Talks to decide McDermott's Clare future

Michael McDermott has said the ball is in the Clare County Board's court as regards him staying on as manager of the Banner senior footballers.

McDermott succeeded Frank Doherty in the role last November, and his first season with Clare came to an end last Saturday with an All-Ireland qualifier loss to Offaly after extra-time.

The Cavan native guided Kilmurry-Ibrickane through to their first AIB All-Ireland Club SFC final earlier this year, and his Clare side went close to securing promotion from Allianz NFL Division 4.

In the aftermath of the Offaly game, McDermott told reporters that he will discuss his future with the Clare County Board at the end of the year.

Expanding on the issue in the Clare People newspaper, he said: "If the County Board does ask me (to stay on for another) year, I would have to consider it because I enjoyed it and it would be hard to walk away.

"I firmly believe that the bunch of players, if they give it a real go and have a bit of belief in themselves, could go places.

"It was myself who asked for a one-year term in charge of the team. Now at the end of the year we have to sit back and ultimately it's for the Clare County Board to decide if they were happy or not with where Clare football is at the end of 2010.

"They're (Clare GAA), they're the employers and they're who I have to answer to."

He added: "I wanted to give it everything for one year, everything I could possibly give, and who knows at the end of the year maybe I will come back to take the team again.

"They are a tremendous bunch and they have given an awful lot as regards training, effort and commitment this year.

"Who knows, when we sit down later and analyse the year, we could be saying to the board, 'yeah, we'd like to give it a go for another year'."

McDermott's backroom staff this year included Mayo's former All-Star midfielder Liam McHale who has expressed an interest in managing his native county, following the departure of John O'Mahony last weekend.