Fans call Brian Dowling 'obvious choice' for Kilkenny role after Lyng departure
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Kildare manager Brian Dowling has been linked with the top job in his native county after Derek Lyng’s four-year tenure as Kilkenny manager came to an end
Kilkenny are on the lookout for a new Senior Hurling manager after Derek Lyng confirmed he has resigned from the post this evening. Kildare manager, and Kilkenny-native, Brian Dowling’s name has unsurprisingly been one of the first to be thrown into the ring by hurling fans.
Online forums were ablaze with speculation following the news of Lyng stepping down, with one Kilkenny fan saying, “Dowling would be the obvious choice to me, but (I am) afraid they will go Shefflin, who I obviously love but has been found lacking in the manager role.”
Dowling is coming off the back of hectic year with The Lilies who brilliantly navigated survival in Division 1B with three impressive wins and even more impressive performances.
Kildare did however lose each game of their Leinster Senior Hurling Championship campaign to return to the Joe McDonagh Cup, but acquitted themselves well while demonstrating the difficulty of trying to adapt to the top table.
Dowling departing for his native county would be a huge disappointment for Kildare hurling but a chance at the top job in his home county might prove too tempting for The Lilies’ manager to resist. It’s fair to say that few in Kildare would blame the man who has given them so much joy during his tenure for taking his dream job.
Lyng’s four-year tenure in charge of The Cats came to an end on the back the recent Leinster Championship loss to Dublin and the Emeralds man informed the Kilkenny County Board of his decision.
The Kilkenny GAA Statement on the news read as follows:
“Derek’s association with Kilkenny hurling spans almost three decades, during which he served the county with distinction as a player, selector and manager.
“As a player, he enjoyed a remarkable career, winning six All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championships, ten Leinster Senior Hurling Championships, five National Hurling League titles, three Railway Cup medals and two All-Stars. As a member of Brian Cody’s senior management team from 2014 to 2019, he helped secure two All-Ireland titles, three Leinster Championships and two National Hurling League titles.
“Derek subsequently guided Kilkenny to Leinster and All-Ireland U20 Championship success in 2022, before taking charge of the senior team later that year. During his four seasons as Senior Team Manager, Kilkenny won three Leinster Senior Hurling Championship titles, reached the 2023 All-Ireland Final, contested two National Hurling League Finals and reached two All-Ireland semi-finals.
“During his tenure as Senior Team Manager, Derek brought great professionalism, leadership and commitment to the role. He represented Kilkenny with pride and integrity and gave generously of his time and energy in pursuit of success for the county both on and off the field. His passion for Kilkenny hurling has been evident throughout his involvement.”