Kennedy takes time to ponder future as Banner boss

JOHN KENNEDY is contemplating his future with Clare.

Contrary to comments made on the Sunday Game, Kennedy did not resign as manager in the wake of Sunday’s qualifier defeat to Sligo.

Kennedy confirmed his term of office is up and that he thanked the players in the dressing room after the Castlebar loss.

“I wished the players well and said I didn’t know what the future holds but I did not announce my resignation.

“Over the next fortnight myself and the other selectors, Frankie Griffin and Dave Loughman, will sit down and review our term and see if we can take the team any further.

“After three years in charge and making a certain amount of progress, you don’t walk away without examining the whole situation and we as a group we’ll do that.

“If the decision is to look for another term we’ll do that. If we decide not to go again, then we will make that decision quickly to allow whoever takes over to be in position as the county championship progresses.”

Meanwhile Meath captain Mark O’Reilly has insisted that boss Sean Boylan can lead the Royals back to the summit of Leinster if he stays on for an unprecedented 24th season in charge.

Meath slumped out of the All-Ireland qualifiers to Cavan in Clones on Sunday, the fourth season in a row that northern opposition has cut short their summer.

Long-serving defender O’Reilly, who won All-Irelands in 1996 and 1999, believes Boylan should put his name forward for another term.

“I hope he will be in charge next year,” said former Allstar O’Reilly.

“He’s a top-class manager who is still very much capable of pulling off the results. He’s well capable of bringing us back and winning a Leinster next year.

“It wasn’t him at fault in Clones, it was the players. The lads haven’t performed in the last few seasons and we have to be honest about that.”

The official line from Meath chiefs is that Boylan will take time to consider his future over the coming weeks.

If he steps down, Colm O’Rourke, Carlow chief Liam Hayes, selector Colm Coyle, Eamonn Barry, Gerry McEntee and Mattie Kerrigan will all be tipped as potential successors.

In Limerick the hunt is already underway to find a replacement for Liam Kearns. The Kerry man remains adamant he made the right decision to step down from his post.

“I had been six years in the job and it was my intention to vacate the position at the end of 2004, but I allowed my heart to rule my head and stayed on,” he said.

“The time is now to finally close the book and move on. Looking back on the six years losing last year’s Munster final to Kerry was the biggest disappointment, and that will haunt me for years to come.

“Unfortunately my leaving could well see the break-up of the team. John Quane is unlikely to stay on; Muiris Gavin may well decide to call a halt for family reasons, Paudie Browne is going to Scotland, and Tommy Stack is another who is likely not to want to start all over again under a new manager.

“If there is a change of senior hurling manager for 2006, the dual player could become an issue again and I could see Stephen Lucey and Conor Fitzgerald opting for hurling.

“That would leave the footballers without a lot of experienced players and a huge team-building programme would have to be undertaken again.”