Although Waterford have plenty to celebrate having reached their first All Ireland hurling final since 2008, the Austin Gleeson situation is casting a considerable shadow.
The 22 year old centre back was involved in an on-field incident with Cork's Luke Meade, seemingly pulling off his opponent's helmet with the possibility of retrospective action being taken.
Tonight on Off The Ball, ex-Kilkenny and Tipperary greats Tommy Walsh and Tommy Dunne joined us to look back at Waterford's semi final victory.
But Walsh also touched on the reaction of Waterford manager Derek McGrath towards No 5 Tadhg De Burca who had been sent off in the quarter final against Wexford and subsequently missed the Cork match.
Manager and team-mates threw their support behind the absentee.
"This all comes back to Derek McGrath," said Walsh.
"Derek McGrath the manager and Derek McGrath the man, he is just brilliant. He's a breathe of fresh air to the whole GAA world because he comes out in interviews and he's very honest, very fortright but in what he says and his actions, it's all about his actions here. Like I read somewhere that last Friday when De Burca didn't get off his suspension, he went up and met [De Burca's] parents because I know myself. His parents were probably devastated, the people there in Clashmore were probably devastated for Tadhg De Burca to miss out on such a big game."
Walsh feels De Burca will be intent on repaying McGrath's actions in spades on the pitch in the All Ireland final.
"What does the manager do? He has an All Ireland semi final to look forward to Sunday but no, he goes out, visits the family, visits Tadhg De Burca, tells him he's going to be in the finals so that De Burca will still be playing. That's just brilliant," he said, adding "you'd crawl to the ends of the earth to try and help him".
And Walsh drew parallels with his own experience in 2004 when he was sent off against Clare in a quarter final, only to enjoy the backing of Cats boss Brian Cody.
"Cody came into the dressing room after the match, said a few lovely things about me. It was nice to hear from a manager. He was backing me and he wasn't saying anything about the sending off but other things about maybe the way I played and that. Peter Barry came over to me and asked me for my jersey and here was a young lad who's felt like he's after letting the whole team out two guys come over and do something like that and you say to yourself, 'Well, I'm going to repay them lads'. And I'm sure Tadhg De Burca will do that."
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