GAELIC GAMES:WHAT NOW for Waterford hurling? It's a question that seems to roll around this time every year and yet despite just losing their sixth All-Ireland semi-final in the last eight years, John Mullane remains optimistic.

Mullane might be slightly biased in that he scored 1-6, all from play, against Kilkenny on Sunday, but after what he describes as a “topsy-turvy summer”, there is still plenty to be hopeful about, starting with the Waterford minor hurling team, who play Dublin in an All-Ireland semi-final next Sunday.

“We’ve been doing it numerous times now,” said Mullane, “making it in the top three or four. We went up there in great mood, buoyant, and felt we were well capable of winning the game. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be. The next step is to break into that top two, and take it on from there.

“But we’d still be very optimistic about the future of Waterford hurling. We’ve our minors up in Croke Park again next Sunday, against Dublin, and they’re very confident that they can make the final in September.

“And I think the underage structures in Waterford are flying it at the moment. It all bodes well for the future, but it’s not going to happen overnight. Thankfully we’re still there, still making progress, and who knows in a few years time we might find that Holy Grail.”

There is however some uncertainty about the future of some key Waterford players, namely Tony Browne, and also manager Davy Fitzgerald, who is taking some time out before deciding whether or not to go forward for a fifth season in charge. Mullane, naturally, says players like Browne owe Waterford hurling nothing more.

“He’s been a freak of nature, or as we describe him down here, the Maldini of hurling. He’s 38 and stood out there again on Sunday. For any young kid coming up they only have to look at Tony Browne, and aspire to the likes of him, because he’s just a top athlete, and will be sorely missed by Waterford in the years to come.

“That was his 20th season, and it’s sad he hasn’t got that All-Ireland medal. Although the way he performed on Sunday he could almost certainly go on for another two or three years. That’s for Tony to decide, and he’ll make his own call on that.”

Mullane suggests Kilkenny’s goal just before half-time was the turning point of the game, and rightly so: “It has to be. We were well on top. I was after getting a goal before that, and then the ball came into myself again. I was caught in two minds, to go for the point or the goal, and didn’t get the shot on the ball I wanted.

“I probably should have taken the point, to bring us back to a point or two, but instead Kilkenny went down the other end and got their goal, and that was a turnaround of six points, really, and the killer blow. Because the feeling in general, and with a lot of people in Waterford, was that they (Kilkenny) were there for the taking. We just didn’t take our opportunities, and these chances don’t come around too often.”

Waterford selector Pat Bennett also agrees the future of the hurling in the county remains bright. “I couldn’t see any of the guys having a problem going on for another year,” said Bennett. “Tony (Browne) is just Tony, he could go on forever. The rest of the guys are all pretty young, Clinton (Hennessy) is 34, Séamus Prendergast 31.”

Yet the future, agreed Bennett, is with the younger players, and Waterford remain well served in that area too: “I don’t know what the average age was against Kilkenny, Tony and Clinton would bring it up, but it must have been around the 23 or 24 mark.

“And in the last two years of competitive matches, we’ve played 29 and lost only seven. It’s a step to get to the top two but everybody knows where the money is being spent. We were the seventh or eighth least expensive team last year in hurling.”

Waterford's Last 10 All-Ireland SHC semi-finals

2011: Kilkenny 2-19 Waterford 1-16

2010: Tipperary 3-19 Waterford 1-18 2009: Kilkenny 2-23 Waterford 3-15 2008: Waterford 1-20 Tipperary 1-18

2007: Limerick 5-11 Waterford 2-15

2006: Cork 1-16 Waterford 1-15

2004: Kilkenny 3-12 Waterford 0-18 2002: Clare 1-16 Waterford 1-13

1998: Kilkenny 1-11 Waterford 1-10

1957: Waterford 4-12 Galway 0-11

Won 2, Lost 8.