BEAST OF STEPHEN
Competitive animal Bennett is playing through the pain barrier for Deise says manager Fitzgerald
FORMER All Star forward Stephen Bennett is battling a careerthreatening hip injury according to Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald.
“How Stephen is actually togging out is beyond me,” Fitzgerald (inset) revealed after yesterday’s Munster Hurling League win over Tipperary.
“Lesser players would be gone. The advice he got was to not play.
“Stephen Bennett being Stephen Bennett, he doesn’t want that.
“You probably didn’t know that but that’s how bad it was with him, the news he got.
“He is training away and he wants to get back and play for us but he will be in a bit of pain.”
Bennett - an All Ireland minor and Under 21 winner - has been part of the Déise senior set-up since 2014, finished as top scorer in the 2020 Championship with 1-54 and was shortlisted for Hurler of the Year.
He will attempt to play through the pain barrier for the county in 2024.
“He is going to try everything he can, that’s the type of bloke he is,” said Fitzgerald.
“We didn’t force him into this, it’s Stephen’s decision. He loves playing for Waterford and I just hope people appreciate what he is putting his body through.
“We’ve just got to go with his programme, get it done as good as we can and see where it takes us.”
Injury time points from Padraig Fitzgerald, Reuben Halloran and Seanie Callaghan saw the Déise squeeze past 14-man Tipperary and qualify for the Munster Hurling League final on January 21.
On a bright but bitterly cold afternoon in Dungarvan, Fitzgerald finished with ten points while Jack Prendergast shot 1-3 from play.
Tipp lost centre back Robert Byrne to a straight red card on 24 minutes for a wild pull across Prendergast. Despite that setback, the visitors rallied from nine points down in the second half.
Substitute Cathal Quinn nudged them ahead entering four minutes of injury time before the home team hit back with a late, late show.
Tipp manager Liam Cahill was happy with the spirit his side displayed.
“I’m delighted with the grit and the determination to hang in the match,” said Cahill.
“We looked to be under the cosh big time before half-time and into the second half, nine points down at one stage. A lot of good young players there today; players with their first real taste of senior inter county hurling. They’ll come on from that.
“Waterford came fully committed and it was a good, hard, honest game.
“Had it remained 15 on 15, you don’t know what way it could have gone.”