Antrim move fast to replace Wallace

The Antrim County Board has moved quickly to find a successor to hurling boss Jerry Wallace, who stepped down from his post at the weekend.

The Cork man’s brief tenure was shrouded in controversy to some extent but the board has made it clear that it is determined to move on.

At a meeting of the executive committee last night, the identity of an interim manager to replace Wallace was to be revealed. And while the meeting was in progress, the Antrim squad held a training session which was overseen by selector Collie McFall and liaison officer Frankie Quinn. Two other selectors, Sambo McNaughton and Gregory O’Kane, had resigned prior to the departure of Wallace.

County chairman Jim Murray revealed prior to last night’s meeting that Antrim’s whole focus now is on beating Limerick in the All Ireland qualifiers on June 30 and retaining their Ulster title when they meet Armagh, Down or Derry in the final on July 8.

“We are very grateful to Jerry Wallace for what he has done for us in the short time he was here and we wish him well for the future. But we must move on as we have two major matches on the horizon and we are very anxious to win these in order to reclaim our credibility,” declared Murray.

It was following the recent defeat by Westmeath in the Leinster Championship that Wallace became vulnerable in his post, given the cloud of gloom that engulfed Antrim following the capitulation to a 14-manmidlanders’ outfit who succeeded in transforming a six-point deficit into a two-point win despite their numerical disadvantage. Murray confirmed that when Antrim’s involvement in the championship season is over a procedure will be put in place to acquire the services of a manager on a longer-term basis.

“That will be apriority when the championship is over for us. There are still a lot of good players in this Antrim squad and we feel they are capable of success.”