Galway set to ratify Cunningham as manager

GALWAY WILL stage a special hurling board meeting in Athenry this evening to complete the ratification of their new senior hurling manager – now certain to be Anthony Cunningham.

Originally set for last Monday, but called off as the board declared they still needed “more time” to address the matter, the meeting’s main agenda is to “seek the ratification of the new Galway senior hurling team manager”, and Cunningham’s name has emerged as the preferred candidate of the seven-man committee charged with nominating a successor to John McIntyre.

It is an important appointment, on several grounds, as Galway look to end over two decades of mostly under-achievement at senior level: what might ultimately have set Cunningham apart from the other two candidates was that the St Thomas club man was actually part of Galway’s last success at senior level, indeed back-to-back, playing in 1987 and 1988 All-Ireland victories.

Cunningham also captained Galway to their first All-Ireland minor title in 1983, and was captain again when they won the All-Ireland Under-21 title in 1986.

More recently Cunningham is known as the man who last month guided the Galway Under-21s to the All-Ireland title win over Dublin, and only last Sunday the 46-year-old also displayed his football managing prowess by guiding Westmeath club Garrycastle to a third consecutive title. It means Cunningham’s more immediate concerns won’t be Galway hurling but the Leinster club football date with Garrycastle, against Longford Slashers, on November 13th.

It was declared from the outset that the term of the Galway appointment would be for three years, with a review after two. Cunningham’s backroom team is set to include the same two selectors, Mattie Kenny and Tom Helebert, which he worked with at under-21 level.

The two rival candidates interviewed for the position were Micheál Donoghue of Clarinbridge and Johnny Kelly, Portumna, both of whom have enjoyed considerable success at club level in recent years. One of the reasons for not staging the meeting on Monday, it appears, was the difficulty in contacting Donoghue, who is in Australia for a week as part of a prize that Clarinbridge won in a national club competition.

However, that matter has been resolved and with that Galway it seems have found their successor to McIntyre, who stepped down last month, after some consideration, following a disappointing third year in charge that was marked by heavy defeats to Dublin in the Leinster championship, and then Waterford in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

The seven-man committee charged with filling the position comprised of Gerry Larkin, chairman of the county board, plus hurling board officers Joe Byrne, Pat Kearney and John McGann, and also John Hynes, CEO of Galway GAA, and club delegates Michael Kelly (Ballindereen) and Martin Bellew (Padraig Pearses). “This is a huge appointment for Galway hurling,” said Byrne, chairman of the hurling board. “The person who is selected will be in position for the next three years. There will not be a review until after the second year, so we need to get it right.”

It’s still possible that either Donoghue or Kelly will be put forward to succeed Cunningham as Galway Under-21 manager.

Wexford are the last high-profile hurling county still seeking a manager. Wexford All-Ireland winner Liam Dunne was suggested as a possible successor to Colm Bonner, but reiterated his intention to stay with his club Oulart-The-Ballagh for the time being.