Cody set to commit to Kilkenny again

BRIAN CODY is set to follow the suit of Cork’s Conor Counihan and recommit to another term as Kilkenny hurling manager. As expected, Counihan accepted the offer of another two years in charge of the Cork senior footballers, which will see him through to the end of 2012.

Cody has informed the Kilkenny County Board he will make his intentions known ahead of their next county board meeting, which is set for the second Monday in November. The job is Cody’s if he wants it for another year, but as usual he’s taking his time before deciding on what seems like the inevitable.

A brief statement from the Cork County Board yesterday confirmed they were “pleased to announce that Conor Counihan has accepted the new two-year term as Cork senior football manager offered to him following last week’s county board meeting” and that he would retain his selection committee of Peadar Healy, Terry O’Neill, Ger O’Sullivan and Jim Nolan.

Last week the Cork County Board gave Counihan full backing to continue for another two years as senior footballer manager with the added bonus of choosing his own selectors.

The freedom to choose his own selectors, instead of them having to go to the county board for approval, was seen a further incentive for Counihan to remain in charge.

Tipperary’s quest to find a successor to hurling manager Liam Sheedy will continue for a while yet, with county chairman Barry O’Brien telling Tuesday’s meeting of the county board the selection process was ongoing and that the special sub-committee were not in a position to bring a recommendation before delegates at this time.

Rumours of Nicky English taking the ropes again remain nothing more than rumour, as English has not confirmed his interest.

It was also confirmed that Tipperary’s Con Hogan will be contesting the presidency of the GAA, which will voted on at next April’s annual Congress in Mullingar, making him the second confirmed candidate in the race to succeed Christy Cooney, with Laois’ Liam O’Neill also standing.

In the meantime, Meath remain the only county still to confirm a senior management position for 2011, with interviews currently underway to find a replacement for football manager Eamonn O’Brien, who controversially lost a vote of confidence in early September.

Former Monaghan Séamus McEnaney remains a strong contender, but there has been a late surge for the management bid of Gerry Cooney.

Elsewhere, Roscommon native Paul Coggins has agreed to take over as London football manager for the next three years.