Déise attacker JJ Hutchinson has retired from inter county football following yesterday's qualifier loss to Westmeath.
The Gaultier score getter has given a decade of service and played under four different Waterford managers (John Owens, Niall Carew, Tom McGlinchey and Benji Whelan). He struck a wonder goal against Wexford in the All Ireland qualifiers last summer.
Waterford boss Benji Whelan thanked him for his contribution, "he's been a fantastic servant to Waterford football down through the years, he's been there whenever when need to call on him, but I understand priorities change and I'm really proud of what he did again today".
GAA Football Championship Qualifiers Rd 1
Full Time
Waterford (Port Láirge): 0-07
Westmeath (An Iarmhí): 1-22
Hard Luck to our Senior Footballers, who kept battling until the end!⚪️🔵— Waterford GAA (@WaterfordGAA) June 9, 2019
Waterford bowed out of the Championship following a 1-22 to 0-7 qualifier defeat to Westmeath at a sun drenched Cusack Park in Mullingar. Ger Egan got 0-8 for the hosts with Ronan O'Toole firing home a goal on 55 minutes.
Wind assisted Westmeath led nine points to one at half time. Tommy Prendergast kicked Waterford's lone score on 24 minutes.
The away side closed the gap to five in the third quarter with points by Conor Murray, Dessie Hutchinson and Prendergast but that was as good as it got. Waterford have now lost 17 of their 19 matches in the backdoor system.
Manager Benji Whelan was furious with referee Jerome Henry for not awarding a penalty to Fearghal O Cuirrin early in the second half.
Waterford lost goalkeeper Darren Mulhearne to an ankle injury in the pre-match warm-up as Paudie Hunt from Rathgormack made his championship debut.
REPORT: Ronan O'Toole's goal puts @westmeath_gaa on the road to victory against @WaterfordGAA!
— The GAA (@officialgaa) June 9, 2019
