Echo test version: 'We need to go and do it': Waterford stalwart Stephen Bennett 'sick of being unlucky'

Echo test verstion: Waterford haven’t put back-to-back championship victories together since 2020 but Stephen Bennett is bullish ahead of Saturday’s Munster SHC clash with Limerick in Walsh Park.

Scoring 2-8, the 29-year-old marked his 100th appearance for The Déise in style with a man-of-the-match winning performance against Clare in the Waterford city venue last Sunday.

It was the third-ever time after beating Cork last year and Tipperary in 2022 that the county have won their opening provincial game in the round-robin format. 

However, they have yet to back it up with another – just once have they won a game outside the first round, the final round match against Tipperary in Thurles two years ago – and of course it’s an aim for Bennett.

“Last year, we were 30 seconds from beating Tipperary having been four points up. We drew when if we won we would have been qualified with two games to go. Those are the margins. People forget that. They’re like, ‘Ah Waterford won’t get out, they haven’t a hope’ but you’d be thinking, ‘We’re not too bad here’.

“We were so unlucky last year but I’m sick of being unlucky. We need to go and do it. We didn’t deserve to get out of the group last year because we didn’t get the points.

“We need to focus on one or two points against Limerick and then I think it’s Tipp. Four points would do us and then we can think about a Munster final but it’s really about Limerick now first and foremost and then qualifying.” 

Bennett, who suffers from chronic hip problems, sure would love an extra week to prepare for Limerick but he isn’t complaining. Waterford have momentum and home advantage on their side even if they haven’t beaten Limerick since 2021 and lost the last eight SHC clashes.

“It’s great that we’re up close to top of the table but lose on Saturday and we’re going to fall. Limerick are the one team that we haven’t beaten over the years. They’re the one team that even when we were going really well they just kept beating us.

“All we can do is have a right cut off them again. I still think they’re an unreal team but if we’re serious about winning something, we have to beat them at some stage.” 

Last Sunday certainly proved that Waterford’s lack of exposure to Division 1A teams and 11 months without a game against Munster opposition weren’t drawbacks. Ballysaggart man Bennett asked himself that question from time to time but he always came back to his faith in the group.

“I wouldn’t say concerned because any day we have a full to pick from, I think we’re an excellent team. We were playing the Dublins and the Offalys and you’re seeing now that the level ain’t that bad. Offaly are competing in Leinster.

“Sometimes, you would think about whether you were up to the intensity of the Division 1A teams. We started well (v Clare) and then we dipped for 15 minutes with a savage wind in the first half. We should have been a lot more than three points up at half-time.

“We did a few silly things and not making the most of the ball. The backs were good, in fairness, but I was afraid that we left a few behind. But in the second half we really upped the work-rate and turned them over a good bit.

“I know they were missing massive players, but people forget we were missing the likes of [Conor] Prunty, Jamie [Barron], Tadhg [de Búrca] and people don’t mention that.”