The next fortnight will test the focus and resolve of Davy Fitzgerald and the Waterford hurlers almost as severely as the final itself, writes John Allen
THE AMERICAN singer Billy Joel penned a song some years back - We Didn't Start the Fire - that listed many of the major events and people of the 20th century. The first verse goes, "Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnny Ray, South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe Di Maggio."
Will the Déise hurling team make it into history in early September?
Waterford's fantastic win last Sunday entitles this team to the same historical standing as that of the team of 1963. Will we see their names written into the history books, songs and the folklore after September 7th?
No doubt we'll see much written about that 1963 final and the similarities between it and this year's game between the same counties.
Are you old enough to remember '63?
Do you remember?
"Mourinho, Jordan, Keady, Mull,
"Vijay Singh and Tony Sull,
"Christine Keeler, Robert Frost, JFK, Jack Nicklaus;
"Pope John, Vietnam, Johnny Depp and Bob Dylan;
"We didn't start the fire;
"It was always burning since the world's been turning . . ."
Or if you're a Déise hurling fan of that generation you might remember:
"Byrne, Dempsey, Irish, Meaney,
"Second best in '63;
"Power, Grimes, Cheasty, Guinan,
"Mighty champs in '59 and,
"We didn't start the fire . . ."
That fire has been burning in Waterford since the founding of the GAA.
It's an achievement in itself that the Déise have remained so competitive with so little success achieved down through the years. They have appeared in only five finals, winning two. Their opponents in this year's final, Kilkenny, have played in 54 finals, winning 30.
But will the huge hype that will engulf them over the next few weeks detract from the job in hand? Is a place in the final enough for these wonderful hurlers? Over the next while they'll be treated as heroes in their own place. But what will that next while be actually like?
Well the players have much that is new to cope with during these weeks. There's the awful bother that goes with the match tickets and people asking for those precious items.
Roy Keane, in his biography, tells about his early days in Manchester driving around on the night before games picking up tickets for the arriving Cork mafia. He soon gave it up as it, obviously, totally upset his focus.
There's the perception the players get loads of tickets, many of them free. Well they don't get many and they certainly don't get too many free. There's the collecting of money for the few tickets they get and for the post-match banquet tickets.
Another job the players are faced with each night after training is signing hurleys, jerseys, sliotars, flags, programmes, cards, caps, autograph books and prizes for various fund-raisers. This will need to be organised and run by somebody in the back-room team.
Then there's the matter of the formal wear for the post-match banquet. There are decisions to be made on style, colour, ties and shirts. There are sizes to be taken and fittings and alterations. This again is an extra these players haven't had to cope with before.
Leisure wear has to be decided upon, ordered and delivered at short notice.
There are the personal appearances that some or many players will be requested to make. New unofficial sponsors appear out of nowhere offering goods like leisure wear, toiletries and bags - all to show their appreciation to the team, of course.
All they ask is a photo taken with the players or maybe a spare ticket.
Training can become a bit of a circus some nights with big crowds, unsupervised kids running wild, autograph hunters and well-wishers.
With the days getting shorter, training probably is half an hour earlier. The nights start to get cold earlier so there's a danger of players picking up colds if they're hanging around signing autographs.
The press also want their pound of flesh. The press night can be hard going for all involved. The local press might want a little extra individual access. It's important to have a press night, but that should be it - no journalists at training looking for one-to-one interviews after that. The same goes for the photographers - one night and one night only.
It's all new and wonderful to the Waterford players. There isn't a hurler in the country with any ambition who wouldn't love to be in the position these Waterford and Kilkenny hurlers are in. But for Déise men there's a real danger the game may take second place to the build-up.
Fortunately, Davy Fitz has been through it all and knows the pitfalls. He has brought great enthusiasm to the team and they played with no little amount of it last Sunday. But he needs to be firm now in his handling of the players. He needs to keep them totally focused on the job in hand. When there is so much going on off the field it can be difficult for the players to stay focused on the main event.
Most of the Kilkenny players have been through all this many times and will have their own way of dealing with it. They are wonderful champions, with the top manager, and will prepare as they always do with little fuss and full attention on the hurling.
But for the Waterford players there is the need to become selfish. Obviously, players have to go to work, but after that training, resting and mentally preparing should be the priorities. Even family has to take second place for the next while.
The atmosphere, the hype, the build-up is for the fans. There are only 20 Waterford hurlers who can play in this final. They and the extended panel should have only one focus and that is playing the game of their lives on the first Sunday in September.
Soon, some of them will be fans too and will never again get the chance they now have. The game is for the players, the occasion is for the followers.
Carpe diem, ye Déise men.
Soon Billy may have to add another few lines to the song for his next world tour.
"Dan the Man, Mullane and Ken,
"Waterford hurlers back again;
"We didn't start the fire,
"It was always burning since the world's been turning . . ."
