Gach rud gach lá.
When Derek McGrath took over Waterford five years ago, they were a team in transition, a team in a much worse place than they are now.
While they never reached their ultimate goal of bringing Liam MacCarthy back to the south east, the five years he spent there will undoubtedly go down as a huge success.
Because now Waterford are a young team with potential to win an All-Ireland, with class and with discipline. Derek McGrath announced his decision to to leave his position as Waterford senior hurling manager on Monday night after a short get together at his home and with that a journey has ended.
Derek McGrath poured his heart and soul into getting the best out of himself as a a manager and the best out of these players for Waterford over the last five years.
Gach rud, gach lá.
This is a man who put the day job on hold so he could focus more on these Waterford players and this Waterford panel.
“This team will be forever ingrained in my heart,” he wrote in his touching resignation statement.
The high esteem in which he was held by his players clear, the close bond between the players and the management always stood out about Waterford.
“Did more for us as hurlers and men than anyone will ever know,” wrote Waterford player Brian O’Halloran after McGrath’s decision.
These Waterford players are a textbook example of the new breed of hurlers. The majority of them young fellas, they’ve put their lives on hold over the last few years for the better of their inter-county careers. They’ve done everything within their power to reach their potential.
They’ve relentlessly chased after that goal of winning an All-Ireland and while it hasn’t been satisfied yet, as this era ends they’re surely realising that the journey is just as important as the destination.
They’ve had some journey, and McGrath leaves them in a good place to make even greater strides in the years to come.
Gach rud, gach lá was their team motto over the last few years; a fitting revelation about a team who did everything they possibly could.
“Whilst we committed ourselves to be the best we could be as a management, we also challenged you to be the most diligent team ever to represent Waterford and you responded by giving everything you had every day, which became our team motto – GACH RUD. GACH LÁ,” wrote McGrath of its reasoning in his statement.
A host of Waterford players paid tribute to their spiritual leader on Monday night.
I’m absolutely gutted that Derek McGrath who has done so much for this county, myself on a personal level and anyone who has dealt with him is stepping away!! The amount of work he has put in that nobody realises is incredible! He will sorely missed by this whole team!! #GachLá!!
— AussieGleeson (@AussieGleeson) June 18, 2018
More than a manager…. Thank you Mac 🇦🇷 ⚪🔵
— Noel Connors (@NoelieConnors) June 18, 2018
Normally wouldn’t tweet something this but needs to be said how unbelievable Derek was. Did more for us as hurlers and men than anyone will ever know. Gach rud gach lá
— Brian O Halloran (@brianoh91) June 18, 2018
https://twitter.com/tomas_rua/status/1008815746552598528
There’s so much left to come.
Everything, every day.
