WATERFORD GAA CHIEFS have placed their faith in Derek McGrath by handing the county’s senior hurling team manager a three-year extension in the role.
The move was rubberstamped at a county board meeting last night and means that if McGrath remains in charge until the end of the new agreement, the De La Salle clubman will be in situ until the end of the 2019 campaign.
McGrath already had one year left to run but Déise top brass have moved to ensure continuity for the foreseeable future by topping him up with three more seasons.
McGrath took over from Michael Ryan after the 2013 championship and while Waterford struggled last year, they made significant progress in 2015.
Having suffered relegation to Division 1B of the Allianz Hurling League during his first year in charge, McGrath ensured a swift return to the top flight by masterminding promotion.
Not content with that, Waterford went on to claim League honours outright for the just the third time in the county’s history, with victory over Cork in the Semple Stadium final in May.
Five weeks later, Waterford beat Cork again, this time in the Munster semi-final, before losing the provincial decider against Tipperary.
They regrouped to beat Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final before falling to champions Kilkenny at the semi-final stage.
