McCarthy to take Laois hurling reins

Laois are set to appoint their fifth senior hurling manager in seven years, after it emerged yesterday that former Cork dual star Teddy McCarthy is set to take the role.

McCarthy attended yesterday's Laois Senior Hurling Club Championship semi-finals at O'Moore Park and afterwards it was confirmed that McCarthy is the preferred candidate to succeed Kilkenny's Brendan Fennelly as the Laois boss.

Fennelly ended his involvement with the squad last July after they suffered an embarrassing 34-point defeat to Cork in the All-Ireland qualifiers, shipping 10 goals in the process.

McCarthy served for two years as a Cork Under-21 selector under Ger Fitzgerald. The Glanmire native will also take charge of Bandon in the Cork Intermediate Championship decider on Sunday week.

A meeting of Laois hurling clubs will take place tonight to examine the new blueprint for hurling in the county, which includes the appointment of former National Director of Hurling Paudie Butler as a master coach.

McCarthy's name will now go before the Laois GAA Executive where he is expected to receive full backing, before subsequently going before a meeting of the County Committee.

The next meeting of the County Committee is not scheduled until the third Monday of October, but it is likely that this meeting may be brought forward.

County chairman Brian Allen, Hurling chairman Kieran Delaney and former players Pat Critchley and Andy Dunne were part of a headhunting group formed to find Fennelly's successor. The hunt for selectors to form part of McCarthy's management team is ongoing.