Who Takes Over From Pauric Fanning As Waterford Senior Hurling Manager

What process the Waterford County G.A.A. Board use to pick a new County Senior Hurling manager to succeed Pauric Fanning who stood down midway through a two year term along with his selectors James Murray and Pa Kearney last week, we don’t know right now, but what we do know is that the process is going to be an important one.

The County Board cannot be rushed into naming a replacement but at the same time they cannot take too long as they will want to have whoever comes in to replace the Mount Sion man as much time as possible to see the latter stages of the championship games across the Senior, Intermediate and Junior grades as is possible to try and see is there anybody out there who can offer something new to the county team going forward.

Of course should the manager be appointed from within the county then you would expect that the new manager would be already attending games across all three grades and would have a good knowledge of the players there is within the county, but if the manager comes from outside the county, while he (we have to assume it would be a man, but not necessarily should be) would have a fairly good knowledge of the players used by Pauric Fanning this year and by Derek McGrath before this as well as many of the players with the stronger clubs and who may have played underage hurling for Waterford in recent years or who would have played in the Dr Harty or Fitzgibbon Cup competitions, he may not know of the strengths in the lower grades who might be able to do a job, and could rely on the knowledge of his selectors and backroom team if the appointment is dragged out.

Already a lot of the usual names are being thrown around as to who will take over.

Former Hurler of the Year and former selector with Derek McGrath, Dan Shanahan is the early favourite to take over the position according to Bookmakers Paddy Power.

Sean Power who managed Waterford to All-Ireland success at Minor and Under 21 levels in recent years is the second favourite according to the same bookmaker along with Derek McGrath who has said that he would not rule out a return to the job in the future.

Former Tipperary player Colm Bonner who has being a selector with Waterford in the past and who has worked with Wexford and Carlow in recent years as well as working with WIT is also fancied by the bookmakers, while former captain Fergal Hartley who worked with Derek McGrath and former team manager and selector with Justin McCarthy Michael Ryan are also fancied by the bookies.

Outside of the county former Cork hurler Pat Ryan is most fancied by the bookies. He was said to be favourite to take over from Derek McGrath and I have been told by an excellent source close to the Cork man that he was offered and had accepted the position but had to pull out for personal reasons before the appointment was confirmed.

Sunday game analysts Brendan Cummins and Donal Óg Cusack are also fancied as are former Cork hurler Par Mulcahy and the former Kilkenny pair of DJ Carey and Henry Shefflin.

If you fancy making money on people further down the pecking order as likely to be offered and to take the job you could well get good odds on the likes for former Tipperary players Michael Ryan and Liam Cahill who have experience with different Tipperary sides, former Cork managers Donal O’Grady or John Allen, maybe you fancy Davy Fitzgerald to return to the Déise County or his former Clare team mate Anthony Daly who like Fitzgerald has managed Clare amongst other sides, while former Waterford players like Eoin Murphy, Peter Queally, Ken McGrath and Paul Flynn may appeal to others, and not to be outdone two former Kilkenny players Eddie Brennan and Martin Fogarty are also quoted by the bookies as being in with a chance.

Personally if there is to be a manager from inside the county I would be opting for former Minor and Under 21 manager Sean Power. But I understand that he might not be a popular choice with many despite the fact that he has proven to be a success at underage level.

While the Mount Sion man is in charge of the Dunhill Intermediate team this year, I feel his lack of experience in coaching Clubs or college sides in recent years could well work against him.

There is some that would welcome Derek McGrath back as manager and it is said that he was popular with many of the players, but for everyone that would welcome him back there is almost an equal amount who would not want to see the De La Salle Club man return to the position.

Dan Shanahan would also prove to be a popular choice with many and while he has worked well alongside Derek McGrath in recent years and is gaining experience in coaching the Saint Mary’s Junior Hurlers this year, and has taken charge of Lismore’s underage teams in the past, the step up from selector and somewhat novice club manager to being manager of a county that most would expect to be in contention for Munster and All-Ireland titles despite failing to win a Munster Championship game in a number of seasons is a big one.

