No excuses but Queally backs written off Déise to respond in Cork

Irish Examiner

18-05-2025

Peter Queally's focus quickly turned from defeat in Tipperary to getting Waterford's heads right for a do-or-die clash with Cork.
The Déise boss reckons they will be written off heading to Leeside, but backs his players to produce when up against the odds.
'The hurling will look after itself,' said Queally. 'It's just trying to get the lads' heads up and rightly tuned in to next week.
'We're still in this championship, so while we're bitterly disappointed, it's a bit like the Clare win. You couldn't enjoy the win because we couldn't dwell on it.
'We just have to refocus on next week. That's the nature of the Munster Championship. The biggest difference next week is Cork will be in the same boat as us. They only have seven days to turn around as well. So there's still a lot to play for.
'A win next week will get us through. That's what we need to be mindful of now. There's no point in feeling sorry for ourselves.
'I know we won't be given a chance. In fairness to these lads – I know them long enough – when their backs are to the wall, they have produced in the past. Hopefully that will be the case again next week.'
Queally identified a handful of areas they need to improve.
'They killed us with the long, high balls. Their defenders were excellent in the air, and they were very good on breaks too.
'We have to work on our puck-outs. We have to work on our shooting. It would have been disappointing to miss those opportunities and allow Tipperary to get a foothold in the game.
'Our discipline, at times, might have let us down. We would have conceded a lot of frees. So it's another area that we just need to zone in on now in the coming week.'
Queally was asked about a potential penalty decision involving Kevin Mahony. Referee Seán Stack controversially spotted the foul outside the box, rather than inside.
'I'd have to see it back now. It was a good bit away from where I was standing.
'Having said that, we probably rode our luck ourselves a couple of times where there might have been black cards or penalties as well. So we've no real complaints in relation to the referee or decisions or anything.'
Stephen Bennett surpassed Paul Flynn's all-time championship scoring record with his first-minute goal.
'I'd say it's scant consolation to Stephen,' Queally added. 'He's as despondent as everyone else there.
'It would've been a nice little thing to celebrate if the result had went for us. Unfortunately, I don't think I'd cheer him up much by telling him that.'
Peter Hogan will miss next weekend due to a hamstring injury. Austin Gleeson didn't come on, but that decision wasn't injury-related.
'Just a decision,' Queally clarified. 'He's still part of the squad. He's still part of our plans. We just decided not to bring him in today.'