Déise won’t be allowed to play matches in Leinster

Waterford have been refused permission to play their 2020 Munster SHC home games at a Leinster venue, in the event of Walsh Park being unavailable.

The €7m redevelopment of Walsh Park in the city was given the green light by An Bord Pleanála back in February, and it is hoped that work at the Keane’s Road venue will begin in the coming months.

Waterford GAA top brass are optimistic the rebuild will be complete in time for next year’s provincial championship. If it is not, a request was put to Munster Council that Waterford be given the option of hosting Tipperary and Cork at a Leinster venue, most likely Nowlan Park.

This proposal received “no great traction” at last week’s Munster Council meeting, according to a delegate present, and was not supported by any of the other five counties. As a result, if the Walsh Park redevelopment is not finished by next May, Waterford’s home games will be staged at a neutral venue in Munster.

The €7m regeneration project includes raising the capacity of the covered stand to approximately 5,300. Opposite this will be a new uncovered seating area with a capacity of 4,200. A new uncovered terrace will also be added.

Elsewhere, Tipperary’s senior footballers are expected to be without 2016 All-Star Michael Quinlivan and Liam Casey for next season. Following an injury-ravaged season in the blue and gold, Clonmel Commercials man Quinlivan is planning to travel in 2020 as is Cahir’s Casey.

The absence of 26-year-old Quinlivan will be keenly felt by new manager David Power. Having suffered an early season knee injury, he was missed as Tipperary were relegated from Division 2.