I have not done so yet but I will possibly have a small few euro on who will get the job and if and when I do get around to placing a bet, I think I will be opting for an outside manager, with three men in particular are appealing to me.

Former Tipperary Goalkeeper Brendan Cummins has had a very successful career at both Club and Inter County Level and would bring much of what he has achieved into the position.

The Ballybacon-Grange club man at club level won nine South Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championships between 1998 and 2013 but will be disappointed not to have won a county title between these years. He helped his side win two Junior A Championship in the South Tipperary Division in 2016 and 2017 and won his only County medal in his long career when he helped the South Tipperary side to win a Junior Final in 2017.

Swapping green and yellow of Ballybacon Grange for the Blue and Yellow of Tipperary he also had a very successful career.

Between 2001 and 2012 he won five Munster Senior Hurling titles with the Premier County and helped them to win two All-Irelands in this time.

His inter county career stretches further back than the turn of the Millennium and he helped the Premier County win four National League titles, a Munster and an All-Ireland under 21 title in 1995 and a Munster Minor title two years previously.

The Tipperary man would also bring some coaching experience into the position if selected by the Waterford County Board as he worked with the Kerry Hurlers in recent years.

Former Kilkenny hurler Eddie Brennan is an up and coming manager who would be worth a punt in the eyes of a number of hurling supporters.

Like Brendan Cummins he would bring a world of experience into the position if offer and he was to accept.

With his club Graigue-Ballycallan he helped them win two minor titles, one under 21 hurling and one football title, two senior hurling titles, one Leinster Senior Club hurling title as well as one Intermediate County and Leinster title.

His record while playing with Brian Cody’s Kilkenny Senior Hurling team is one that could hardly be better. He is the holder of 11 Leinster and eight All-Ireland Senior Hurling medals.

And his inter county medal collection does not end there as he is the holder of Five National League Titles, Four Walsh Cup medals as well as  One Leinster and One All-Ireland under 21 medal

He has being building up his coaching experience in recent years at Club and Inter County Level.

He helped Lisdowney win a County Junior Hurling championship in Kilkenny six years ago. Last year he helped Killenaule win a South Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship and the year before was in charge of the Kilkenny under 21 team that won the Leinster final.

This year he took charge of the Laois Senior Hurling team and guided them to the Joe McDonagh Cup meaning that they will play in the Leinster Championship next year. After helping the midlander’s win silverware at Croke Park he saw the side shock a fancied Dublin side in the first round of the All-Ireland series and in the quarter finals put it up to a Tipperary side that will contest the All-Ireland Final in a few weeks time against Kilkenny.

An outside Manager that the County Board might have to act fast on if interested is former Cork hurler Pat Mulcahy.

With the Cork set to appoint a senior hurling manager after John Meyler recently stepped down the Newtownshandrum Club man will be in with a shout of getting the position in his native county.

Just like Cummins and Brennan the Cork man has had a very successful career at Club and Inter County Level.

In a county apart from possibly Clare that is hardest to win a county title, he is the holder of five Cork Senior Hurling Championships, four of which were won with his club side Newtownshandrum between 2000 and 2009 and one with Divisional side Avondhu 23 years ago.

In the colours of Newtownshandrum he helped the North Cork side to three Munster Senior Club titles between 2003 and 2009 and has something that the two named above don’t have, an All-Ireland Senior Club title won in 2004 with Newtownshandrum.

In the red and white shirt of Cork he also had a very successful career helping the rebels to win three Munster finals between 2003 and 2006 when he was captain of the side, and also helped the Rebels to win two All-Ireland Senior titles in 2004 and 2005, the two most recent of the 30 titles won by Cork down the years.

Unlike the previous two former inter county players mentioned, the Cork Man does not have any inter county experience as a coach, but he has worked with Cork Institute of Technology in the different third level competitions and thanks to his work with the students attending college in Cork he is highly though of on Lee side and is one of the favourites to take over the Cork position after John Meyler stood down recently which might suggest that if Waterford were to look for the Cork Man to take over the Waterford job they would have to act fast.