‘Eddie doesn’t have a clue about hurling’: Jeffrey Lynskey criticises Galway interview process

'Are we doing a really good job in nurturing and developing the lads? I don’t think so,' he added.

REVIEW NEEDED: Former Galway minor and U20 manager Jeffrey Lynskey has called on the county board to review their development structure. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Former Galway minor and U20 manager Jeffrey Lynskey has called on the county board to review their development structure and appointment process in the aftermath of a disappointing 2024 season.

Lynskey won three All-Ireland minor titles in 2015, 2017, and 2018. He went on to take charge at U20, leading them to an All-Ireland final in 2021. More recently, he has been the University of Galway Fitzgibbon Cup manager.

Speaking to The Maroon & White Pod after Galway’s campaign ended with a 1-24 to 2-27 defeat against Dublin, Lynskey referenced Cork’s investment in athletic development or Michael Fennelly’s position as Performance Lead in Kilkenny.

“Are we doing a really good job in nurturing and developing the lads? I don’t think so. I think we need a high-performance community inside the county. Remove it completely from the county board. Get high-performance people inside, people who have the knowledge.

“Des Ryan is there at present with Setanta. He was with the Arsenal academy for the last eight or nine years. You have unbelievable people in ATU Galway. Denise Martin has written papers and helped academic publishers for hurling and Gaelic football over the past seven or eight years. Lisa Ryan is up there. She has worked in Australia, Olympic bodies.

“In the college Fergal O’Callaghan has worked at Olympic level as well. They need to go outside the county board and pull in the right people. The lads mean well, but obviously, we aren’t doing it right. I didn’t get it right either at U20.”

Lynskey was one of several candidates, including Brian Hanley and Davy Fitzgerald, who were interview for the manager job before Henry Shefflin was appointed. At the time, the county praised the role of former Irish rugby coach Eddie O'Sullivan on the interview panel.

“This can turn fairly quick providing you have the support and vision from the county board. But if we are playing politics with this position and it is about clicks on social media, we are in trouble. It can’t be about that. If we really care about it, we will put the right people in charge. That is going to steady the ship and develop these young fellas.”

He continued: “You are talking to someone doing interview who has been doing interviews for 25-year period in terms of VP jobs, AP1s, education. You are well used to dealing with people. I did the last interview and you’d Eddie O’Sullivan inside in it. You’d county officers inside in it. That was my third interview with them. They will decide who they want at the end of the day.

“I would shake it up in terms of bring a better calibre of person in the interview process. Make sure it guides them as well. It is nothing against Eddie, but Eddie doesn’t have a clue about hurling. Not a clue. He doesn’t understand the workings of Galway hurling. I would go after somebody who understands us as a county, club hurling, what it means to wear a Galway jersey.”

While stressing that he enjoyed a strong working relationship with Shefflin in their communication over Fitzgibbon Cup players, Lynskey said he believes if a new manager is at the helm in 2025 it should be an internal appointment.

“The irony is, they (Dublin) have the edge on us because they had two Galway managements in charge over the past six years. Let’s call a spade a spade. These are lads who should be working inside in our own county. Not outside. That is disappointing to me.

"Them lads with are top, top coaches with Mattie and Micheal, and they are outside the county working for someone else. I have an issue with that. That is no fault of the boys either.”

Elsewhere, in an interview with Galway Bay FM, University of Galway Director of Sport & Physical Wellbeing Des Ryan confirmed the college are set to host the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cup in the Connacht GAA Dome for 2025.