Déise hurlers set for Royal treatment

WATERFORD’S hurlers will travel to Reading Football Club next month for a three-day training camp.

Davy Fitzgerald’s panel will fly out on Saturday April 9th before returning on Tuesday April 12th as part of their preparations for the championship.

The team will be given full use of the club’s facilities at their Hogwood Park training grounds and have been welcomed with open arms by the English Championship outfit with whom Waterford man Noel Hunt plays.

A number of the Déise camp met with the Hunt and his brother, former Royals player Stephen, in Waterford on Sunday before they made the short journey up the M9 to face Kilkenny.

Tweeting on Sunday, Noel Hunt wrote: “Highlight of the day having a quick Coffie (sic) with Davie Fitz the Waterford Hurling Manager was a great Guy hope they batter the Cats today!!”

The trip is believed to be considerably more cost effective than a training camp in a number of the popular locations such as Carton House in Maynooth, Co Kildare or Johnstown House in Co Meath.

Last April, Waterford’s hurlers held their pre-championship training camp in La Cala in Spain, where they stayed from Saturday to Wednesday and had seven training sessions.

They also had a short stay in the luxurious Castlemartyr resort a couple of weeks before their All-Ireland semi-final against Tipperary.

The Hunt brothers from have often been seen at matches supporting the hurlers with Stephen having represented the county in the Tony Forristal Cup and at under-16 level.

Both are also signed up to Club Déise, the Official Waterford GAA Supporters’ Club.

John Mullane is the only player expected to miss the training camp as he will be getting married next month.

Stephen Molumphy is expected to be available for next Sunday’s game against Tullamore as he returns from army duty in Poland later in the week.