Austin Gleeson returning for Waterford in 2025

RETURNING FOR WATERFORD: Former Waterford Hurler and Mount Sion GAA player, Austin Gleeson as Pinergy has today announced the switch-on of a new 27.52 kWp solar installation on the roof of Mount Sion GAA Club. This partnership sees Mount Sion GAA Club’s energy needs met by the installation with excess energy being exported to back to the electricity grid to supply the local community in Waterford City. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Austin Gleeson has confirmed his intention to return to the Waterford set-up in 2025.

The 2016 hurler of the year opted out for the current inter-county season to get the “body and mind right”, but time away has reignited the flame and he would “love to go back” next year.

“The aim is to go back. Whether it happens now is the other thing,” said Gleeson of falling back in with the Déise next year.

And should the 29-year-old return for an 11th inter-county campaign, he fully expects to see Davy Fitzgerald still inside the Waterford dressing-room.

“I don't see a reason why he wouldn't be there. Look at the championship, there are possibly four minutes, maybe even less between the end game against Tipp and the 65 against Clare, that cost them a place in the Munster final, or at least a knockout game.

“All of that together, I can't see why (Davy wouldn’t go again). It is the most successful round-robin that Waterford have ever had. I don't see why people want to get rid of him is the main thing I am saying.” Himself and Davy had a coffee at some point in late February, early March. The door was left open for Gleeson to perform a U-turn on his year out. Gleeson did not take the invitation.

“I think it would have been a small bit of a waste because I just don't think I would have got to that championship fitness in that space of time. Probably would have ended up injured again after trying to push in that short space of time to get to that championship fitness.

“I needed a break for myself. The body was starting to take a toll on me and mentally, I probably wasn’t there either. It wouldn’t have been fair to management and the other players and myself if I went back last year.” But those decisions to first step away and then to not take up the spring invite bit hard on the afternoon of the county’s Munster championship opener at home to Cork.

“To be honest, I struggled that morning. I was humming and hawing whether to go or not. That’s being honest with you. I actually didn’t think it would have as much of an effect on me as it did.

“But maybe it was a good thing in a way that it did have that much of an effect. It meant I missed it. It meant that the year out that I took would only be a year. Hopefully get through club and be right going back next year, if management want me then.” Waterford's second Munster outing at home - a draw against Tipp from a position of four ahead going into injury-time - is ultimately the fixture that cost them first ever progression from the provincial round-robin. Might Gleeson have been worth a point to them that evening?

“A good few people are after saying that to me. It could have went the other way, I could have had a nightmare, and I could have cost them a couple of points. There's no point trying to look back.

“It was just heartbreaking. And then the ’65 against Clare…look, it was a ’65. You could see that as clear as day. But I suppose the thing that angered everyone was that the umpire couldn’t see it.

“Unfortunately it didn’t fall right for Waterford.” Turning to this weekend’s All-Ireland semi-finals, Gleeson has predicted Kilkenny to pip Clare for a third consecutive July and for Limerick to have “five or six points” to spare on Cork.

Austin Gleeson was speaking as part of Pinergy’s sponsorship of Mount Sion GAA, the Solar Panel Installation generates solar energy, supporting the needs of the club’s current infrastructure whilst also supporting the local community energy grid.