Déise delight over Hartley’s comeback

THE news that the man who captained Waterford to Munster senior hurling championship glory for the first time in almost 40 years in 2002 is set to make a sensational return has taken virtually every Déise follower by surprise.

Thirty three year-old Fergal Hartley, an All-Ireland U21 medal winner in 1992, hasn’t worn the county jersey since Waterford exited the All-Ireland championship in the qualifiers against Wexford at Nowlan Park on July 19, 2003, a game which also marked the end of the inter-county road for Peter Queally and Brian Greene.

He is expected to immediately rejoin Justin McCarthy’s extended panel of 40, which will be reduced to 24 before the National League on February 21. Last year, Hartley resisted several appeals to reconsider his retirement decision. However, he had set up his own hugely successful recruitment company, Hartley People, and felt he couldn’t give the required commitment.