Déise can go all the way next year, says chairman

WATERFORD'S narrow defeat to Kilkenny in this year's All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final was all the more heartbreaking when Cork, deservedly, went on to lift the title.

This is what West Waterford Board chairman Paddy Walsh told delegates at last night's annual convention in Dungarvan.

The chairman praised the county's hurlers for their "breathtaking" victory over the Rebels in a provincial final that ranked among the best.

He said the county is now nearer then it has been in a generation to winning the All-Ireland, which has so agonisingly eluded them since 1959.

"The year ahead holds out real prospects of exciting success, and with Justin McCarthy once more at the helm there is every reason to believe that we can go all the way," Mr Walsh said.

He also praised the junior footballers' second Munster and All-Ireland victories in five years. He said these wins, coupled with Stradbally's achievements in the Munster club championship campaign, were a solid foundation for a much more successful county senior team.

Having paid tribute to the county's three Allstars, Ken McGrath, Dan Shanahan, and Paul Flynn, Mr Walsh also spoke glowingly of county board chairman Paddy Joe Ryan who is standing down at next week's convention after ten eventful years in office.

"During that time, the county chairman led by example and has served the county and the Association in a most remarkable way," Mr Walsh said. "He will always be remembered as one of our great county chairmen."

Reflecting on affairs within the West Waterford division, the chairman said the past year has been another hugely successful one for the Association, when many championships scaled exhilarating heights with standards generally very high.

However, Mr Walsh warned the division could not become complacent, and with opposition from so many other codes for the loyalty of their young people it was more incumbent than ever on the GAA to come up with the "right package" to ensure that they remain playing the national games. "The day is long gone when we have any God-given right to expect young people to give the GAA priority," he said. "We will ignore that stark fact at our peril."

The complete officer board for the coming year is: Chairman, Paddy Walsh (Colligan/Emmetts), outgoing; Vice do, Tom Cunningham (Stradbally), outgoing; Secretary, Anthony Walsh, (Colligan/Emmetts), outgoing; Assistant do, Pat Grant (Fourmilewater), outgoing; Treasurer, Eddie Cunningham, (Tallow), outgoing; Registrar, Seamas O'Brien (Abbeyside/Ballinacourty), outgoing; County Board representatives (3); Tomas O'Cadhla (Ring), John Lyons (Tallow), and Pat Walsh (Fourmilewater).