McDermott switches focus to Banner after end of Monaleen adventure

MICHEÁL McDERMOTT is set to focus exclusively on the Clare senior footballers in the wake of Monaleen’s exit from the Munster club championship on Sunday.

McDermott insists that the intercounty position will be his priority rather than returning to the Limerick club next season as they bid to land a three-in-a-row of SFC titles for the first time.

He admitted: “I enjoyed my time with Monaleen. They were a great bunch of players to work with and had good people involved in the club. It was heartbreaking to lose out on Sunday but they performed brilliantly. I know they were hurting after the manner in which they lost out to Dr Crokes in their first game in Munster last year and they worked hard this year after the county final.

“My concentration now switches completely to Clare because our preparations have to be right for the 2012 season. That started for me on Sunday evening by sending out e-mails to players about the gym programmes they’ll be undergoing over the next couple of months.”

Meanwhile, there is strong speculation that Gerry O’Connor and Donal Moloney, the joint management duo who have steered Clare to the last two Munster minor hurling crowns, are set to assume the U21 hurling managerial reins in the county.

John Minogue, the 2009 All-Ireland U21 winning boss, brought his four-year term in charge to a close after their Munster semi-final defeat to Limerick last July. However, O’Connor and Moloney, who would have worked closely with the players that will backbone next year’s U21 team, are in the frame to be appointed. The matter is to be discussed at a county board meeting tonight. If O’Connor and Moloney were to take up that role, it would also leave Clare on the hunt for a new minor hurling manager.

Finally, former Tipperary senior football selector John Cummins is set to be ratified as new manager of the Limerick U21 and junior football teams.

Maurice Horan combined the county senior and U21 roles this season but has opted to focus his energies on the senior position for 2012. Cummins, a native of Galbally in Limerick, part of John Evans’ senior and U21 management teams in Tipperary between 2008 and 2010, enjoyed great success as the county won successive National Football League promotions and the 2010 Munster U21 crown. He is set to be ratified at a meeting of the Limerick football board tomorrow night.

The decision to assume both the U21 and junior positions was taken as it was felt both squads would benefit from having the same management team. Cummins is set to bring in Billy Lee (Newcastlewest) and Gerry O’Sullivan (Hospital/Herbertstown) as selectors.