Waterford captain’s Galway roots!

Whatever happens in the All-Ireland senior hurling final this Sunday, Galway hands will be on the Liam McCarthy Cup.

And while every supporter in the city and county hopes and prays that those hands will be Galway captain David Burke’s, there is a small enclave in North Galway who wouldn’t begrudge that privilege to Kevin Moran, who has Galway roots.

“My dad, Paul Moran, is from Tuam,” the Waterford captain explained to the Connacht Tribune.

“I would’ve got down there a bit, when I was younger. Not so much in recent years. I still have an auntie living in Tuam – Clare O’Halloran. And I’ve cousins down there as well. My father is originally from Carrowpeter, which is on the old Dublin Road into Tuam.

“I’ve good connections there in Tuam. My mother is from Carlow, so I don’t know how we ended up here in Waterford!

“Dad has some great connections still up there in Tuam. He’s got some great friends up there, even though he hasn’t too much family up there anymore. We still have fond connections with Tuam.”

Moran is trouble; and Galway would want to get a handle on him early. He had a big influence on the outcome of the semi-final against Cork, landing four points from midfield. Against Wexford, too, he bagged a crucial first half goal that gave Waterford the edge in the quarter-final.

The 30-year-old is one of the few survivors from the 2008 campaign, when Waterford last appeared in an All-Ireland final and were humbled by Kilkenny.

“It’s ten years ago now. I was young. We were annihilated by a superpower of a team. Things didn’t go well for us on the day and it was a tough day at the office . . . but 2008 doesn’t have much relevance now.

“I can’t even remember the last time I played Galway in the championship. So what happened ten years ago is just nearly a blur at this stage, so much has happened in the meantime.

“Galway have been in a lot more finals than we have over the years. A lot more. I don’t even know before 2008, was it 1963 the last time Waterford were in a final? It doesn’t come around too often. We’re just looking at a huge obstacle that we’re trying to get over.”

See full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune.