Derek McGrath says his players showed courage and determination during the Munster SHC semi-final victory over Clare and praised their sacrifice in the build-up to the game.
Waterford ran out comfortable seven point winners at Semple Stadium in Thurles to pick up their first win over the Banner county in three attempts.
"They put the last four or five week's of their lives on hold to try deliver a performance and that doesn't always bear fruit" he told Newstalk Sport's Oisin Langan after Sunday's game.
"I'm delighted for the team and their families and it's very satisfying to be in a Munster final I must say. We were a little more conventional from the start of the game and I don't like to say we let the reigns off but I think we made a decision that when we got into the camp on Tuesday after the club games that we'd just concentrate on ourselves.
"Clare are a team that really make you think. If I have a flaw, and I've got many flaws, is that I tend to over-analyse. We decided as a management and players that we wouldn't think too much and go with what we felt was right. We went the old fashioned route to get our payers motivated.
Derek McGrath celebrates Sunday's victory after the final whistle at Semple Stadium. Image: ©INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
"We needed a big performance and almost we were fuelled by not anger, but disappointment and hurt of the league final."
Tactically, McGrath explained, the game took "a life of its own" and said his side were well equipped for rigours of a Championship game.
"It sounds extremely trivial or immature to say but I was asking the lads what was happening out there. I was saying to the selectors: 'What's happening out there, talk to me'.
"That sounds like you're not in control of as a manager but that's the reality of Championships games. You trust your players to work it out as you go along. While we discussed shapes and different patterns the game took a mind of its own."
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