Stephen Bennett admits taking Tipperary's scalp in tomorrow's Allianz Hurling League semi-final would be a major boost to Waterford.

Derek McGrath's talented young team are in bonus territory after clinching promotion to Division 1A next season and accounting for Galway in the quarter-final.

"It would be huge to beat them," 2013 All-Ireland minor winner Bennett tells the Irish Independent.

"I mean if you're beating those big teams, the Tipps, Kilkennys and Corks, it helps you believe that you're up there with them.

"At the start of the year, if we were offered a league semi-final and promotion, we'd have taken it. There are going to be bad days and people will have to accept that, they'll have to be patient.

"But make no mistake we're looking at doing something this year."

The Ballysaggart clubman feels suggestions that Waterford are ultra-defensive are unfair.

"We're reading everywhere about how defensive this thing is. But I wouldn't see it as a defensive plan. The whole emphasis is on work rate. If a fella's on the ball and he has two or three lads harassing him, he's not going to be able to give good ball in to his forwards," he adds.

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