DAVY FITZGERALD CONDEMNED the critics as he issued a strong defence of Waterford’s players and his own management.
They signed off for the summer with a first Championship win in seven attempts as they almost eliminated Tipperary alongside them.
“I’m in the job five months, you’d swear I was there five years. There’s other managers there three or four years and have won zero and are not getting half the hassle. What the … is that about?” said Fitzgerald, holding back his annoyance.
“If we beat Limerick in the first round, what do you think would have happened today? Tipp are out of the Championship and we’re probably through.
“It’s that close so it is.”
Waterford’s first-half total of 0-17 was more than they scored against Clare and just short of what they managed against Limerick and Cork across 70 minutes.
“It annoys me so much that you get cut the way we got cut after two bad matches,” said Fitzgerald.
“Out of the whole Championship, we’d two halves that were poor (the first half against Cork and second half against Clare) and we got punished badly.
“But to listen to some of the crap that I’d to listen to the last few weeks is absolutely disgraceful and annoying.
“Those boys showed today what they are about and fair play to them. Maybe last year they went to Ennis and there was nothing to play for but every time we have put on that Waterford jersey, I want them to play with that pride and that passion that they did there.”
Fitzgerald produced a surprise in deploying Waterford goalkeeper Billy Nolan as their sweeper.
The Roanmore shot-stopper plays centre-back for his club and college but had never done so for his county. He lined out wearing an outfield version of the no.16 sub-keeper’s jersey, scored a point, and helped to control the play.
“I was told before the game that I must have been mad playing him there,” said Fitzgerald.
“A few people made comments to certain people around our set-up and said, ‘What are ye doing? Is Davy trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat?’ I am in my barney.
“Billy plays centre-back for Roanmore, he plays in that role for WIT. Logically, it made sense to do that and the move worked today.
“Look at the players we were missing today (Conor Prunty, Jamie Barron, and Austin Gleeson were late withdrawals). My God, if people tell me that Waterford are bottlers… Waterford are not bottlers, a hundred and ten per cent, and I think we proved that today.
“Tipp might have been a bit flatter after last week (against Limerick), I don’t know, but we were probably 10-to-12 points better than they were today.”