'Micko' confirmed as Clare boss

Mick O'Dwyer, the most decorated manager in Gaelic football history, was ratified as the new Clare senior football boss in Ennis last night.

The County Board meeting, originally scheduled for next Tuesday, was brought forward in order to rubberstamp O'Dwyer's appointment which had been well signposted in recent days.

It is the 76-year-old's first managerial position since he stepped down as Wicklow supremo in the summer of 2011, and follows on from his Leinster Championship-winning spells with Kildare and Laois.

The Waterville man, who famously guided Kerry to eight All-Ireland SFC titles, will have former Clare players Michael Neylon and Ger Keane as his selectors.

The Banner men will be trained by Micheal Cahill next season, a lasting link to Micheal McDermott's previous managerial set-up.

O'Dwyer told the Irish Examiner that he will take in tomorrow's AIB Munster Club SFC tie between Clare champions Kilmurry-Ibrickane and Kerry kingpins Dr. Crokes.

"I'll head to Quilty on Sunday for the Munster Club game, and once I meet with the selectors, we'll move quickly to organise a trial game or two to see what we have at our disposal," he said.

"Clare have been knocking on the door for a few years now, but, like Wicklow, my primary goal is to lift the profile of football in the county from underage up.

"Hurling has always been the number one game in Clare, but there’s a big football catchment area and I’ll be in the heart of it on Sunday."

Clare GAA Chairman Michael O'Neill has stated that gaining promotion from Allianz League Division 4 is "the big thing" for the Clare footballers next year.

He is "confident that the appointment will be good, not just for the county's senior team but for football in the entire county".