Derry have been given a huge boost with the arrival of brothers Cian and Naoise Waldron into the county hurling squad.
The Dublin pair both represent Leinster club champions Cuala and will face Derry kingpins Slaughtneil in the All-Ireland semi-final on February 28.
That game was supposed to take place on the first week of the month but a request to move the football fixture back one week ended in the hurling clash being rescheduled with a difference of three weeks.
Still good news for Slaughtneil https://t.co/1TGRCrxiMW
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) December 25, 2016
But after the club battle is over, the Waldron brothers will join forces with the Oak Leafers to help with the war and the county’s plot to get hurling off its knees once more.
Colm McGurk, who won an All-Ireland with Derry footballers in 1993, took over the hurling setup in November and the addition of two Dublin club champions is welcome news.
According to Michael McMullan of DerryNow.com, the pair’s mother hails from the south of the county where both parents have now moved. It has also been revealed that Naoise Waldron has already featured at midfield for Derry in a challenge game with the University of Ulster, Jordanstown.
Cian Waldron, on the other hand, comes boasting an exciting record. The wing forward hit four points for his club against Borris Kilcotton in the Leinster quarter-finals and scored in their successful provincial decider too against O’Loughlin Gaels of Kilkenny.
Both the Waldrons work as teachers but have made themselves available for Derry, the guts of a four-hour drive from Dalkey.
And the Oak Leafers start their National League campaign in Division 2B on February 12, but the brothers will presumably miss the first two outings (at least) owing to their club commitments.
Derry’s NHL fixtures:
February 12: Mayo v Derry
February 19: Meath v Derry
March 5: Derry v Wicklow
March 12: Derry v Roscommon
March 26: Down v Derry
The county are competing in the Nicky Rackard Cup and are drawn with new-boys Louth in Round One in April 22.
Should they progress the whole way, the Waldron brothers could be returning to Dublin to line out with Derry in Croke Park on June 10 in the Nicky Rackard final.
