheet. Conor Prunty, Billy Nolan, Darragh Lyons, Shane Bennett, Peter Hogan, Patrick Curran, Conor Gleeson. You have to be pretty good to get to one.

It’s the first time any Waterford side has been a game away from the All-Ireland decider since 2021. Hats off to James O’Connor and his players, while there’s nothing won yet - it’s an achievement that doesn’t come around too often on this side of the Suir.

Waterford didn’t have it all their own way against Limerick - but they dug it out. They were dogged, they were industrious and they displayed a different temperament. At times, momentum looked to be with Limerick but Waterford were never found wilting - be it a superb stop from captain James Comerford, a piece of divine intervention from Conor Lynch or the Austin Gleeson-esque fielding of Jack Power - when the Deise were in need of inspiration, there was never any form of shortage.

A lot of the analysis in the aftermath and the talk surrounding this team will naturally focus upon Cormac Spain, and rightly so. Spain is one of the most exciting talents that Waterford hurling has had in many seasons - but we are seeing him at the peak of his powers by virtue of a management team that won’t let anybody get too far ahead of themselves. To think that Waterford and Ballygunner will have Spain to call on for the next 15 or more years minimum is a frightening thought indeed. Early evidence suggests many a record will tumble in his wake. 6-58 in six games and counting. That speaks for itself. He is clinical, buries half chances, can swivel on a sixpence and scores frees at the most crucial moments. Spain is simply a joy to watch - you’d know full well that Paul Flynn and Tommy Ryan are showing him the ropes.

Listening to James O’Connor’s post-match interview with Tomas McCarthy afterward was fascinating in a way - to hear the manager say that he believes there is at least another 30% in this group that hasn’t yet been tapped into. They’ve beaten Limerick twice, beaten Tipperary, beaten Clare, lost by just a point in a Munster final - got to an All Ireland semi-final for the first time in 11 years, all at 70%? If we even see another 15% - then going off the evidence I’ve seen, I’d be imagining we might have an All Ireland Final to look forward to.

O’Connor emphasised that he wants to see more help for Spain from a scoring perspective - and it’s clear to see why he is emphasising such. Much was made at senior level on the Deise’s reliance on Stephen Bennett as he contributed 45% of their scores in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship. Spain is responsible for 61% of Waterford’s at minor level - 74 of 122. Take the rest of the teams in the championship’s top scorers into consideration - Kilkenny’s Jake Mullen is their top scorer with 3-26 - 23.5% of their total. Cork’s Craig O’Sullivan has contributed 0-47 - 35% of their total, and Clare’s Paul Rodgers has 2-47 - 37% of their total. In summary, Waterford are almost twice as reliant on Spain as their competitors are on their talisman - so O’Connor’s comments are not without supporting evidence.

I’m sure the performances of Jamie Shanahan and Shane Power would’ve been heartening to the management team, but still there is that feeling that if somehow someone can manage to sufficiently shackle Spain - then perhaps they will have the upper hand on Waterford as a whole. Shanahan, Power, Darragh Murphy, Gearoid O’Shea, Caolinn Reville and many more are capable of a score. Perhaps that’s the ‘30%’ that’s missing. If Waterford start firing on all cylinders, then we might be in for a very memorable summer indeed.

A lot of the reason why I say that too is because of the performance of the back line. They’ve been genuinely excellent in the games that I’ve seen - the only one I missed happened to be the first one away in Tipperary. Conor Lynch is the star of the show at the back in my book, he has shades of a young Eoin Murphy. Calm, assured and rock solid in abundance - I can see him having a very bright future in white and blue. Darragh Murphy and Darragh Keane have been excellent and every good team needs a good goalkeeper - and they’ve certainly got one in James Comerford. Bradley Penkert and Hugo Quann produced their best performances of the campaign against Limerick, as did Tommy Kennedy.

Waterford have conceded just four goals so far. Kilkenny have shipped six, Cork have let in seven and Clare have been struck for eight. On average per game, Waterford are shipping an average of 0-19 a game. The only side left whose record is better than that is their opponents Kilkenny. They haven’t faced any side in Leinster with the firing capabilities of Waterford - if you use Clare swatting aside Galway to frank that form.

Waterford will take on Kilkenny next weekend at Semple Stadium in an All-Ireland semi-final. Treat it as you would senior, and pack out Tipperary in white and blue. We had Prunty, Curran and company at this stage 11 years ago, and Spain and Power and many more will likely be fighting it out on the senior stage for years to come.

Days like these don’t come around too often, we have to make the most of them. The youth of today, the leaders of tomorrow.