I’d love Counihan to stay on, says Walsh

Aidan Walsh is keeping his fingers crossed Conor Counihan will remain on as Cork senior football manager for a sixth season.

Speculation yesterday pointed to the Aghada man remaining on for a further year, with the news being relayed to club delegates at next Tuesday’s monthly board meeting.

However, the Cork County Board said nothing has been confirmed regarding his future.

Cork’s 2009 All-Ireland U21 manager John Cleary has been touted as a potential selector in a shake-up of Counihan’s management team.

Ger O’Sullivan (Dromtariffe), Terry O’Neill (Bantry Blues) and Jim Nolan (Castlehaven) have all worked alongside predecessors of Counihan’s with Peadar Healy (Naomh Abán) coming on board with him in 2008.

Counihan was unavailable for comment yesterday but Walsh is hoping he will agree to take the helm for another season.

“Conor is a great manager and whatever he chooses to do, he is entitled to do that, because he has given so much to Cork football,” said the midfielder.

“He has a young family and has to consider them above anything else. Whatever he decides to do, the players will support him.

“Me personally, I’d love him to stay on but that’s entirely up to him but I don’t know what his intentions are.”

Speaking from the All-Ireland Ploughing Championships in Co Wexford, where he has a stall selling his hurleys, Walsh said he had not yet made his mind up about playing both senior football and hurling next season.

It has been suggested the Kanturk man will follow Eoin Cadogan’s example and make himself available to both the Cork football manager and hurling boss Jimmy Barry-Murphy.

But Walsh, who started a new course in Dublin City University on Monday, insists he is still mulling over the idea.

“I’ve no decision made at all. I’ll wait for another few weeks before I make any call on it.”

Meanwhile, Cork GAA officials have confirmed October 28 as the date for the county’s senior football final — only a week before the Cork champions are due to play in the Munster Club SFC.

Bishopstown’s dual involvement has forced planners to push out the football showpiece, with the club’s hurlers in a county hurling championship final against Sarsfields on October 7, and a football championship quarter-final against Carbery Rangers the following week.

If they are victorious, they will play a football semi-final against Castlehaven on the weekend October 20/21.

Elsewhere, Jim Gavin is expected to be announced as new Dublin senior football manager after next Monday night’s county board meeting.

The outgoing two-time All-Ireland winning U21 boss has been the stand-out candidate for the position since Pat Gilroy stepped down earlier this month after four seasons in charge.

“We have spoken to people, and I would suggest we are reasonably near where we need to be,” said chairman Andy Kettle.

Dessie Farrell, who led Dublin’s minors to their first All-Ireland title in 28 years on Sunday, is tipped to succeed Gavin as U21 manager. After the final win over Meath, Farrell said he would be stepping down as minor manager.