Call of duty turns captain Molumphy back into lieutenant

WATERFORD had to plan without their captain for the second half of yesterday’s Allianz hurling league clash with Kilkenny.

However, it wasn’t injury, suspension or a tactical switch that sidelined Stephen Molumphy in Nowlan Park yesterday.

There was surprise when the Waterford star, who had scored a fine first-half point, didn’t resume his position on the field for the second period but the reason was a good one — he was literally answering a call to arms.

Molumphy, a lieutenant in the Irish Army, had to leave the game at half-time to join his Defence Forces colleagues abroad.

“Stephen had a work commitment with the Army,” said a Waterford team management source.

“The team management was aware of that before the game but he was keen to play at least the first half of the game. He had to leave then at half-time to join his Army colleagues, to catch a flight to an overseas destination.”

It’s not the first time Molumphy has missed out on league action due to his army commitments, though it’s the first game he has had to leave at the halfway point.

Three years ago he completed eight months of Army-related training in Germany.

Ironically, one of Molumphy’s direct opponents yesterday is also a soldier — Eoin Larkin of Kilkenny stayed to complete the game, however, and chipped in with a point in the Cats’ six-point win as well.