Massive boost for Kildare hurling squad as former All-Ireland winning Cat is brought in

The Kildare hurling squad has been further boosted by the news that former All-Ireland winning hurler John Mulhall will line out for the Lilywhites in 2017.

The Kilkenny man played for the Cats in their 2011 All-Ireland final victory over Tipperary, while he has also won an All-Ireland title at U21 level for the county. The St Martin's forward joins a couple of Munster men in pledging their immediate future to Joe Quaid's Kildare side, following in the paths of Limerick's David Reidy and Tipperary's Dinny Stapelton in switching to the Christy Ring Cup hopefuls.

There will be another couple of additions made to the squad in the coming days, with another Tipperary native set to come on board as Quaid fills up the quota of five outside players that he is allowed to choose.

The former Limerick camogie manager had stated that he didn't want to bring in players from outside the county, but following a failure to attract players into his squad it was a stance he had to renege on.

"John is the most laid-back man in the country. He turned up for his first training session wearing a Christmas jumper and a pair of shorts that you would be afraid to wear on a beach and he went home with a big tub of protein powder," Quaid told RTÉ.

“The lads already love him. He is a serious hurler and he wants to hurl, he has bags of ability in him and we welcome him."

Mulhall could be in line to make his debut for the Lilywhites this Sunday when they host Offaly in the final group game of the Walsh Cup in Hawkfield, while both Stapelton and Reidy made their first appearances under Quaid last week in the one-point defeat to Offaly.