De Búrca set for return to Déise’s starting team after year on the sideline

Davy Fitzgerald looks set to hand Waterford star Tadhg de Búrca his first competitive appearance in a year for the Déise’s opening Munster SHC round-robin clash with Cork on Sunday.

The two-time All-Star defender (pictured) was forced off in their provincial opener against Limerick 12 months ago before quickly being ruled out for the remainder of the season with a serious Achilles tendon injury.

The Clashmore/Kinsalebeg clubman has endured a horrid time in recent seasons, having already battled back from two cruciate knee ligament surgeries, but his perseverance looks set to be rewarded with a start by Fitzgerald.

It had been expected that De Búrca would return for the final two rounds of a disappointing league campaign , but illness, rather than injury, ruled him out of the latter stages and he is expected to anchor the defence once again at No 6.

Full-back Conor Prunty is another primed to return having missed the last four rounds of the league through injury , while Calum Lyons is understood to be winning his fitness race to feature against the Rebels.

Forward Stephen Bennett is also available for selection once again, having not featured since limping off injured with a hamstring injury against Clare in round two of the league.

Much has been made of the likelihood that Waterford supporters could be outnumbered by their Cork counterparts despite being on home soil in Walsh Park and Fitzgerald will be keen to improve their dismal Munster round-robin record with just two wins from 16 games since 2018.