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31st May 2025
04:40pm BST
Once again, Waterford's championship is over before the All-Ireland series has begun, having finished last in the Munster SHC.
Unfortunately for the Déise and Clare, and the likes of Wexford in Leinster, there is no back door into the All-Ireland.
Waterford legend John Mullane has slammed this change in the structure, arguing that fans will now be missing some of the best players in the country, such as Wexford's Lee Chin, Clare's Tony Kelly, and Waterford's Stephen Bennet.
Instead the winners and runners up of the championship's second-tier tournament, the Joe McDonagh Cup, will play in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals.
In his Irish Independent column, Mullane was adamant that a change needs to come.
He said: "It’s been a while since I felt as low as I did last Monday morning, and I’m sure I’m not the only Waterford supporter wondering how bleak the future could be for us under the current hurling championship structure.
"What hope do Waterford have if they remain stuck in this vicious Munster round-robin where only three survive and last year’s All-Ireland champions Clare are out before we even reach June?
"Some of the best hurlers in the country won’t be seen again on a national stage for at least another eight months and that’s doing a disservice to a game which is already the reserve of an elite few."
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