Noel Connors has his eyes set on a neat double in 2017

Noel Connors is under pressure to graduate on two fronts in 2017 but experience has taught him forcing the issue won’t help his cause.

The twice All-Star defender continues to chase his All-Ireland dream with Waterford, something that has run alongside his years of studies which, he hopes, will result in him being conferred with a doctorate later in the year. This is his eighth year at college and though he’s hoping to be wrapped up by September — a neat double could be on the cards perhaps — he won’t be too concerned if it runs into December.

“It was four years undergrad, then you have a year post-grad and then three years doing the PhD — I’ll have a pension before I actually get a job!” joked Connors.