Dunne to meet Conran before deciding future

WEXFORD star Liam Dunne will meet with manager John Conran next week before making any decision on his inter-county hurling future.

Dunne, who has spent the last week in the US with the Vodafone Allstars, admits that he has yet to make up his own mind.

"For the previous couple of years people had more or less been saying that I was finished, that I should give it up. It's gone from one extreme to another because everybody is telling me to stay on for another year," he explained yesterday.

"When you see the lads here in it makes you want to go on. The body tells you differently, even though the heart says yes. Whatever decision I make, I have had a great time. I said to John we'd sit down and talk. I want him to know where I'm coming from. When you see the likes of Tommy Walsh and Eoin Kelly you feel very old. But it was an honour and a privilege to be out here playing with them." It's clear that, at 35, Dunne is near to the end of a career which was marred by a few high-profile suspensions in recent years. But a disciplined approach saw him win back his proud reputation and ultimately earned him an Allstar nomination and in turn a trip for himself and his wife Etna.

Meanwhile, Waterford Institute of Technology will contest the County SHC for the first time this year.

The application from the college was accepted on a 42/25 vote at a county board meeting. An application from four neighbouring intermediate and junior clubs to compete in the championship as a group team was accepted unanimously.

St Patrick's will be drawn from Colligan Rockies, their parish neighbours Kilgobinet, St Mary's of Touraneena and Modeligo. The board also decided to retain the existing format of a losers' group for teams beaten in the first round. WIT will meet Ballyduff Lower in the first round of the SHC with last year's intermediate champions Abbeyside taking on John Mullane's De La Salle. Ballygunner will meet U21 champions of the past two years, Tallow in the tie of the round.

Waterford SHC: WIT v Ballyduff Lower; De La Salle v Abbeyside; Tallow v Ballygunner; Stradbally v Lismore; Fourmilewater v Roanmore; Ballyduff Upper v Ardmore; St. Patrick's v Mount Sion, (holders).

Waterford SFC: Stradbally, (holders) v Ardmore; Nire v Rathgormack; Tramore v Kill; Clashmore v Kilrossanty; John Mitchels v Kilmacthomas, and Ballinacourty v St. Saviours.

Sargent Cup: (Group A): Abbeyside v Lismore; Fourmilewater v Ardmore; Ballyduff Upper v Tallow. (Group B): Roanmore v Mount Sion; Ballyduff Lower v De La Salle; Stradbally v Ballygunner.

Phelan Cup: (Group A): Ardmore v Nire; Ballinacourty v Kilrossanty; Clashmore v Stradbally. (Group B): John Mitchels v Kill; St. Saviours v Rathgormack; Tramore v Kilmacthomas.