Waterford hurlers Calum Lyons and Shane Bennett have returned from Australia ahead of Sunday's National League opener against Offaly.
"Shane is back about a week, he's got a bit of work to do," Déise boss Davy Fitzgerald told WLR Sport. "Great to see him back." All three Bennett brothers from Ballysaggart (Shane, Stephen and Kieran) are part of the Waterford squad for 2024. Defender Iarlaith Daly has also returned to the panel in recent weeks.
Fitzgerald will have to plan without ten players for the trip to Tullamore. Darragh Lyons, Ian Kenny, Tadhg De Burca, Billy Nolan, Jamie Barron, Neil Montgomery, Colin Dunford, Kevin Mahony, Dessie Hutchinson and Peter Hogan will all be marked absent. "I'd say to people just be a bit patient. We're going out in the first round definitely missing six or seven that will play championship and three or four that will be there or thereabouts. We will be under a bit of pressure the first week or two and we could do with as much support as possible because being down these guys won't be easy. I think from the end of February on you should see a fairly full squad. I'm excited about what's to come. I'm delighted with the panel and the way they've worked. We believe that we can do something as the year goes on."
Offaly v Waterford will be our George Corbett Skoda Big Match on Sunday. Join Kieran O'Connor and Brian Flannery for live coverage from 1.45.
Hear more from Davy Fitzgerald on Friday's Lár Na Páirce from 6.10.
