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Walsh Park will be a Colosseum - Tommy Walsh

Kilkenny legend Tommy Walsh believes Waterford's return to Walsh Park will be a huge factor in ho...



Walsh Park will be a Colosseum...
Hurling

Walsh Park will be a Colosseum - Tommy Walsh

Kilkenny legend Tommy Walsh believes Waterford's return to Walsh Park will be a huge factor in how their Championship season plays out.

The Déise take on Clare in the opening fixture of this season's Munster Championship this weekend looking to improve on last year's disappointing showing.

"It's vital and I remember saying it last year - if Walsh Park would only hold three thousand people - they should be having their home games in Walsh Park," he told Eoin.

"They've been talking about this game for the last number of weeks. I think it's sold out since two weeks ago. It's absolutely massive - it's going to be like a Colosseum.

"I can't wait for it. I'm going to leave after I finish this call because the traffic is going to be massive going over the bridge!"

"I was going through the Waterford players today - go back to the club scene. Ballygunner are Munster champions after such a long wait, after so much heart-break in Munster. Finally, they got over the Munster final hurdle.

"Now you have all these guys with Munster minor medals, under-21 medals, All-Ireland minor, All-Ireland under-21 medals in their back pockets - this team excites Waterford. They're putting up huge scores in the league so they're really behind them.

"The work Derek McGrath has put in, like Pat Gilroy at Dublin, he has put in huge, huge foundations in this team. The culture in Waterford is massive at the moment. They're all living and breathing hurling at the moment.

"And then, just go through their individual players at the moment - do they have the 'X - factor' players? They do. They have the Aussie Gleesons, they have the Jamie Barrons, They have the two Bennett brothers up front and Paudie O'Mahony - the names just roll off the tongue. It's such an exciting time for Waterford.

"Last year, we all know, they had no home game. They were playing their home games up in Thurles. I think they played a home game in Limerick. So to have in down in Waterford and the fact that it's going to be such a small crowd - I think it holds about eleven thousand - they'll be close to the pitch so the noise levels will be deafening."

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Clare Munster Munster Hurling Championship Tommy Walsh Walsh Park Waterford