Tipperary closing in on Sheedy successor

TIPPERARY GAA officials are closing in on one preferred candidate to replace All-Ireland winning coach Liam Sheedy as hurling boss, county chairman Barry O’Brien has revealed.

“We’ve considered a number of people on a priority basis and we’re in discussions with a particular nominee at the moment – we’ll see where it goes from there,” he said yesterday. “The rumours can keep growing, but all I can say is that we’re still in the process of seeking a new manager.”

“We’re talking to everyone who has expressed an interest, we’re giving them time to consider their position. When the process is complete we’ll come back to the county board and recommend a management team to them which I’m sure they’ll accept.”

With Nicky English ruled out, Declan Carr, Tommy Dunne or even Declan Ryan are considered the front-runners. The candidate Tipp officials are in discussions with is someone who has not already ruled himself out, which would suggest that Ken Hogan is out of the picture.

However sources say that may not necessarily be the case, as his announcement may have been hastily made in a radio interview mere hours after Sheedy’s announcement. With recruits to the Garda training college in Templemore – where Ken is an instructor – having been reduced, this could change the situation for this year’s successful U21 manager, and a ticket with Hogan as manager and Tommy Dunne as coach would meet with almost universal approval.

The committee to find a new manager consists of the chairman, plus four county board officers (vice-chairman, treasurer, secretary and PRO) and the four divisional chairman, with O’Brien adding: “It will be before the end of November but we have no definitive date – we’re not rushing the process. We’re giving everyone who showed an interest the opportunity to consider it; we want to make sure whoever takes the job is a suitable candidate, wants to do the job, and has the time and the expertise.”