Boland steps down amid U21 speculation

Shay Boland stepped down as Dublin minor hurling manager following yesterday’s defeat to Tipperary.

The former county senior player confirmed he is vacating the post after two years in charge but refused to comment on speculation link him to the U21 role.

Boland admitted that three weeks between the drawn match and replay was a difficult gap to deal with.

He said: “I wouldn’t be telling lies if I said it wasn’t a challenge [to get his players up again]. It was a challenge, it was a particularly long break and, I’ll be honest with you, I’d have preferred the week. But that’s not an excuse or anything like that. If you asked fellas here after the last day, if they wanted to go and play in Portlaoise or Tullamore or Nowlan Park or here on a day like today I know what they’d say.

“From that point of view it wasn’t an issue. But it was an issue to try and get fellas up. Obviously Tipp did, I’d love to know what they did.”

When asked about the U21 position, Boland replied: “These are not decisions for today. I have no plans for next year. But I won’t be doing the minors next year because my two-year term is up.”

Boland estimated that there will be “10 or 12” survivors from the 2012 squad for next year’s campaign. And he has backed Dublin to come back strong in the quest for a first All-Ireland minor hurling title since 1965.

Four players yesterday — Cormac Costello, Conor McHugh, Donal Gormley and Eric Lowndes — won football medals the previous Sunday but couldn’t complete the double.

Boland reflected: “They were only four of 15 so I wouldn’t have any qualms about that. They’re as fit as fiddles. It’s more about getting up mentally. After winning they were probably in a good space but it is a bit difficult all right when they don’t get a chance to hurl with you in that period.

“But, look, these are only small problems. We just got to get over the line and keep doing what we’re trying to do and someday we’ll get the break.”