Cody's successor? Derek Lyng’s decision to step down after 2019 campaign now looks canny

Breaking down the names in the race to success Brian Cody as Kilkenny manager

SUCCESSOR?: Kilkenny U20 manager Derek Lyng with match-winning point scorer Joe Fitzpatrick of Kilkenny after the Leinster Under 20 semi-final match between Kilkenny and Galway. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Brian Cody’s retirement raises the eternal question: who will replace him?

Recent events in Tipperary, where Colm Bonnar effectively got sacked by the County Board, underlined how difficult the process can become. The former Kilkenny manager’s interactions with Henry Shefflin during 2022 further indicated the sensitivities involved. Neither Cody nor any members of the Kilkenny County Board had an inkling about Shefflin’s move to Galway. Intercounty managerial appointments, within a GAA context, end up a complex interaction of experience, expertise, loyalty and opportunity.