- McGrath Cup
Well done to Oran Keevers who was part of the Waterford senior football team who got 2015 off to a winning start when they defeated U.L. in Carriganore on Sunday.
- Senior Hurling Captain
Congratulations to Kevin Moran who has been appointed captain of the Waterford senior hurling team for the second time. We wish Kevin and the lads all the best for the coming year.
- Lotto
There was no winner of our Lotto jackpot in the final draw of 2014 and it now stands at €3,500. The next draw takes place on Monday 12th January. Numbers drawn were 5, 15, 18, 20. There were five winners of €20 each.
Winners: Barry O’Sullivan (Norwood) c/o Seller Juvenile Club, Alice Power c/o Seller Lee Wall, Tess Wall c/o Seller Lee Wall, Rebecca Lynch (Portlaw) c/o Seller Juvenile Club, Paudie Brosnan.
Additional Christmas non cash prizes were also given out.
- Deise Draw
Congratulations to John Sinnott who won second prize of €1,000 in the last draw of the year before Christmas.
- Condolences
We extend our sympathy to Alan ‘Jack’ Duggan and his family on the death of his father Jack Duggan during Christmas week. Ar dheis Dé go raibh sé.
- New Arrivals
Congratulations to dual player Lee Hayes and Fiona McCabe on the birth of a baby girl Robyn and congratulations also to another dual player Adam Doyle and camogie player Eimear Walsh on the birth of a baby girl Annie. Both future camogie stars arrived before Christmas.
- Engagements
Congratulations to senior hurler Ian Flynn who got engaged to Danielle Dower and to dual player Barry Twomey who got engaged to Martina Moloney at Christmas.
- Home For Christmas
A number of our former players, Michael Doherty, Shane Quinlan, Paul Quinlan, Seamus Farnan and Leon Mullally, who have emigrated made the trip home from various parts of the world to spend Christmas with their families. It was good to see them around again even if only for a short while.
- Senior Championship 2015 and beyond
The County C.C.C. met on Monday night 29th December to consider the Fixtures Plan and Senior Hurling & Football Championship and League structures for 2015.
Having considered the 2015 Championship Structures the CCCC will be making the following recommendations in relation to the Senior Hurling & Football Championships:
1. The number of teams participating in the Senior Hurling & Football Championships should be reduced to 10 for the 2016 season.
2. In order to achieve this, two (2) teams would be relegated from the Senior Championship at the end of the 2015 season.
3. The 2015 Championship would be run as two groups of six (6) teams in the same format as the 2014 season.
4. The bottom team in each group, (after all the league section games had been played) would be automatically relegated to the Intermediate grade for the 2016 season.
5. The two fifth (5th) placed teams would play off. The winner would retain their Senior Status. The loser would play the County Intermediate Champions with the winner of that game playing in the Senior Grade in 2016.
6. From 2016 on there would be ten (10) teams in the senior grade. The Championship would be played in two (2) groups of five (5) teams.
– The top team in each group would qualify for the County Semi Final
– The second & third placed teams in each Group would play in the County Quarter Finals
– The two fifth (5th) placed teams would play one another in a relegation final with the loser relegated to the Intermediate grade for the following season.
The logic for reducing the number of teams to ten (10) is to make the Championship more competitive and avoid the situation that currently exists whereby the quarter finalists are more or less known after three of the league section games are played and in most cases the remaining two league section games are by and large meaningless.
Two groups of five (5) with only three qualifying for the knockout stages and the bottom two (2) playing off for relegation would make for a far more competitive Championship.
If clubs want submit alternative plans for the Championship they should do so not later than Friday 16th January and I will then circulate same to all clubs on 17th January.
The County Board meeting to decide on the format of the Championships (and Leagues) will take place on Monday 26th January at 7.30pm in Lawlor’s Hotel.