Dan Shanahan knows a thing or two about All-Ireland heartbreak.
In 2007, when the Lismore man was judged to be Hurler of the Year, Waterford were bamboozled in an All-Ireland semi-final by a Limerick team they had already beaten in the Munster final.
A year later, Waterford reached their first final since 1963.
44 years before they had lost to Kilkenny; not much changed this time. Yet, when Waterford take to their first final since the horrendous experience of 2008, Shanahan will still be there toiling away in a different capacity.
Working within Waterford's back-room team, Shanahan's presence within the Deise set up is unmistakable. Speaking to Sinead Kissane of TV3 today, 'Dan the man' discussed the situation facing a largely inexperienced squad facing their first All-Ireland final:
It's a big day and some of them lads don't know, and won't ever know until the day of the match what its means ... until they run out there on a big day like that. They've done it at Under-21, but this is a step, two steps, three steps up again.
Going up against a Galway side with a more significant degree of experience at this level, Shanahan nonetheless feels that Waterford will be ready:
I think physicality-wise we're in great shape. But you would have to be against Galway because they're all over 6 foot. ... We're training hard and I can assure you we won't get carried away.
With Conor Gleeson the only confirmed absence for Waterford through suspension, Derek McGrath and his team have every reason to feel confident that they can bring Liam McCarthy back to Waterford for the first time since 1959.
