Kilkenny have appointed Kevin Fennelly as their new hurling manager. Fennelly, who succeeds Nicky Brennan, got the approval of the county board ahead of Diarmuid Healy.

On a busy day on the inter-county managerial front, Brian Mullins was re-appointed as manager of Derry's footballers, and Niall Rennick was appointed as manager of the Wicklow footballers - his second stint with the county.

Fennelly is a member of the famous Ballyhale family which back-boned the Shamrocks club when they won nine Kilkenny senior championships and three All-Ireland club titles. The new manager won three senior All-Irelands with Kilkenny, two at under-21 level and two as a minor. He is currently the manager of Young Irelands (Gowran) who will defend their senior title against Dunnamaggin in the county final on October 12th.

Fennelly is a virtual novice at this level of team management. His only inter-county experience was as manager of the under-21 team last year. Healy, by contrast, guided Offaly to two senior All-Irelands and also won a National League title with his native Kilkenny.

Fennelly (42), who is currently holidaying in Valderrama for the Ryder Cup, was appointed following a full meeting of the Kilkenny board. In all, six people were nominated to take over from Brennan, who resigned a month ago following Kilkenny's defeats in the All-Ireland and National League semi-finals. However, only Fennelly and Healy were interviewed for the post.

Brian Mullins' re-appointment as manager of the Derry footballers ends weeks of speculation concerning the Dubliner's position. Mullins' backroom team has yet to be appointed, however.

Derry narrowly lost this year's Ulster final to Cavan, while Tyrone, last year's Ulster champions, beat Derry in Mullins' first year in charge.

Niall Rennick was in charge of the Wicklow footballers previously for a four-year period from 1990-94. During that time, the county enjoyed some success in the NFL, reaching the quarterfinal in 1991 and being one of the only two teams, with Dublin, to beat Donegal in 1992.

At the end of that year, Wicklow won the All-Ireland B title, defeating Antrim in a low-scoring final in Navan that December. Despite these achievements, the county failed to break through at championship level.

In 1991 after Meath's four-match encounter with Dublin, they were nearly shocked in the next round by Wicklow, but won the replay. In succeeding years, a massive defeat by Kildare and 12 months later, an agonisingly narrow setback against the same opposition were the most noteworthy efforts.

His early career in Wicklow was tinged with controversy when he attempted to pursue a playing career with his native Meath at the same time - with a view to ascertaining whether he would make the first team - but decided to give his undivided attention to Wicklow.

In more recent years, he moved to Rathvilly in Carlow and played with the county team there in last year's championship. Rennick has also been involved with the successful Leinster Railway Cup team as a selector over the past two years.