Paudie O’Neill says paying college managers a crazy education

Hurling Development Committee chairman Paudie O’Neill has slammed the “crazy” practice of third-level colleges enlisting high-profile coaches to oversee their Fitzgibbon and Sigerson teams.

O’Neill, who coached the Tipp hurlers during Eamon O’Shea’s three-year tenure, believes students are being “disenfranchised” by the absurd set-up of paying outsiders to look after college teams.

The opening rounds of the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cup are down for this decision this week, with Ger Cunningham (UCC), Billy Morgan (UCC), Davy Fitzgerald (LIT) and Martin McHugh (UUJ, selector) among the past and present inter-county managers involved with a third-level outfit. Former inter-county stars DJ Carey (IT Carlow), Brian Lohan (UL) and John Divilly (UCD) will also be donning bainisteoir bibs over the next month.