Waterford's home league games to be played in Walsh Park

REDEVELOPED: A general view of Walsh Park in Waterford. Pic: INPHO/Ken Sutton

All of Waterford’s Allianz Hurling League home games could be played in Walsh Park next year as the team settle into their reconstructed venue.

With provisional league fixtures expected to be released to counties later this month, Waterford are already guaranteed a home game against Kilkenny owing to them playing against The Cats in UPMC Nowlan Park earlier this year while Walsh Park was being redeveloped.

Their other two home games against Antrim and Dublin were staged in Dungarvan’s Fraher Field. However, their three matches on their own turf are expected to be staged in Waterford city.

With the new, expanded Walsh Park playing surface, there is a keenness to get as comfortable as possible there ahead of the championship where home advantage could be key to the Déise qualifying from the group stages at the fifth time of asking.

Waterford’s first two Munster SHC fixtures will be played in Walsh Park – Cork on April 20/21 followed by Tipperary on May 4/5. Next year, they are joined in Division 1, Group A by Cork, Clare, Wexford, Kilkenny, and Offaly.

Meanwhile, Corofin’s Joe Canney is set to join the Mayo senior football management team for 2024.

Canney won an All-Ireland senior club title in 2015 under Mayo’s assistant manager Stephen Rochford during his time in charge of the Galway outfit. He was later part of Kevin O’Brien’s management team as they claimed the Andy Merrigan Cup in 2019 and ‘20, the first club in the history of the competition to complete the three-in-a-row.

Twice selected on the Galway club team of the year, Canney won eight senior county titles as well as four Connacht medals.

He comes on board after Liam McHale stepped down as coach and selector in July. Later explaining his decision, McHale said he didn’t agree with the approach taken by the rest of Kevin McStay’s coaching ticket and therefore left.

Elsewhere, the experimental hurling rules will apply to freshers league games from next week. All puck-outs must clear the 45-metre line while the ball can only be transferred by hand when it has been released from the holding hand and passed with the other or is tapped the ball on the hurley and then striking with either hand.

Analysis of the rules will be provided to Central Council in January. Kick-outs going beyond the 45m line and a ban on set piece kicks between the 20m lines going backwards are two trial rules that will apply at freshers football level.

It has been reported in Galway that Henry Shefflin’s term as senior hurling manager has been extended into 2025. Galway Bay FM have claimed the Kilkenny legend, who was appointed for three seasons in October 2021, has agreed an additional year.

As reported by the Irish Examiner last month, former Tipperary manager and coach Eamon O’Shea will be in Shefflin’s management team next year.

In Kilkenny, senior hurling boss Derek Lyng and his management team - Peter Barry, Michael Rice, Conor Phelan and Peter O’Donovan - were ratified for 2024.