This Tuesday night Limerick County Board chairman Liam Lenihan told the September County Board meeting that a hurling appointment was imminent and his football counterpart John Galvin said that the football manager could be in position “within the next ten days”.
This would mean that both inter-county management teams could be in place before the county senior and intermediate championship finals.
Liam Lenihan told the club delegates that he had spoken to the chairman of the selection committee, Jim Woulfe, in the previous 24 hours.
“We are all anxious to get this sorted as soon as possible and Jim Woulfe assured me that by Friday week we should be ready,” explained chairman Liam Lenihan.
To their credit the three-man Independent Appointments Committee of Paudie Fitzmaurice, Jim Woulfe and Damien Quigley have remained tight-lipped throughout their two-month search for the 2011 hurling manager.
It is understood that former inter-county players Gary Kirby, TJ Ryan, Ciaran Carey and Pat Heffernan were among those interviewed for the position during the past two weeks, but names such as Davy Fitzgerald, Pat Herbert and Tony Considine have also been mentioned.
Former Cork All-Ireland winning manager Donal O’Grady has quashed rumours linking him to position.
“I haven’t spoken to anyone in Limerick,” Donal O’Grady said.
“And nobody has spoken to me. I’m aware of those rumours, but that’s all they are,” he said in the past week.
Also at Tuesday’s County Board meeting Limerick’s minor hurling management for 2011 was ratified. Former Limerick corner-forward Shane Fitzgibbon was confirmed as manager with Mike Galligan (Claughaun), Frankie Carroll (Garryspillane), George Lee (Ahane) and Joe Hannon (Adare) as selectors. This management team have progressed up along the varying age levels with next season’s minor players.
Meanwhile the selection process for Limerick’s under-21 hurling manager for next season has been postponed until the senior management team are in place. A total of seven different candidates have been nominated by the clubs. Among them is outgoing under-21 manager Leo O’Connor. Also on the shortlist are John Tuohy (Patrickswell), Tony Dunne (Adare), Natal O’Grady (Patrickswell), Gerard Murphy (Templeglantine), Val Murnane (Caherline) and Mick Heelan (Kilmallock).
Football manager
The committee charged with finding Limerick’s new senior football manager have already interviewed five candidates - Maurice Horan and Tom McGlinchey are the front runners to replace Mickey Ned O’Sullivan.
Horan has played inter-county football with both his native Mayo and Limerick. This season the Ballinrobe native was Limerick under-21 manager and a selector with Mickey Ned O’Sullivan’s senior management. His appointment would guarantee some continuinty going forward.
Also in the frame is former Tipperary senior football manager Tom McGlinchey. The Cork native led Tipperary to a 2002 Munster final appearance and was coach to the Ballylanders side that won the 2007 County SFC title.
Withdrawn from the process are former Limerick and Laois senior football manager Liam Kearns and former Clare senior football manager John Kennedy.
The two Kerry natives withdrew their names late last week.
“I have informed the Limerick County Board of my decision. It wouldn’t be the right move for Limerick football or me at the moment,” said Liam Kearns.
“It’s my intention to return to inter-county management at some stage once all the circumstances are right,” said Kearns, who previously managed Limerick from 1999 to 2005.
Six nominations were initially submitted by the clubs of the county however football committee officials have the remit to source a manager from outside the short list.
John Galvin, Sean McAuliffe and Michael Sheehan have been handed the task of finding the new manager who will have to be ratified by both the football committee and the County Board.
In the past week the trio met with five potential managers - Horan, McGlinchey, Johnny Cummins, John Brudair and Paddy Ivess.
Annual convention
While the inter-county managements will be filled in the coming weeks, attention will then turn to the annual convention in December where three positions will become vacant.
This week it was confirmed that Limerick football committee chairman John Galvin, Limerick GAA Coaching and Games Officer Gerry Philips and Limerick GAA vice-chairman Mickey O’Sullivan would all be stepping down from their roles at the end of this year as they have served the maximum of five years in their positions.
It was also confirmed that all remaining officiers intend to allow their names go forward for re-election.
Jerome O’Connell
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