Waterford's hurlers go into the 2017 campaign as one of the favourite to win the All-Ireland title in September.
Derek McGrath's team are looking to become the first Waterford side to lift the Liam McCarthy Cup since 1959. Since their last All-Ireland triumph, the county have playing in the 1963 and 2008 finals, losing both to Kilkenny.
While the wait continues for Waterford, the pressure continues to intensify as McGrath's team continue to impress. In 2015, they won the Allianz League, while last year the team lost to Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final replay.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, McGrath revealed that his selector Dan Shanahan has been recently accosted at a funeral, over team selections, such is the pressure coming from within the county.
"Dan told me he was at a funeral last year and a well-known political figure attacked him over a player being on the team and somebody else not being on it. Dan tried to tell him, 'I'm at a funeral here'."
"We don’t offer our opinions too much on politics or matters of the day. Obviously, you link yourself to charitable things to boost their profiles but it’s open season in sports. I don’t feel taken for granted but I do in my own paranoia. We’re just interested in getting better every time we go to the field."
While the level of interest in the county is not surprising, having a politician come up to Shanahan at a funeral and verbally attack him over team selection is going too far.
Waterford begin their Allianz League campaign against Kilkenny on February 12th. Their Munster Championship bow will come in the semi-final, against either Cork or Tipperary on June 18th.
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