NO DOUBT PLENTY of Waterford players departed Fraher Field wondering what shape the evening’s celebrations would take. Their captain Jason Curry had altogether different priorities in mind.
How was he planning to mark a first victory over rivals Tipperary since 1988? “Go home and milk the cows first anyway,” he replied with a wide smile.
Curry works the farm at home in Rathgormack with his brother and midfield partner Michael. Alongside their cousin Stephen, they have been the heartbeat of this Waterford side through thick and thin.
For Jason, this Munster Championship victory has been 11 seasons in the making.
“It’s not the most glamorous team to be in with,” he said after emerging from the Fraher Field festivities. “No one gives us a chance any day we go out. Probably not even people in our own county give us a chance.
“But there’s belief inside in that dressing room. We lost 10 or 11 from last year’s team so there’s young lads after coming in there and after driving it on big time.
We’ve been here a long time. We’ve come so close so many times, you’re nearly in disbelief that you’ve actually got over the line.
“You’re always thinking it’s going to come back to bite you at some stage because we’ve been there, one-point, two-point losses over the years. Until the final whistle went, you couldn’t say you were out of the woods.
“It’s absolutely unbelievable, it’s a great feeling. It’s a great day for Waterford football. 2010 was the last time we’ve won in the Munster Championship so absolutely over the moon.”
Across 58 senior appearances for his county, this one will be hard to surpass.
“One of the best, I’d say. Yeah, definitely. We won a qualifier against Wexford but I don’t think anything beats winning in the Munster Championship.
“We don’t get a big crowd too often so it’s great seeing people out. There’s a few diehards there and they’re at every game. It’s great for them to be here.
“Hopefully a few more will come out against Clare.”
Playing with the Waterford footballers brings you face-to-face with bucketloads of adversity. Trailing 1-2 to 0-1 at the break having played with a first-half gale at their backs ranks up there.
Manager Paul Shankey described those 35 minutes as “diabolical to put it mildly”. What followed thereafter will make a glorious chapter in Déise football lore.
Curry outlined the scene at half-time: “We gave ourselves a bit of a going over, you know, a bit harsh on ourselves. We had a bit of the ball, we just didn’t use it to our advantage.
“Tipp were the same in the second half, they had the wind as well and didn’t take advantage of it. It was nearly easier to play against the wind in a sense.
“We just said to hold onto the ball, be a bit cleverer with the ball, use our strengths. We’re a bit of a running team, use our pace, and go at them.”
It paid off with Curry playing a key role overlapping for Tom O’Connell’s lead goal with three minutes remaining before nailing a stoppage-time free into the wind from the 45.
“I wouldn’t say I was confident but I said I’ll put it dead or put it over. It just gave us a bit of relief. If it went wide, at least we’d get back and get set up.”
This was one of those rare finishes where everything went right.