Derek McGrath: Waterford ahead of Kilkenny and 'on a mission'

With one round of action to go in Allianz Hurling League, Waterford are sitting pretty at the top of Division 1B after three wins and a draw from their opening four games.

With a league semi-final place virtually assured bar an astonishing turnaround, they face the tough challenge of second-placed Kilkenny on Sunday at Nowlan Park, with the Cats one point behind and hoping to seal the other semi-final spot from 1B.

But speaking on the RTÉ GAA Podcast, former Waterford manager Derek McGrath feels Liam Cahill's side are further ahead in their progression as a team than Brian Cody's squad.

"Regardless of the result I think Waterford are ahead of Kilkenny and that's my honest assessment," he said.

"I think they're ahead of Kilkenny. I'm not saying they'll definitely win next Sunday because Kilkenny have to win to guarantee a semi-final spot and they're hard to beat all the time in Nowlan Park.

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"But I think Waterford are ahead of them and I think we're in a really good place."

McGrath also said he expects the Déise to be closer to full strength as they fully reintegrate some of their leading lights with an eye towards the All-Ireland round robin series.

"I think you'll possibly see the reintegration of some (players) - those four major players for Waterford, Calum Lyons, Jamie Barron, Austin Gleeson and Dessie Hutchinson, maybe Ian Kenny might get a run in the full-back line, because they have two weeks - this week and the almost guaranteed semi-final - so I think Waterord will be going all