Déise camogie manager Derek Lyons says that he will be down half of the 2021 squad this season.
Waterford have already qualified for the Division 2 knockout stages ahead of Saturday's game against Tipperary in Clonmel.
Gailltir All Ireland winners Clodagh Carroll, Anne Corcoran, Annie Fitzgerald, Aoife Fitzgerald and Shauna Fitzgerald have opted out while Shona Curran, Claire Whyte, Fiona Morrissey, Jenny McCarthy, Sibéal Harney, Sheena McGuckian and Aine Crotty have also stepped away. Lyons says that he will be looking to rebuild the squad this year.
“In total, there’s 12 out of a panel of 26 gone from last year. That puts into context where we’re at. The expectation is for us to be competitive this year and build on what we started last year. When you lose almost half your squad, that really makes you think about where you’re going. It has certainly become a longer project than I would have anticipated when I took the job last year.”
Hear more from Derek Lyons on Lár Na Páirce from 6.10 this evening. Cyril Farrell, Mairéad Wall and Conor Murray are also on the guest list.
