The Waterford hurling team is the most recent to utilise a warm climate training camp ahead of the championship. This week, Davy Fitzgerald’s squad will be preparing in Portugal, in anticipation of their match against Cork at Walsh Park on the 21st of April. Waterford’s league results were disappointing, as they only achieved a single victory in their five Division 1A games – triumphing over Offaly for their first game and then facing four consecutive losses. This implies Waterford will not be partaking in the top tier of the reformulated league in 2025. However, Fitzgerald is optimistic for turning the 2024 season around in the upcoming championship, especially with several team members recovering from injuries.
Other Hurling and football teams are also set to complete training in Portugal, including Henry Shefflin’s Galway hurlers and Mickey Harte’s Derry footballers. Kerry’s football team are planning to travel to the Algarve over Easter, regardless of their Division One final standing. Several other counties, including Colm O’Rourke’s Meath, are also planning training trips.
Donegal managed to beat the pre-championship rush, as Jim McGuinness took his team to Tenerife in December, ahead of the season’s start. Cork’s footballers recently returned from their own Portuguese training trip before their key Division Two league match against Meath. They finished the game strong in Navan, scoring the final seven points to guarantee their Division Two status for another year. John Cleary endorsed the training break, commenting on its benefits for team spirit and game strategy development. He mentioned that intensive training, coupled with recovery time and educational sessions on video playbacks and psychology were incredibly useful. He is optimistic about the future.