Déise Young Guns: The emerging talents that Waterford hope can deliver a provincial title

They lost out by 21 points in last year’s Munster final but it’s a different side that Waterford will field in next Sunday’s meeting with Tipperary.

IT IS TWELVE months since Waterford suffered that humiliating defeat against Tipperary in the Munster senior hurling final but a shot at redemption presents itself next Sunday when the sides renew acquaintances at the same stage in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The Déise line-up has been remodelled since that game with seven of the starting fifteen for Sunday’s match, not featuring in that meeting with Declan Ryan’s Tipperary outfit last July. Liam Lawlor and Maurice Shanahan were both introduced as substitutes during that game last year while Seamus Prendergast did return to the team for the following All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Galway.

But there are a bunch of newcomers in the Waterford ranks with four of the starting fifteen, all under the age of 22, making their championship debuts against Clare in the recent Munster semi-final and three more inexperienced substitutes introduced during that game.

Here’s the lowdown on the new faces.

Déise Young Guns: The emerging talents that Waterford hope can deliver a provincial title

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Stephen O'Keeffe (Ballygunner)
O'Keeffe has seized the chance that presented itself following Clinton Hennessy's retirement last year and Adrian Power's departure from the panel in May. A Waterford SHC medal winner with his club last year, O'Keeffe has been touted heavily for the senior stage and excelled on his debut against Clare with shrewd puckouts and a brilliant point-blank save from Conor McGrath late on. Still eligible for the U21 grade, he will feature for that outfit in next Thursday's Munster semi-final against Clare. Has All-Ireland colleges medals from 2007 and 2008 with De La Salle, and a Munster MHC medal from 2009.
Stephen Daniels (De La Salle)
The defender sampled the senior championship stage for the first time against Clare where he did an excellent job containing Conor McGrath. Has an outstanding CV with two All-Ireland colleges medals with the De La Salle school, two Waterford and Munster SHC medals with his club De La Salle, and three years experience with the Waterford U21's to his name. This is his first year out of the U21 grade and he also lined out for Cork IT in their Fitzgibbon Cup final defeat earlier this year.
Philip Mahony (Ballygunner)
An older brother of attacker Pauric who burst onto the Waterford senior scene last year, Philip was another senior debutant against Clare. A versatile operator who is comfortable in the half-back line or midfield, he also has All-Ireland colleges medals with De La Salle to his name. In 2009, Mahony was a Munster MHC medal winner and in March this year played on the triumphant UCC Fitzgibbon Cup side. The nephew of Shane O'Sullivan, involved with Waterford during this year's league but now based in the USA, will be a key member of the Waterford U21 side in action next Thursday, in what is his last year in that grade.
Gavin O'Brien (Roanmore)
It's bee a meteoric rise to prominence for O'Brien as he was still plying his trade in minor hurling last year. On the afternoon the seniors were hammered in the Munster final by Tipperary, O'Brien was part of the minor team losing in the curtain-raiser against Clare in Páirc Uí Chaoimh that day. A skilful attacker, he got gametime during the league this year and the 2007 All-Ireland U14 (Tony Forristal) winning captain was selected for his first senior championship start against Clare.
Thomas Ryan (Tallow)
Ryan is a diminutive corner-forward who made his senior championship debut against Tipperary when being brought on as a substitute in the 2010 All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park. A tricky operator, he struck 1-1 during Waterford's 2009 Munster U21 final defeat and was also part of the Tallow side that lost last year's Waterford SHC decider. The attacker, whose last year of U21 hurling was in 2010, has had injury problems but is now back in the frame and was brought on as as substitute against Clare.
Martin O'Neill (Mount Sion)
It was interesting to note that the Munster semi-final against Clare saw Waterford play without a Mount Sion man in the starting 15 for the first time since 1936. O'Neill did ensure the city giants had a representation by coming on to strike a late point. The attacker fired 0-10 for Waterford in their 2010 Munster MHC final victory and that illustrates what a highly capable score taker he is, particularly from frees. He will also be integral to the Waterford U21's hopes next Thursday night.
Dean Twomey (De La Salle)
Twomey has essentially burst to prominence on the back of excellent club form with De La Salle. He has two county senior hurling medals in 2008 and 2010 with his club, and subsequently claimed Munster club medals on both occasions. An All-Ireland title has eluded him but the player who represented Waterford at U21 level in 2008, has made his senior inter-county breakthrough this season and was introduced towards the end of the Clare match.