Davy Fitzgerald marks managerial return as Waterford edge Tipperary in Munster Hurling League clash

Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League Group A

Waterford 0-21 Tipperary 1-15

At a wet and windy Mallow, Davy Fitzgerald was elated to make his managerial return but cautioned against making anything of Waterford's three-point Munster Hurling League win over 14-man Tipperary.

"It’s great to be back! You miss it," he said.

"The year out was great and it was great to be a pundit and all that but I kinda like being out there. It’s nice when you win but I just enjoy being on the training field and being with the lads. That’s what I really enjoy."

When asked what he’s looking for at this time of the season, Fitzgerald replied with one word: "Character."

He found it in Kilrossanty’s Paudie Fitzgerald, who scored two points in a five-minute match-winning cameo at the end.

"There was a lad at the end, he wasn’t feeling well the last few days, and I needed him to go on because we had an injury. When he went on, he did well and he was after playing a full game yesterday, an under-20 final," said the former Clare and Wexford manager.

"He’s a young lad and Paudie in the next few years will be deadly but fair play to him tonight. He did well."

The success over the man he replaced in Liam Cahill, taking his first game in charge of his native Tipperary, was achieved with 12 different scorers against Tipperary’s four. Jason Forde struck 1-11 (1-04 from play) in defeat.

A change of venue to Mallow, with Fraher Field waterlogged, spared Cahill a return to action on Waterford soil but Cathal Barrett’s red card, after two yellows, the second in the 58th minute, gave the Déise the impetus to outscore Tipp by 0-07 to 0-04 from there to the end.

What did Fitzgerald, 12 years on from his last game at the Déise helm, take from it?

"Not much. It's the third