Ed Coughlan: John Kiely is the model of the modern-day manager

Limerick play a modern form of the game with a modern form of manager at the helm, expect other counties to follow suit in the years ahead and the game to benefit along the way

CLASS ACT: John Kiely’s approach to management will be reflected on in years to come as the standard by which all managers will be measured. Portrait artist: John Tregoning/ johntregoning.co.uk

Hurling has never been short of charisma or characters, least of all when it comes to managers that have prowled the sidelines on some of the biggest days in the sport’s history. For charisma and even mystery, Kilkenny’s Brian Cody stands head and shoulders above the rest for how he has always managed his team and himself, leaving people with more questions than answers about the secrets of their success.

Cody’s modus operandi was always to put forward as simple a philosophy as possible. If you allowed yourself to be lulled into his rhetoric you could be lead to believe that all Kilkenny ever did was throw a sliotar out onto the pitch and let the players figure it out amongst themselves and those left standing were the 15-plus men who would take to the field.