Waterford County Board chairman Paddy Joe Ryan resists call to boycott Munster championship

The redevelopment of Walsh Park remains the only show in town, a point that Waterford County Board chairman Paddy Joe Ryan reiterated at last night’s annual convention in Dungarvan.

Addressing delegates at Lawlor Hotel, the chairman said that the city ground was “the only avenue they wish to pursue as regards upgrading, due to its central location and its accessibility”.

“It is important for people to bear in mind that all major county grounds around Ireland, including Croke Park, Thurles, Limerick, Killarney, Salthill and many others are located in cities or towns in the middle of residential areas.”

Regarding the stadium plan, Mr Ryan added: “There is absolutely no hidden agenda on our part. We all want the same thing: A suitable venue in this county at which to play our home league and championship matches that would be modern and contemporary, that can hold a reasonable crowd, bearing in mind that we can only expect it to be at capacity twice per year… If that is perceived by some as a lack of vision, then so be it… and hopefully we won’t be forced to defend ourselves anymore against the agenda being pedalled by some people, who are working anonymously behind the scenes.”

From the floor, former county secretary Timmy O’Keeffe called for Waterford to boycott the Munster Hurling Championship should the senior team not play at home in 2019. To this, both Mr Ryan and current secretary Pat Flynn stressed that the board “intended to play the games in Walsh Park”.

The Munster Council is scheduled to inspect Walsh Park during the Christmas period, with the chairman stressing: “Our new hurling manager has made it very clear that it is his desire to see our home championship games played at a Waterford venue in 2019 and we will be doing everything we can to make that happen.”

Mr Ryan also reiterated that the cost of Waterford’s management teams “will have to be looked at” by delegates come the board’s February meeting.

He told delegates: “It is my opinion that county panels across the country need to be reduced to a maximum of 30 and this needs to be a goal of the association. It is also important to point out that although spending on inter-county teams have increased dramatically over the past number of years, our players have not benefited to the same degree.

County treasurer John Jackson noted: “Right now, the hurlers are training four times a week, and the footballers are training three times a week, as they are preparing for the competitions beginning in a few weeks’ time. To be fair, the management of both teams are right to insist on preparing for these tournaments with a view to winning them and, as someone who has been talking to hotels in recent weeks about the cost of meals for our teams next year, meal prices are going to go up next year by anything between €2 and €4 [per meal].”