DEREK McGrath hailed his Waterford heroes following yesterday's gripping one-point victory over Tipperary at Nowlan Park.
Waterford booked their place in a first Allianz Hurling League Division One final since 2007 with a stunning come-from-behind victory against last year's beaten League and All-Ireland finalists.
In front of 16,445 spectators, an emerging Waterford team came of age as Pauric Mahony hit 0-13 for the winners. It was another huge step forward for the Deise, who will face off against Cork in the League decider on May 3 before clashing with the Rebels in the Munster Championship five weeks later.
McGrath also revealed that he presented a bouquet of flowers to Tipperary boss Eamon O'Shea after the news broke that Premier county star Noel McGrath underwent
Tipperary: D Gleeson; P Stapleton,
P Curran, C O'Mahony; S McGrath, Padraic Maher (0-1), R Maher; J Woodlock (0-1), M Breen; Patrick Maher (1-0), B Maher, J Forde (0-1); S Callanan (0-8, 0-6 frees, 0-1 65), J O'Dwyer (1-1), N O'Meara (0-2). Subs: J Barry for Stapleton (43), S Bourke for O'Dwyer (45), C Kenny (0-1) for Forde (53), G Ryan for McGrath (58), J Meagher for Curran (66).
Waterford: S O'Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, N Connors; A Gleeson, T De Burca,
A Gleeson, Philip Mahony; J Barron (0-1),
K Moran; J Dillon (0-1), Pauric Mahony (0-13, 0-11 frees, 0-1 65), M Walsh;
C Dunford (1-1), S Bennett, M Shanahan (0-3).
Subs: B O'Halloran for Bennett (51),
T Devine for Dillon (56), S O'Sullivan for Walsh (63), E Barrett for Moran (70 1). Referee: Barry Kelly (Westmeath).
surgery for testicular cancer on Friday.
And McGrath also had the chance to speak with the Tipp star before he went under the knife. Waterford chief McGrath said: "We passed on a bouquet to Eamon in terms of Noel McGrath and hoping he'll get better.
"I rang him (McGrath) during the week and was talking to him. My own son loves Noel McGrath - he's his favourite hurler so when you compare how joyous we are here with the battle he has ahead of him, perspective will be poured on everything."
Meanwhile, Tipperary boss O'Shea revealed that John 'Bubbles' O'Dwyer suffered a suspected broken finger.
AllStar O'Dwyer went off 10 minutes after half-time and O'Shea also felt that Tipp were "a bit flat." He said: "Even when we were ahead we were lacking energy, lacking composure.
"Having said that, we were beaten by a team that performed well on the day, had good energy, good movement so I'd have no complaints."
Tipp now face a long lay-off before tackling Clare or Limerick in the Munster semi-final on June 21. But the Waterford revolution gathered momentum as the Division 1B champions toppled a fancied Tipp outfit.
Tipp were shorn of big names such as the McGrath brothers, Noel and John, Kieran Bergin, and 2014 Young Hurler of the Year Cathal Barrett, but Waterford were down bodies themselves and the Premier county won't be using absent personnel as an excuse for this defeat.
Tipp rattled the Waterford net twice inside the opening 13 minutes but goalkeeper Stephen O'Keeffe was relatively untroubled thereafter. O'Keeffe was called upon to beat away Niall O'Meara's 54th minute effort but Waterford had the shutters up by then as Tipp managed just seven points in the second half.
Waterford's average concession rate per game before yesterday was under 15 points and that defensive solidity has drawn unfair comparisons with the Donegal footballers.
Unfair because Waterford boast a decent scoring touch themselves and match-winner Pauric Mahony had 1-66 to his credit before posting big again. And it was Mahony who converted the 69th minute free, won by tireless captain Kevin Moran, that sent Waterford into the final.
Tipperary hadn't lost since the opening day of the League against Dublin but they were second best after half-time as Waterford powered to victory with the aid of a significant breeze.
Tipp did concede the opening two scores of the game to placed balls from Mahony, who finished with 11 frees and a 65, but Patrick 'Bonner' Maher scorched onto a breaking ball to ram home a fifth minute goal for the pre-match favourites.
And when Tipp struck for a picture-book second goal in the 13th minute, they looked set to kick on from there. Jason Forde's deft touch was picked up by Brendan Maher and the captain's offload was brilliantly finished one-handed to the Waterford net by 'Bubbles' O'Dwyer.
Tipp's biggest lead of the game was seven points - 2-4 to 0-3 - but Waterford were back in contention by half-time, trailing by 0-11 to 2-8. Mahony picked up where he left off but Maurice Shanahan really grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, scoring two fine points from play as Waterford came on strong.
Their goal, in the 52nd minute, was another huge moment as Colin Dunford's vicious strike appeared to find the Tipp net via a deflection. Waterford were ahead for the first time since the early minutes, 1-16 to 2-11, and pushed four points clear before Tipp came back to level. But there was still time for Mahony's late intervention that finally settled an intriguing clash.