Star midfielder Brendan Murphy out of Carlow's plans for 2021

Carlow footballer Brendan Murphy. Picture: INPHO/Tommy Dickson

Midfielder Brendan Murphy won’t be part of Carlow’s plans for 2021, according to manager Niall Carew.

“Brendan can’t commit so that’s it. If you can’t commit, you’re no good to us.

“Would we love to have players of that calibre? Of course we would, but we want them on our terms.

“The way football is gone now, it’s nearly seven days a week.”

Jamie Clarke, Colm Hulton, and Conor Crowley netted in the second half on Saturday night, as Carew’s charges ran out 15-point winners over his former side, 3-16 to 0-10.

Crowley's top corner strike in injury time was the pick of the bunch. “If anyone else scored it, it would be on The Sunday Game about 55 times,” said Carew.

It was a tough start for new Waterford boss Shane Ronayne, who confirmed that former captain Tony Grey ruptured an Achilles tendon in training during the week.

“He ruptured the Achilles tendon here the other night. Tony has been fantastic since I got involved, a great leader. It hit the lads hard when it happened. Tony is going for an operation on Sunday morning and we’d like to wish him all the best.”

Scorers for Carlow: C Crowley, J Clarke, C Hulton (1 mark) 1-1 each, D Foley (4fs), P Broderick (1f) 0-4 each, R Dunphy 0-2, C Lawlor, J Murphy, D O’Brien 0-1 each.

Scorers for Waterford: J Curry 0-3 (3fs), D Corcoran 0-2 (1 mark), P Hunt (45), M Cummins, C Murray, S Curry, B Lynch (1f) 0-1 each.

CARLOW: C Cunningham; C Lawlor, M Furey, L Roberts; S Gannon, J Murphy, J Moore; E Ruth, D Foley; J Clarke, R Dunphy, D O’Brien; P Broderick, C Blake, C Crowley.

Subs: S Redmond for Furey (17), C Hulton for Blake (56), C Doyle for Ruth (59), J Kane for Gannon (59), S O’Neill for Clarke (64), T Kenny for Broderick (64), D Thompson for O’Brien (64).

WATERFORD: P Hunt; S Boyce, B Looby, D Ó Cathasaigh; D Ryan, M Curry, D Fitzgerald; T Prendergast, M Cummins; J Curry, C Murray, D Hallinan; D Corcoran, D Guiry, S Curry.

Subs: J Gleeson for Fitzgerald (HT), B Lynch for Hallinan (51), C Maguire for J Curry (62), M Kiely for Guiry (62).

Referee: J Ryan (Cork)