The Nire manager Benji Whelan says teen dual sensation Conor Gleeson would be a loss to the Waterford footballers if he opts for hurling.

Gleeson's goals have helped fire the Waterford champions through to a Munster club football final meeting with Austin Stacks of Kerry but, long term, Whelan expects the gifted teenager - who was a dual minor star for his county in 2014 - to chose senior intercounty hurling ahead of football:

"Let's look at it honestly. The hurlers are Division 2 this year, they were in a tough group last year," Whelan reasons in The Irish Independent. "I don't think they underachieved but they probably are a little bit disappointed with the way a couple of the results went and they could arguably be still in Division 1.

"So from the young fella's point of view, is it Division 1 hurling or Division 4 football? It's not rocket science to come up with the right answer there. But there is no doubt in my mind that if you got the best 15 footballers in Waterford out on the pitch, you wouldn't be in Division 4.

"He's got great balance, pace and application. He has a fantastic head on his shoulders for just a kid and is a real leader in the dressing-room.

"Again, he's an example of someone that's a better footballer than hurler, although he's a very, very good hurler, playing centre back too, when he's arguably more potent as a forward.

"He's a loss to football if he goes to hurling, but he's fantastic doing what he's doing."

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