Hendy surprise new Kildare U21 manager

FORMER long-serving Kildare footballer Damien Hendy has been handed the reins of the county’s U21 footballers, with his predecessor Alan Barry dropping to the role of selector.

Senior boss Kieran McGeeney will also be a selector, along with Anthony Rainbow, who was part of this year’s management. Hendy has called time on his decade-long involvement at senior inter-county football but his appointment comes as a major surprise, as does Barry’s willingness to remain involved in a reduced role.

McGeeney’s involvement seems very significant, given that Kildare will have a very strong panel next year, with the 2009 minors having only been beaten in replay of the Leinster final, while many of the talented outfit from 2010 will also be available.

It is expected that a number of these players will have some involvement in the senior squad and a number of them were already part of the panel this year.

With that in mind, McGeeney’s role could be to facilitate the players’ participation in both panels’ preparations with as little disruption as possible to either set-ups or the players themselves.

Former Laois and Offaly senior manager Tom Cribbin had been linked to the job initially but it is understood that a failure to secure some guarantees led to him withdrawing his candidacy.