Waterford set to offer Derek McGrath new deal

Waterford manager Derek McGrath is to be offered an extension to his current agreement on the back of the hurlers’ nine-game unbeaten run this year.

The De La Salle man was appointed in October 2013 on a three-year term but when contacted yesterday county chairman Paddy Joe Ryan confirmed the executive have spoken about giving a ringing endorsement to McGrath.

“There is general support in the county for Derek and the county executive as well,” he said. “There have been positive moves taking place.

“When you’ve something good going, you can’t turn your back on it. There have been discussions. I’m sure that if I proposed an extension to the executive, they would accept it.

“It’s a strong possibility now (an extension) and he’s had great success this year. Last year was a learning year and he’s developed from there. He knew his brief and he’s worked to it very well.”

Ryan can understand why McGrath took aim at the defeatist attitude in the county following Sunday’s Munster semi-final win over Cork, their eighth straight victory this season. McGrath said: “I think that defeatist attitude... I met my own father on the field and he said ‘at least you’re in the All-Ireland quarter-final’. Sometimes we need to change that mentality. I’m not saying we’ll be favourites for the Munster final but we’ll think about the All-Ireland quarter-final at 5.30pm on July 12 if we are beaten but up until that, we’re happy to approach the Munster final with everything we have.”

Ryan remarked: “There’s a lot of positive thinking with Derek and he wants to feed that through into the team. The hard luck losers is not good enough any longer, this idea of this, that and the other happening and getting in the way. He wants the positivity to spread.”