Moynihan may fill backroom vacancy

GAELIC GAMES MANAGERIAL NEWS:WITH ALL the indications now being that Jack O'Connor will continue as Kerry senior football manager, possibly recommitting to another three years at least, the question turns to who will fill the backroom vacancy left by the departure of selector Eamonn Fitzmaurice.

Among the obvious candidates is fellow All-Ireland winner Séamus Moynihan, who has actually worked with O’Connor over the last two years on an informal basis.

The recently retired Darragh Ó Sé and Diarmuid Murphy have also been suggested, but it’s certain O’Connor will have a modified management team for next year, with the addition of two new selectors now likely.

O’Connor has so far declined to comment on his exact intentions, but the county board have given him their full backing, and are expected to approve his reappointment at their next board meeting, set for August 30th.

It has already been agreed that from next month O’Connor will take up the new role of football coaching co-ordinator for the Kerry Vocational Schools – a part-time position which he’ll combine with his existing day job as assistant principal at Coláiste Na Sceilge, albeit on reduced hours.

This will involve O’Connor visiting various vocational schools one day a week, mostly in the north and mid-Kerry area, taking the first and second year coaching sessions.

In the meantime, Fitzmaurice’s departure, while not expected, is not entirely surprising. The 33- year-old three-time All-Ireland winner, while retired from intercounty football, still plays at club level, between football with Finuge and divisional side Feale Rangers, and also hurling with Lixnaw. That was his main reason for opting out for next year, although the expectation being he will return to management at a later date.

“It’s been pretty full-on for two years and I thought it was a good idea to take a year out now at this stage,” explained Fitzmaurice. “Also, from the players’ point of view, it is no harm to keep things fresh by shaking up the management team.”

Fitzmaurice was brought in by O’Connor at the start of his second term, going into the 2009 season, which ended with Kerry’s third All-Ireland under O’Connor’s guidance. Having previously done three years with Kerry, from 2004 to 2006 – during which time he won another two All-Irelands – O’Connor has new served five years in total.

But as part of the current negotiations with Kerry chairman Jermone Conway, O’Connor has been hinting at a longer-term agreement, while at the same time suggesting increased attention towards minor and under-21 football grades in the county, which have largely failed to match the exploits of their senior counterparts.

O’Connor’s other selector, Ger O’Keeffe, has already indicated his willingness to continue for another year, and thus maintain the only constant link with O’Connor throughout both terms.

Other former players from the more recent Kerry era, such as Stephen Stack from Listowel and Liam Hassett from Laune Rangers, have also been mooted as candidates to work with O’Connor in the future.

Unlike last year when, coupled with Ó Sé’s and Murphy’s retirement Kerry lost Tadhg Kennelly and Tommy Walsh to the Australian game, few retirements are expected, although veteran defenders Mike McCarthy and Tom O’Sullivan will be considering their future. McCarthy was coaxed out of retirement by O’Connor last year in what proved to be a master stroke, although he’ll surely have a harder time convincing him to return this time.

Elsewhere, former Laois and Limerick manager Liam Kearns has emerged as the favourite to succeed Joe Kernan as Galway football manager, although he admitted yesterday that he hadn’t been formally approached.

“Of course I would have to consider it if I was approached about a position such as the Galway job but I have not been approached and I’m not aware that I’m being considered,” said Kearns, who is currently coaching the Aherlow club in Tipperary.

But with former Kevin Walsh recommitting his future to Sligo for at least another two seasons, Galway are likely to widen their net in search of replacement for Kernan, who stepped down after just one year in charge when agreement couldn’t be reached on the make-up of his backroom team.

The Galway Football Board has been accepting nominations for the position, but without setting a deadline.

Kearns was actually linked to the position six years ago, but he remained with Limerick, and Peter Ford took over Galway for three years. Kearns then moved to Laois for two years and has been associated with vacancies in a number of counties over the past two years. Another possible candidate is former Westmeath boss Tomás Ó Flatharta, who was beaten by Kernan for the position this time last year.

Meanwhile, Roscommon are hopeful Fergal O’Donnell will remain in charge next season after leading them to a shock Connacht title this summer amid growing concerns that he may be considering stepping down due to work and family commitments.

A spokesperson for Roscommon County Board said the matter would be raised in early September and he was hopeful that the inspirational manager would remain in charge. O’Donnell has asked for some time to consider his position following a hectic year which saw relegation to Division Four but then a remarkable recovery in the championship to claim the Connacht title against favourites Sligo. Roscommon bowed out of the championship at the quarter-final stage to Cork.