Winning captains to take the hot seats
Daly, who skippered Clare to All-Ireland SHC titles in 1995 and 1997 admitted that he has been approached to succeed Cyril Lyons but has made no decision.
“My position is that I was approached by a few people about the position,” said Daly when he was interviewed after the county final.
“My main passion in life is hurling and obviously I would have an interest in Clare hurling. But, I just didn’t give it (the job of manager) a thought. I just wanted to get today out of the way.
“I don’t know what the scenario is. I know there is a meeting on Tuesday night. But I have not given a definite answer either way. I don’t know.”
Some observers believe that his decision could be influenced by the fact that Clarecastle will be involved in the club championship, at least until Sunday week when they will play Patrickswell in Ennis.
County Board Chairman Fr Michael McNamara pointed out that he had not spoken ‘seriously’ to any of the prospective candidates in the field and explained that in advance of tomorrow night’s Board meeting they would be in contact with the people nominated by the clubs.
“We’ll be hoping to meet with the clubs on Tuesday night and decide where we go from here. I’d say it will be a selection process, meeting the different people that are involved and coming up with somebody hopefully who is willing and able to take the job.
Meanwhile, former Kerry boss Páidi Ó Sé, will be unveiled as Westmeath manager by the week’s end.
“It is still ongoing. Negotiations are, as one candidate said ‘well advanced’ and we hope to name a new manager this week.
"We had two or three candidates in the frame and we will be talking to all three this week. But we have a Football Board meeting tonight and we should have a new man in charge by then,” Westmeath Football Board chairman Denis Coyne said last night.
Former manager Luke Dempsey insisted yesterday that he had the backing of the players before he decided to quit the Westmeath job.
“The vast majority of the players accepted a package that I put to them in relation to a new management team (after his two selectors were unable to continue). There was never a vote of no confidence by the players. That was taken by only a few clubs who responded to a letter sent out to them, asking their opinions.”
He said he had put forward his new plan to the Football Board Chairman, ‘who found it acceptable’ but then wanted to interview him for the post. He resigned because he felt his position had been ‘compromised.’
In Limerick, the four man sub committee of the County Board, Pat Fitzgerald (chairman), Jim Hartigan (secretary), Paddy Quilligan (Treasurer) and John Landers (Hurling Liaison Officer) will recommend Pa Joe Whelehan for the job to the Management Committee tonight.
Subject to approval by that committee, they in turn will place the name of the Offaly man before the county committee meeting tomorrow night for ratification.
Whelehan will be joined by Dave Mahedy who will take charge of the physical training of the team. Both men have been handed a two year term office.
Additional reporting by Colm O’Connor
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