THE WATERFORD COUNTY Board received majority support from clubs for the redevelopment of Walsh Park in a meeting in Dungarvan on Sunday night.
The only delegate opposed to the board’s plan came from Kilgobnet: WLR FM report that this particular representative stated their belief that Dungarvan, and not Walsh Park, should be redeveloped.
During an assembly attended by 79 people at Lawlors Hotel, chairman Paddy Joe Ryan maintained that a move to Carriganore — where Waterford train — was financially unviable despite an independent feasibility study recently scoring the WIT facility higher than both Walsh Park and Fraher Field. This study, which did point out that the latter two grounds were cheaper options, was explored on WLR FM’s Déise Today with Eamon Keane last week.
The Waterford board intend to first renovate Walsh Park before turning their attention to Dungarvan in the medium-term future.
Walsh Park was deemed unfit to host Waterford’s two home games during the 2018 Munster Senior Hurling Championship because, when health and safety standards are applied, its reduced 8,000 capacity is well below the average attendance within the competition.
The county board are hopeful that Waterford will once more be able to host their fellow Munster counties at a new-look Walsh Park in 2020.
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