Lyons calls it a day as Banner boss

CYRIL LYONS has quit as Clare hurling manager after three years in charge.

And, with trainer Louis Mulqueen and Ger O'Loughlin also opting out, it means that a totally new selection committee will have to be put in place.

Lyons, a selector with Ger Loughnane in his last year in charge (2000), admitted that the length of time he was involved, allied to the team's lack of success in terms of trophy wins, had prompted his decision.

Ger O'Loughlin, better known as 'Sparrow' had only given a commitment for this year, but Mulqueen came in at the same time as Lyons (taking over from Tony Considine and Mike McNamara).

Lyons, introduced as a late sub in the memorable 1995 All-Ireland victory over Offaly, said he had found it difficult to make up his mind, but had no regrets.

"It's never easy to walk away, particularly when we got to the All-Ireland final last year and beat Tipperary this year. After we got beaten afterwards by Cork and then by Galway with the last puck of the game, you'd be saying, 'if only...'

"Louis and I have been there for the last four years. We came in first in 2000 when Ger Loughnane was manager, when I was a selector and Louis was the trainer. Sparrow joined us this year. He came on the understanding that he would give it one year because of work commitments.

"We met during the week and decided that we wouldn't be offering our services next year. We have already informed the County Board."

While the dramatic loss to Cork in the Munster semi-final had been a factor, it wasn't what influenced his decision: "After four years if you aren't successful in terms of winning trophies, it's possibly a good thing to leave it to somebody else.

"It was a huge shock to us to be out of the championship on the 14th of June, because we had played so well against Tipperary and the lads were in great shape. But, it all unravelled in six days beaten by Cork on Sunday and beaten by Galway the following Saturday. Prior to that things were going okay, we had a good win under our belt and the expectation was that we would be hurling well into the summer."

"Clare were the only team in hurling this year who had to play six days after being beaten in the championship. But, I suppose there will always be victims before something is righted and there were other victims in previous years.

Lyons is unsure about the immediate future for the team: "it's obvious that a lot of great players are coming to the end of their careers and they have had exceptional careers, but there are enough players there in their twenties to take up the slack and for Clare to remain a very competitive team."

Beyond renewing an involvement with the Ruane club, he has no immediate plans.

Louis Mulqueen began his involvement at inter-county level as far back as 1984 when he played with Clare Under-21 footballers and also trained them. He trained the Clare minor hurlers in 1997 when they won the county's first All-Ireland and was involved with St. Joseph's for the last five years, when they won a total of eight trophies at domestic, provincial and All-Ireland level.