Confidence has to be taken from Munster Final display despite defeat.

Goal win games and this was certainly the case in Pairc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday when Tipperary put back to back Munster titles together beating Waterford having seven points to spare.

Going into the game few expected Waterford to win, but everyone expected a better performance served up that what was given at the same stage of the competition in 2011.

To say that Waterford got a better performance would be an understatement. What was served up by the players was a performance that few if any could fault.

Yes, there were mistakes, but these happen in every game. However, two mistakes that were made led to goals.

Michael Walsh made a rare mistake which allowed Boner Maher to set up John O’Brien score the first goal of the game, and a mistake by goal keeper Stephen O’Keeffe from a long range free lead to Tipperary’s second goal, but these are things that happen in every game, only sometimes you are lucky and get away with them. Have no doubt that the Waterford players will have learned from these mistakes and will come back better and stronger players.

Goal scoring seems to be a problem for Waterford in recent games against Tipperary. And this was the case again in this years provincial final. Maurice Shanahan did have a chance towards the end of the first half which Brendan Cummins did well to stop and put out for a ’65 but apart from this, we had no real chances to test the long standing Tipperary man. Half chances were presented in the second half, but to beat Cummins with one of these would rely on luck more than skill. There were also chances to eat into the Tipperary lead in the second half when a number of chances for minor scores went unusually wide.

Both sides went in at the break as they came out, with nothing separating them on the scoreboard. Waterford had started well, but Tipperary helped by John O’Brien’s goal had the better of the middle third of the opening half but Waterford recovered well and deservedly went in all square but at the same time unlucky not to have gone in with an advantage on the scoreboard.

After an even start to the second half, Tipperary soon stole a march on Waterford as O’Meara, Noel McGrath, John O’Brien and Cahill all hit scores for the defending champions.

Waterford however were able to stay in touch but a goal on 55 minutes which gave Tipperary a five point advantage made it very difficult for Waterford to come back.

Overall, while defeat was their lot, Waterford will be happy. They showed that they are nowhere near the score line of the 2011 final suggested, and with the draws made for the remainder of the year, Waterford will take a lot of confidence from this game.

Cork will hold no fears for Waterford. The Déise lads will no doubt be hoping that their good run of results in recent years in the championship will continue when the sides meet in Thurles in little over a weeks time and with Galway set to face the winners, Waterford if they were to come out of the game with Cork, they will feel that they can also beat the Tribesmen.

Kilkenny after their shock defeat to Galway in the Leinster Final should have too much for an emerging Limerick side in the second quarter final game which will set up a game with Tipperary, a repeat of the last two All-Ireland Finals at the semi final stages of this years championship.

Tipperary will hold no fears of Kilkenny, and we all know now that they are beatable and if they are to be beaten again this year, you can’t but feel that the best place to do it would be in the penultimate round of games in this year’s championship.

This could well set up a repeat clash of the Munster Final in the All-Ireland final and if it was to happen, Waterford would not fear Tipperary and who knows, if it was to happen that long famine we all refer to could come to an end.

But let’s not get carried away too much at this stage. Lets get over Cork first and then we will se what will happen from there.