Peter Queally: 'We're looking for good young fellas coming through ... I thought they adapted very well'
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Peter Queally began his role as new Waterford senior hurling manager with a 1-15 to 0-10 loss to All-Ireland finalists Cork in the Friends of Brian Greene fundraiser in conjunction with Waterford Hospice at the Fraher Field, Dungarvan on Saturday afternoon.
It is estimated 2,000 people braved the wind and rain. He paid tribute to those who turned up to support his former teammate.
“I’m delighted with the attendance, that’s what we pushed for beforehand, the importance of coming out and supporting Brian. All the good days Brian has given us, I think it is important the public got out and supported him. It wasn’t easy to get off the couch in these conditions and come out to watch the game. So, fair play to everyone who did come along for the cause.” Cork’s first-half dominance saw the Rebels start with eight unanswered points.
“It was difficult, very difficult start. We learned a lot in the first half. I think we lacked a lot of aggression in the first half, we put it down to being so close to Christmas and the first game. A lot of young fellas getting a start, an eye-opener for them.
“I thought we adapted a lot better in the second half, threw in a few fresh faces who got game time into them. I think they made a difference.
“I don’t think people in the stands realise how difficult conditions were, playing against that breeze in the first half. We’re not used to the breeze blowing in that direction. Both teams struggled against the breeze for scores and getting the ball up the field.” Waterford are not helped by a lengthy injury list.
“You saw it today. We had 24 fellas togged out. We could have named 30 on the panel but we didn't have 30 to name. We've a lot of injuries. Some will be back in the next week or two but a lot won't be back until the end of March, maybe April. We're a bit hampered at the moment but we're hoping that they'll all be good come the end of April.
"Conor Prunty is still recuperating from his shoulder. He'll probably be March. Darragh Lyons is looking at the end of March as well. Tadhg De Burca, probably March. Tadhg has had a lot of injuries in the last few years so he is slowly coming back. He picked up an injury with his club at the end of the year so he is just recuperating from that. Darragh had a bad injury on the groin going back to the Clare game where he came off after ten minutes. He still isn't right. Conor had a shoulder that he injured against Offaly last year so he is still coming back from that.”
As well, there will be no Calum Lyons or Neil Montgomery, while Austin Gleeson has returned to the panel but is injured.
"Unfortunately, we won’t see Neil, he has moved to London. His work takes him to London and that's where he is going to be for the foreseeable future. Calum Lyons unfortunately isn't coming home from Australia. The two of them are going to be big losses for the year ahead.
“Austin has had a few setbacks in the last few months so it could be March before we see him.” The hope is that some of the newcomers will make the step up.
“Supporters came along here today not to look at Jack Prendergast or Shane Bennett or Jamie Barron. They’re looking to see if we have any good young fellas coming along and I thought they adapted very well. I thought young Séamus Fitzgerald for his first game at corner-back was very good. He wouldn’t be the biggest man in the world and it wasn’t a day for small hurlers.
“Finbarr Reaney got his first taste of inter-county hurling at wing-back. We’d be pleased with some of the new guys. They’re going to get plenty of more games into them in the next few weeks. We’ve a few more good games lined up against Kilkenny, Wexford and Limerick. It will be good for them to get these games under their belt.”