‘Home’ venue plan revisited

WATERFORD GAA secretary Timmy O’Keeffe has made a resolute defence of his highly controversial suggestion that the Déise should opt for Kilkenny’s Nowlan Park as the county’s Munster senior hurling championship venue in any future “home and away’’ arrangement they might enter into.

While O’Keeffe’s comments, contained in his report to last night’s annual convention, caused a major stir, the secretary told delegates last night that they should very seriously consider all aspects of it before deciding to “throw out the baby with the bath water’’.

O’Keeffe said that by Waterford playing their “home’’ championship games in Nowlan Park, the Munster Council wouldn’t lose one penny. At present the council retains 85% of these championship gates and irrespective of where the games are played, they (council) would continue to receive that share.