Change is afoot in the Waterford hurling set up. With Liam Cahill heading into his second term in charge of the hurlers, he has made the call to freshen things up on and off the field.
Five new faces will be vying for a jersey when the season resumes (whenever that will be) with Shane Bennett (Ballysaggart), DJ Foran (Portlaw), Seamus Keating (Ardmore), Michael Kiely (Abbeyside) and Thomas Douglas (De La Salle) all added ahead of the new season.
Elsewhere, the side-line will have a different look also as Tom Feeney replaces Stephen Molumphy as a selector. Molumphys work commitments in the UK have made it too tricky to continue in the role. He had contributed through zoom and phone calls for the 2020 campaign, analysing the trainig footage from London. Cahill will be sad to see the Ballyduff Upper man who, but realises that things need to change.
“Stephen was a big part of our set up for the period of time he was with us, unfortunately a we know he’s now in the UK through work commitments and just couldn’t commit for 2021”
“Stephen brought so much to the table in terms of his energy and the way he applied himself as a player in his day, but he also had experience of being involved with the Wexford senior hurlers with Davy Fitzgerald and brought that element of coaching support to our set up”
Stephen Molumphy is determined to get away from Abbeyside's Richie Foley and John Phelan during the semi final replay of the Waterford Senior Hurling championship 2008. Photo Sean Byrne
With the 2021 campaign being pushed back until April, Cahill will have more time than he bargained for to reset and assess the landscape. Molumphy had previously provided a calming voice from afar, but due to work commitments, he will no longer be able to full the role.
“He’s going to be a big loss, but there’s no doubt that Stephen Molumphy will feature again in Waterford teams of the future. That’s a certainty because the man has all that class and ability and know-how to be able to offer Waterford hurling plenty in to the future when he comes back from his work commitments in the UK”
“After the matches we’d meet collectively over Zoom as a management team and it was always good to get Stephens perspective from ‘the outside’ even though he was part of the management team.”
“I think he was able to remove himself that little bit further from it than myself or Stephen or Mikey was, so that was a help.”
“He knew from being abroad and not being in among the fellas that he had to be careful in his advise to us, because if you’re not in around the set up you cant really be express your opinion too much. Unfortunately, that’s just the way it was and we’re sorry to lose him”
Waiting in the wings to take over from Molumphy is his Ballyduff Upper teammate Tom Feeney.
“He’s a perfect fit for our set up.”
“Tom was an easy choice for me to be fair. As a player, he epitomised everything everything that we’ve spoken about – that passion and desire to play for Waterford.”
“He was a player, not too indifferent to Stephen Frampton , they just did their hurling on the field, they weren’t about fist pumping or saluting the crowd. They weren’t about media headlines after or rushing for articles to the paper.”
Tom Feeney wins possession against Ballygunner's Barry Mullane during the Co.Senior Hurling final at Walsh Park. 2007 Photo Sean Byrne
“They did their hurling on the field and when they came off the field and retired they put their work in to their clubs at underage.
“They epitomise everything that’s right about a proper GAA person.”
“Tom Feeney for me brings a that kind of a presence. He’s a real straight up to the point individual, who has a real good knowledge of what’s out there in Waterford hurling.”
“He doesn’t take fools lightly either and I’m really looking forward to working with him”
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0a0nJV3GkqItka7X1KNGMh?si=PxnxU9hRTeeOR8ZPT5c_oA
You can also listen back to Stephen Molumphy speaking ahead of the Munster final meeting with Limerick last year. Stephen talks about empowering the new players to take their chances and what it means to line out for Waterford in the provincial decider.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/48pZx71GyGyPrFRgjBEc0d?si=fgQ7WKtcSze6QBwQHdYF7g
