DEREK MCGRATH WAS ratified as Waterford’s new senior hurling team manager last night – and immediately ruled out a dramatic return to the Déise squad for brother-in-law John Mullane.
McGrath was installed as Michael Ryan’s successor, on a three-year term, but he will not have attacker Mullane on board in 2014.
The pair spoke yesterday (Wednesday) and McGrath confirmed last night that his De La Salle clubmate will not be performing a retirement U-turn, after the five-time All Star called time on a glittering career last January.
However, McGrath confirmed that he hopes to have former captain Stephen Molumphy back on board, after the midfield dynamo missed the 2013 because of Army commitments.
And there could be a return for Eoin Kelly (31), who enjoyed a sensational season at club level for county champions Passage.
McGrath said: “The reality is that you will be looking to locate the 30 best players in Waterford. What we will have for the year is an open ended panel – like the Kilkenny model where there are lads ready and (to) create an environment where they are prepared and happy to come in.”
McGrath added that the prospect of a Mullane comeback is “an absolute non-runner.”
After arriving home from a Harty Cup match yesterday, McGrath recalled: “I had a missed call from the bould John – I rang him and I said listen, I might be hit with a question here tonight and it’s a non runner.
He’s enjoying his family life, two beautiful daughters. And he’s enjoying his role as a pundit – he likes it. He likes doing it. And he’s involved with the club minors – they won the county championship.
“He’s really enjoying his life. I’m not saying that he didn’t enjoy his life as a county hurler but he’s enjoying the things that go with that bit of freedom, that’s not associated with being a county hurler. And good luck to him.
“It will be a non-runner definitely, an absolute non-runner.”
As expected, McGrath’s impressive backroom team was confirmed last night – and the stellar line-up helped to convince a selection sub-committee that McGrath is the man to take the county forward.
2007 Hurler of the Year Dan Shanahan is coming on board along with William Maher, Tipperary’s 1996 All-Ireland minor winning captain who managed the Premier County to minor glory last year.
Frank Flannery, coach to the Cork minors this year, is also on board, along with McGrath’s clubmate Conor McCarthy, as physio.
McGrath’s credentials are impressive in his own right, as he managed De La Salle to the Waterford SHC title in 2012.
And as manager of the De La Salle secondary school team, McGrath masterminded Harty Cup and All-Ireland (Croke Cup) successes in 2007 and 2008.
McGrath reflected: “The outside perception might be that there would be blind loyalty towards some of them but things change – I know that better than anyone in terms of hurling so yeah, there’s 14 on the panel between ‘07 and ‘08 that were involved last year but obviously panels change and things change.
“Fellas accelerate and progress between 17 and 20 – a fella can come from nowhere. But it will be a help in terms of the relationship that I have with some of those players, without a doubt. But I wouldn’t like that to conceal the fact that I could develop similar relationships with the fellas that I haven’t had in the past.”
McGrath, who described the prospect of managing the Waterford senior team as “very exciting”, also urged caution from Déise fans following All-Ireland minor glory in September.
And he also revealed how even family members advised him that it might have been better to wait for another few years, to allow a number of promising young players to emerge as U21 and senior stars.
McGrath explained: “I was a minor myself in 92, 93 and 94 and I had my worst year minor in 94. I’m aware of what can happen.
You look at Limerick’s three U21s (All-Irelands) in a row and you look at Waterford minors in 92, you could argue that Flynner and Tom Feeney were the only two players off that team.
“You could make that argument here now, that they were the only ones that played consistently.
James O’Connor, Joxer, was on that team too. “The level of expectancy will rise in Waterford based on the minor success.
“Even talking at home to the parents, ah wait three years, there’s a better thing there in three years, that was the general outside perception, don’t go for it. Just chit chat in the privacy of your own home.”
