New Waterford hurling manager Pauric Fanning will have to do without the services of experienced full-back Barry Coughlan in 2019.

The 28-year-old Ballygunner clubman has made the decision to retire from inter-county hurling after a six-year involvement.

Coughlan made his senior debut under Derek McGrath as a corner-back in the 2014 Allianz League opener against Tipperary while his championship bow came in the drawn Munster SHC quarter-final versus Cork during the same season.

2015 saw Coughlan establish himself as Waterford's full-back and he went on to win an Allianz Hurling League medal that year. He played a pivotal role in the Deise's run to last year's All-Ireland final where they were narrowly beaten by Galway.

Coughlan's last game for Waterford was in the Munster SHC round-robin defeat to Clare in which he suffered a broken hand that caused him to miss the remainder of the Deise's 2018 campaign.

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