Waterford GAA are once again on the road looking for a suitable venue to host their two home Munster Hurling Championship fixtures.
A six-month construction project at Walsh Park has ruled it out of action until July meaning that alternatives are being sought for three Allianz League games against Dublin and Antrim in February and Kilkenny in March, as well as two Munster Champiopnship ties against Limerick in April and Clare in May.
There is also the possibility of a home Munster Football Championship tie against Kerry in late April, should they beat Tipperary in the Quarter Final of that tournament.
It seems most likely that Fraher Field in Dungarvan could be used for the first two and possibly all of the Allianz League games. It has a capacity of 15,000, only slightly below what Walsh Park will have after the development work.
The project was to have been completed in time for 2021 but Covid and Construction inflation pushed those deadlines and the work has only just begun.
FBD Semple Stadium (pictured) in Thurles appears to be the favourite venue to stage the two Munster Hurling Championship fixtures which would require a larger capacity.
Waterford will play Tipperary there as well and are away to Cork in Pairc Uí Chaoimh.
The timing is unfortunate and will have something of an impact on the Waterford County Finances but the work needs to be done, especially after similar shifts in location were previously required due to Walsh Park’s unsuitability for the bigger games.
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The impacts of Covid will likely be felt over a long period of time and this is another delay that will impact on players, fans and of course new Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald. It is of course possible though that it will become something of a motivating factor for the team.
