Next year's Munster hurling final could be played in Kilkenny if Waterford are involved.

Deise secretary Timmy O'Keeffe has proposed Nowlan Park as a 'home' venue for the county's Munster championship games if they are forced to enter into a home and away agreement. It follows the bitter row which erupted last summer over the venue for Waterford's Munster final against Cork.

An agreement was reached which would have seen the Deise travel to Pairc Ui Chaoimh if both counties came through their respective semi-finals, but the Munster Council - who had no knowledge of this - insisted that the final should take place in its original venue of Thurles.

In his report to tomorrow night's county convention, O'Keeffe said Waterford would consider entering an agreement provided their choice of home venue, Nowlan Park, would be accepted because of Walsh Park's restricted capacity of 20,000.

"Apart from the prohibitive building and running costs involved, such a project would be a white elephant rarely full and a permanent millstone around our neck," he said.

"We could, however, enter into a home-and-away arrangement with all the othercounties if we were to nominate Nowlan Park in Kilkenny as our home venue and play our homeMunster senior hurling championship games there.

"Nowlan Park has a capacity of approximately 30,000 and now, with the new motorway from Kilmeaden, it is located within a 30-minute drive of 70 per cent of the population of our county.

"The concept of playing major provincial games outside the province is not new," the secretary added.

"Just a few years ago the Ulster senior football final was played in Croke Park." Tweet

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