Kiely on board for Limerick's five-in-a-row tilt but Currid is not

Performance coach Caroline Currid will not be on board next season. Currid has been part of Kiely’s Limerick set-up for all but one of Kiely's seven seasons at the helm

ONE IN, ONE OUT: Limerick manager John Kiely with Caroline Currid. Pic: ©INPHO/Tommy Dickson

Five-time All-Ireland SHC winning manager John Kiely has been given a one-year extension in charge of Limerick.

Not surprisingly, the Galbally man was given a ringing endorsement at Tuesday night’s monthly county board meeting to guide the county in their bid to claim an unprecedented five-in-a-row.

The longest-serving manager of one county across both senior codes, it is Kiely’s third but shortest extension since taking the reins in September 2016. In 2019, he received an additional two years and was given a similar mandate in ’21.

Kiely is expected to be assisted once more by head coach Paul Kinnerk and selectors Alan Cunningham, Aonghus O’Brien and Donal O’Grady.

However, performance coach Caroline Currid will not be on board next season. Currid has been part of Kiely’s Limerick set-up for all but one of his seven seasons at the helm. A report in the Irish Daily Mirror late last week claimed she would not be involved with Limerick in 2024.

Sligo native Currid, who has aided Dublin, Tipperary and Tyrone to All-Irelands, has been hailed by the players as instrumental in their success in recent years.

Limerick, who are due to head on a team holiday to Barbados at the start of next month, will begin their season proper in Allianz Division 1, Group B, which also features Antrim, Dublin, Galway, Tipperary and Westmeath.

After that title defence, they will begin another on the weekend of April 20/21 when they face Clare in Cusack Park in the Munster SHC opener before entertaining Tipperary in TUS Gaelic Grounds the following weekend.

They then have a two-week gap until they travel to face Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on May 11/12. Limerick complete their round-robin phase at home to Waterford on May 25/26.

Meanwhile, Limerick have designated four south city clubs – Ballinacurra Gaels, Claughaun, Old Christians and St Patrick’s – as an urban area for special project status. 

Part of a Munster development plan, the initiative will focus on baseline data of participation and volunteering, review of resources required for the area, development of the plan and rollout of initiatives to increase participation and re-energise the clubs.

From next year, the four clubs will amalgamate for a two-year period at under-age grades from U14 to U20 and be known as Southside Gaels. Two additional games development administrators are also shortly to be appointed to the area.