New Offaly hurling management to be announced this week

THE new Offaly senior hurling management is likely to be announced this week. It could be announced by Wednesday evening and should certainly be unveiled before the weekend as Offaly GAA put their final arrangements in place.

Contrary to earlier reports, the management will not be the high profile Tipperary duo, Liam Sheedy and Eamon O'Shea. It had been reported a few weeks ago that the duo were going to be appointed but that was very premature and only preliminary discussions had taken place.

A number of factors meant that those discussions did not lead to appointment and as the weeks dwindled on, it became more unlikely that Sheedy and O'Shea would form the new management.

County Board chairman, Michael Duignan, secretary Colm Cummins and treasurer Dervill Dolan have been seeking management to replace Kilkenny man, Michael Fennelly along with former players, Rory Hanniffy (Birr) and Brendan Murphy (Ballyskenach-Killavilla).

There has been recent speculation about Portumna man Johnny Kelly being involved. Kelly was a coach under Michael Fennelly and has vast experience but whether they will want a member of the previous management involved remains to be seen.

It is unlikely that they new management will have a high profile, or not at least in the Sheedy-O'Shea mould. The appointment of novice managers, finding their way in the inter-county world, has worked well for Offaly in the past and it will be interesting to see who is unveiled this week.