Brendan Cummins set for return to Kerry hurling backroom team

Cummins is no stranger to Kerry hurling. His first inter-county coaching role was with the Kingdom

Brendan Cummins will replace Shane Brick in the Kerry backroom team. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Tipperary’s legendary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins will be ratified at Tuesday's Kerry County Board meeting as the new coach of the Kingdom's senior hurlers. He will join Kerry manager John 'Tweek' Griffin’s management team that already includes Sean Maunsell and Aidan Healy.

Cummins replaces Shane Brick, who left after one season involved and in the wake of Kerry’s disappointing and shock loss to Derry in the Christy Ring Cup final.

Cummins is no stranger to Kerry hurling. His first coaching role after he retired in 2013, having made at the time a record 73 championship appearances, was to become the Kerry goalkeeping coach under a fellow Tipperary man, Eamon Kelly. He then moved on to Laois to perform the same role in 2015 as well as helping Kerry out.

When Fintan O’Connor was appointed Kerry manager in 2017, Cummins was involved with the Kingdom once again. Cummins left the set-up in 2020. 

In 2021, he was announced as the Tipperary U20 hurling manager and during his years involved along with Fintan O’Connor, Tipperary won Munster titles in 2024 and 2025, before going on to beat Kilkenny in the 2025 All-Ireland final.

Last month, Cummins (51) helped Ballybacon/Grange preserve their intermediate hurling status before returning between the posts for local soccer club Suirside just 24 hours later. Cummins played alongside his son Paul in Ballybacon/Grange’s 0-20 to 1-14 victory over Clonoulty/Rossmore in the county intermediate hurling relegation final, their third year in a row surviving the drop.

Griffin is pleased to have coach of the Cummins's calibre on board as Kerry aim to win the Christy Ring Cup and move back up to Joe McDonagh, where they believe they belong.

Maunsell and Healy remain on as selectors while Jack Quinn will be in charge of S&C. It is expected that Kerry will have a number of big names back, but it appears that Shane Conway will not be returning.

Kieran Donaghy will also be ratified as Cian O’Neill’s replacement as selector/coach to complete Jack O’Connor’s management team.