Cork’s waiting game on manager for next season

CORK officials will “let things cool down” in the aftermath of Sunday’s All-Ireland final defeat before deciding who will manage the senior footballers next season.

Initially appointed for a two-year term that started with the 2004 season, Billy Morgan received another year at the helm which expired last weekend.

Despite the disappointment of the loss to Kerry, Morgan has overseen a major improvement in the county’s fortunes during his second stint in charge, claiming a first Munster title since 2002 and taking the side to three All-Ireland semi-finals and one decider.

He refused to comment on his plans after the game in Croke Park and county chairman Mick Dolan said the issue would be addressed at a later date.

Said Dolan: “Billy hasn’t said anything about it himself. There will be roars and shouts but it is a matter of having the right man in the job. It’s very time consuming and very hard to get people. Even 10 years ago there wasn’t half the work going into it.

“What we do in Cork is that each management team gets a two-year term and it is reviewed then. Apart from the senior football we have the minor football to be reviewed, the intermediate hurling and the U-21 hurling as well.

“The U-21 football management can automatically continue if they want to and the same with the Junior footballers who also won their All-Ireland. It is a matter of sitting down later on to discuss all of these things.

“We will let things cool down for a while and then get down to business.”

All concerned have much to ponder after their ten-point defeat two days ago and Dolan’s reaction was to chalk it down as ‘just one of those days’.

“Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. There were so many mistakes that you wouldn’t see in half a dozen Junior B matches. Things just went totally wrong for us but don’t anyone think they are near as bad as that.

“We’re all despondent but no-one more so than the players. Experience has a lot to do with it but the goals were a huge factor. They were terrible goals to give away but that’s the way it goes. The old saying is that you have to lose a final before you win one and hopefully we will fulfil that in the next 12 months.”

While Kerry dominate proceedings at senior level, there are signs of promise for Cork below the top tier where they have produced a string of talented and successful sides.

“I have no doubt that we have the talent in Cork,” said Dolan. “There were some very good young lads on the subs bench (on Sunday). Young (Daniel) Goulding only came on in the second half and scored 1-1 and there are more as well without going into names. We are very downhearted but there is a great future for football in Cork.

“You don’t win four Munster U-21 titles in a row, appear in two All-Ireland finals and win one of them if the talent isn’t there.”