By John Harrington

Waterford U-21 hurler Patrick Curran says they’ll be failures if they don’t beat Galway in today’s Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland Final.

The Deise won their first Munster U-21 title in 22 years this year, but Curran doesn’t think it will count for much if they can’t go on now and win the ultimate prize.

“We put a lot of hard years into the U-21s for the last two or three years and maybe didn't reap the rewards,” he says.

“I suppose it's going well so far, but if we don't win at the weekend it's a failure. That's the way it would be looked at. We have a Munster title but we really need this one and want it.

“There is an expectation but it doesn’t happen by chance, we’ve put in the effort. But we don’t really have anything to show for it since the All-Ireland Minor Final. We’ve had defeats this year, lost the League and Munster final.

“It's important for Waterford to win All-Irelands, but no more so than any other year. I suppose we'll have to go out and play the match and not the occasion. That's what it's about for Waterford. We have to perform if we're going to win, it's as simple as that.”

Curran is one of 12 senior panellists on this Waterford U-21 team who came out on the wrong side of the result in three major matches this year – the League Final against Clare, the Munster Final against Tipperary, and the All-Ireland Semi-Final against Kilkenny.

The nature of that semi-final replay defeat to Kilkenny was hard to take because Waterford really should have won the drawn game, but the opportunity to get back with the U-21s has helped soften the blow.

“It was absolutely crushing defeat in the senior,” says Curran. “As you said it was good to get back into it with the lads and your own age again. A lot of fellas on the team didn't have that opportunity. So, yeah, it was great to get back.

“Yeah, I suppose you probably do have to look at the first day. I think it was an opportunity that maybe slipped away. Yeah, it was an opportunity. I think we'll learn from it. It's going to be tough to even think about going back early again. It has to be done you have to put in the work to reap the rewards.”

Curran found the All-Ireland Senior Final between Tipperary and Kilkenny hard to watch, but doing so has only made him want to get there himself someday all the more.

“I suppose naturally it was tough to watch it because you'd hope to be there yourself,” he says. “I suppose you have to admire Tipp. They were the best team in Ireland this year, there's no qualms about that or anything. It's up to everyone to get to their level. But, yeah, it would make you want to get there and win an All-Ireland, absolutely.

“Teams are after upping a level big time. It’s up to us to go harder, go faster, and stay with it.”