O’Shea early favourite to take Tipp job

Eamon O’Shea has emerged as then front-runner for the Tipperary manager’s job, vacated by Declan Ryan last weekend.

O’Shea was a key member of Liam Sheedy’s backroom team when Tipperary won the 2011 All-Ireland title and is widely credited with Tipperary’s innovative attacking alignment in that game.

A professor of sociology in NUIG, O’Shea is highly regarded by the Tipperary players, most of whom he coached while a selector with Sheedy and Michael Ryan from 2009 to 2011.

If he were appointed, it would be seen as a major coup by the Tipperary County Board, at a time when the backlash is still reverberating within the county after their 18-point loss to Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Meanwhile former Wexford hurling boss Colm Bonnar says he wouldn’t give any consideration to throwing his hat into the ring for the Tipp job.

Ex-Tipperary star Bonnar has an impressive backroom pedigree, having worked with former Waterford bosses Gerald McCarthy and Justin McCarthy, and ex-Tipp supremo Kevin Hogan.

In addition, the Cashel native steered Waterford IT to four Fitzgibbon Cup titles in seven years at the helm, and he also managed Wexford senior hurlers for three years up to July 2011.

“I haven’t even thought about whether I’d be interested in being considered,” said Bonnar, a Tipp player from 1986 to 1998.