Gunners facing formidable firepower in Déise championship

THE champions of the past three years — Ballygunner, De La Salle and Ballyduff Upper — have been drawn together in the same group for this year’s Waterford senior hurling championship. Abbeyside, beaten finalists two years ago, along with Fourmilewater and Stradbally complete the six-team section.

In the other group, last year’s runners-up, Lismore, managed by Cork legend Tomas Mulcahy, and title-laden Mount Sion are odds-on favourites to make the last eight, with Tallow, Passage East, Ballyduff Lower, and IHC champions Dungarvan battling to join them. Four teams from each group will progress to the quarter-finals.

The first-round games will be played on the weekend of April 24/25 with west divisional neighbours Lismore and Dungarvan, along with Ballyduff Upper and De La Salle, set to face off.

In the senior football championship, there are three groups of four teams with the top two in each advancing to the quarter-finals.

The two remaining quarter-finalists will come from a play-off involving the sides finishing bottom of the groups.

Waterford SHC: Group A: Ballygunner (holders), De La Salle, Ballyduff Upper, Abbeyside, Fourmilewater, Stradbally;

Group B: Lismore, Mount Sion, Tallow, Ballyduff Lower, Passage East, Dungarvan.

SFC Group A: Stradally (holders), Gaultier, Tramore, An Rinn;

Group B: Nire, Ardmore, Rathgormack, Ballinameela; Group C: Ballinacourty, Kilrossanty, Brickey Rangers, St. Saviours.