WITH a gallant effort, Limerick exited the hurling championship last weekend to Offaly. In normal circumstances the loss would have been the end of the road for a Limerick manager. A first round defeat in the qualifiers will never be enough for this ‘hurling county’. The defeat saw the last match in charge for Justin Mc Carthy. The Corkman was in the last of his two year agreement with the Limerick County board.
With the defeat, Limerick now find themselves, winless, (this season), managerless and some might think hopeless. This hack got some flack a number of months ago for saying that Limerick hurling was in trouble. It was then and still is now. The unique set of events that got the county team to where they are now should never happen again. As I write this piece the County Board are in the process of reviewing how the county manager should be selected. The clubs have always been the judge, jury and executioner of any manager. Will this continue?
Going Forward
The biggest strength of the GAA is it’s democratic processes. It is, however, also it’s achilles heel. Limerick GAA now has a choice to make. Should the clubs continue to select a manager for it’s senior hurling team, or should someone else? Other counties have out sourced the process. Others have created selection committees. Whatever Limerick decide, the next man to don the ‘Bainisteoir’ bib, will have only hell of a job facing him.
Next please
After a new selection process has been decided upon, only then can the selection process of a new manager begin. Justin Mc Carthy declined to comment this week on whether he would seek re-election. In other words, he is going to seek another term. After last weekend’s defeat there are mixed views in the county as to whether that should be allowed to happen or not. One view is that Justin should be given another two years to finish what he has started and the other view of course is that he should go. A winless season is hard to take for any hurling fan. Whichever side of the fence you are on, no one likes to see Limerick losing. This then beggars the question. Are we any better off now than we were last year. Or, more importantly, are we closer now to winning an All Ireland than we have been in the last 37 years?
If Justin does not go for re-election or even if he does and doesn’t get in, who should get the job? Some names have been mentioned in whisper around the county. Former Limerick All Star, Gary Kirby is one name that keeps cropping up. The 2007 selector would be an ideal candidate to help amalgamate the splinter panels. Gary also shares a club, Patrickswell, with John Tuohy, another man who has been touted as a potential successor to Justin. The two ‘Well’ men might be able to work together. Other Limerickmen who are being touted are, Ciaran Carey, Ger Hegarty, Felim Macken and current under 21 manager Leo O’Connor.
If the county board decide to look outside the county for a manager, Anthony Daly, Nicky English, Ger Loughnane and Donal O’Grady are sure to be mentioned once more as they were in the past.
Whomever adds his name to the following list, Phil Bennis, Tom Ryan, Éamonn Cregan, David Keane, Pad Joe Whelahan, Joe McKenna, Richie Bennis and Justin McCarthy is going to face a summer of reconciliation, followed by a year, at least of catch up.
Is there hope?
Of course there is hope. The underage work being done in the county is second to none. At senior level, Limerick are fast becoming more recognised as being a football county, this is something that hurling fans need to support, yet fear in equal measure. Hurling is a hard sport to play and takes a lot of work to produce an inter county star. However, if the correct processes can be identified, then the conveyor belt can begin. There is some time now to reflect. The 37 year gap is now more of a stone around the county’s neck as opposed to a motivation. There is hope, but it looks a long way off yet.
