Cody expected to extend stay

News: Brian Cody is expected to remain as Kilkenny hurling manager for an eighth season after county board secretary Pat Dunphy confirmed the final decision resides with the man himself.

Dunphy believes Kilkenny hurling has no legitimate reason to turn its back on a manager who has delivered six Leinster and three All-Ireland titles during his tenure.

"It looks like he may stay on and we certainly won't be standing in his way if he wishes to," said Dunphy.

"We don't do two- or three-year contracts down here. Brian has been here since 1999 so it will be up to him whether he stays on or not."

Cody was non-committal yesterday about his future but he has been paying attention to the local championship as if still in charge.

"Of course, I have spoken to county chairman Ned Quinn but there will be no decision this week," he said. "I have been carrying on as normal and continuing to go to matches but I will always do that. I'm aware that there are plenty of rumours flying around about it.

"Having said that, I'm not going to keep this going on forever and hope to sort it out over the next few weeks."

The senior county semi-finals take place on Sunday week, with defending champions James Stephens against Graigue-Ballycullen and O'Loughlin Gaels facing Ballyhale Shamrocks.

Dunphy is also hopeful a decision can be reached in the short term "as if he decides to step down we'll need to have a replacement in there to watch the championship to see if any new players can be unearthed".

This is a common trait of the Kilkenny championship, Eoin Larkin being a prime example from last year. The player failed to find a place on the under-21 intercounty team but his performances for Cody's own club, James Stephens, dragged them to county, Leinster and eventually All-Ireland club glory.

Larkin's free-taking was then a crucial component in Kilkenny's reclaiming the Leinster title this year from Wexford before falling short of a fourth consecutive All-Ireland final appearance.

Galway intervened to prevent a third successive Cork v Kilkenny final and also beat Kilkenny in the Under-21 All-Ireland final on September 18th.

With Dublin's minors causing a surprise in Leinster, this is the first time since 2001 Kilkenny face into the winter without an intercounty All-Ireland championship title.

In Antrim, meanwhile, the search for a replacement for Dinny Cahill has yet to formally begin with outgoing county board chairman Joe O'Boyle not expected to be involved in the process.

The former Roscommon county chairman Tommy Kenoy, well known for his support for the removal of Rule 42, is one of six candidates for the vacant football manager's job.

Former Caltra manager Pat Doherty and Pat Doorey, a selector under Val Daly, have also been nominated. A four-man committee headed by current county board chairman Michael Maguire hope to start the interview process after this Sunday's county final between St Brigid's and Padraig Pearses.