A period of mourning has begun in Waterford hurling. Manager Justin McCarthy and the older members of his brave team must go away and reflect on their season.

For hurling's sake, one hopes players like Paul Flynn, Tony Browne, Tom Feeney and Ken McGrath return in 2007. Especially McGrath.

"It's way too early to think about next year," said the onfield captain. "This is our fourth semi-final in eight years to lose by a narrow margin. It's unbelievable, devastating. I suppose we'll have a talk in the next few months, go off and play club hurling, come back and see what happens."

Since his championship debut in 1996, McGrath has played 35 championship outings and racked up 1-81. That's an awful lot of mileage and a tremendous amount of heartbreak. Sunday was probably the worst day of them all.

"It looked like it was going to be our day but in the end we were caught again. Absolutely devastated, totally devastated."

What must really grate with the old Waterford guard is that a youngster from Newtownshandrum came into the championship cauldron and blew them away in two marvellous minutes. Cathal Naughton couldn't possibly appreciate the pain he has caused.

"That can happen in big games. Fellas you don't expect can come on like Cathal did and deliver the goods. It was a great substitution in the end.

"We thought we'd win . . . We were one hundred per cent sure we would win . . . It came down to the last second but it didn't happen, the bit of luck and a few decisions went against us and I can tell you we're feeling it now."

If the GAA conducted a poll of all the hurlers in the country to select a man to strike a 90-yard free in the depths of injury time to salvage a draw, McGrath would be the man.

Unfortunately, Donal Óg Cusack would be the goalkeeper many would choose to be waiting for the sliotar to drop.

"It was very far out in fairness," said McGrath. "I hit it well but there was a bit of a breeze against me. It was a tough one to put over. It would have been great if it did but it didn't.

"Maybe if we had got the goal 20 minutes into the second half it would have been better. Still we were four points up and should have been consolidating the lead. Instead they got a few scores and ah, they're not going for three-in-a-row for nothing. They're a great team and they pulled through in the end."