Fixture mix-up has Waterford in a pickle

Munster Council top-brass were of the belief that the Waterford football final would be played this evening when fixing the Munster club quarter-final for Saturday.

Munster Council CEO Simon Moroney says it is regrettable that the winners of Friday’s Waterford decider between Stradbally and Ballinacourty must return inside the whitewash less than 24-hours later for the clash with Cork champions Nemo Rangers, revealing how efforts were made to dissuade Déise officials from playing the game so close to the weekend.

The Munster club quarter-final, initially scheduled for last weekend, was put back one week off the back of a request from the Waterford County Board.

“On the application we originally got from Waterford officials on October 13, their county final was to be played on November 1,” said Moroney.

“I have been in conversation with the Waterford officials over the past 10 days. The new dates they mentioned for the County final included Wednesday and Friday. I convinced them that Friday was too late and then Friday went off the table because of the All Stars function [Stradbally’s Michael Walsh is nominated for a hurling All Star].

“I was anxious the game would be played on the Wednesday and then it looked like it was going to be played on the Thursday. We have been in contact trying to avoid what has happened. It was beyond our control, though.” A double-header on Sunday was considered, tying in the football fixture with the meeting of Ballygunner and Glen Rovers in the Munster club SHC semi-final at Walsh Park.

“I have got no formal application from anybody to push the football game back 24-hours. I am not saying it would be approved if it did come in, the reality is that there are other dimensions that have to be considered.

“We did contemplate putting a double-header on in Walsh Park, but I would have got vibes that the football games in Waterford are generally played in Fraher Field.

• The Munster club SHC semi-final involving Thurles Sarsfields and Na Piarsaigh has been postponed by one week owing to the death of Thurles Sarsfields selector Jack Griffin last Saturday.

Club chairman Michael Maher said that Griffin’s untimely passing has had a devastating impact on the club.

“He contributed a lot and was an integral part of management for the last two years,” Maher said.

“He was doing physical training with the lads and with his Army background, that discipline he brought to it was a huge help.”