Déise blow as Hurney out for opening games

Niall Carew’s hope of getting his inter-county managerial career with Waterford off to a positive start in the Allianz Football League have been dealt a major blow with the confirmation that he will have to do without the talismanic Gary Hurney for the first two games.

Hurney will miss out on two of the most difficult tests a hugely competitive Division 4 will offer, starting with the away tie against Mick O’Dwyer’s Clare on February 3 while he will also be sidelined for the home clash with Tipperary six days later.

The Ballinacourty marksman has been in sparkling form since returning from the surgery that cleaned out cartilage in his knee, scoring 2-2 in a challenge match against DIT before kicking 0-5 in the extra-time defeat of UL in the McGrath Cup quarter-final. He converted four frees in their semi-final loss to Tipperary on Sunday, which was also decided in extra-time.