Waterford football boss Benji Whelan admits that he will have to rebuild his squad in 2020 after losing a host of first team regulars over the winter.
Tadhg Ó hUallacháin; Shane Aherne, Tommy Prendergast, Shane Ryan and Jack Mullaney are all unable to commit, Sean Whelan-Barrett has a long-term injury, JJ Hutchinson has retired and Dessie Hutchinson is with Liam Cahill's hurlers.
The Déise return to action tonight when they welcome Limerick to Fraher Field in the McGrath Cup at 7.30.
"We're down a good number to be honest," Whelan told WLR's Lár Na Páirce. "Tadhg is based in Ennis now and it's just not a feasible proposition anymore to come and train. Shane Aherne has dropped off the panel due to work commitments. We've really brought it to another level; we're expecting lads to commit a lot of hours every week to it and when you're working for yourself or have a family it's very difficult to do that. Tommy Prendergast has dropped out for the foreseeable, we'll look at that situation again after the spring. Shane Ryan has dropped out for work commitments. David Hallahan, who was part of our panel last year, is travelling. Billy O'Keeffe is taking the winter out to concentrate on hurling. Sean Whelan-Barrett is looking at surgery so he's gone for the league campaign and a lot of the championship. Jack Mullaney is travelling this winter and Joe Allen has also taken the winter off."
Rathgormack county medallist Robbie Flynn, Ballinacourty midfielder James Beresford, Gaultier trio Davy Daniels, Niall McSweeney and Aaron Jones, Reece Stringer and Dan Booth from Colligan, An Rinn defender Darach Ó Cathasaigh, Ardmore forward Ciaran Keating and Ciaran Kirwan (Kill) are all new additions.
Whelan cast the net far and wide. "Between two or three us, we went to about a hundred this year. What we want is guys who want to pull on that jersey. That's the bottom line for us. That's the bottom line for all Waterford supporters at this stage. It's no one's fault that we find ourselves in this situation."
Listen back to Benji Whelan's interview on WLR's weekly GAA show Lár Na Páirce.
https://www.spreaker.com/user/11231943/benjidecember20part1
