Backroom team pivotal for new Cork boss

IT’S been an interesting couple of weeks for Jimmy Barry-Murphy, and we’re not just referring to the fact that he celebrated his 57th birthday last Monday.

Since this newspaper identified him as the outstanding candidate to replace Denis Walsh as Cork hurling manager early last week, a good deal of momentum has built in favour of Barry-Murphy’s appointment, and with good reason, given that he ticks all the boxes as manager.

The St Finbarr’s man told his charges during his last stint as senior manager that they would never see him on the line coaching another county against Cork, which underlines his passion for Cork; in an interview with this writer he added, however, that he had never been invited in as manager by another county, which speaks to his essential modesty.