ANTHONY DALY HAS refused to be drawn on speculation linking him with the Dublin hurling job, despite reports he is one of three men being considered for the position.

According to reports in the capital, Daly, Mattie Kenny and Anthony Cunningham are the three men shortlisted to replace Pat Gilroy, but the Clare native has remained tight-lipped on the rumours. 

Daly is currently in charge of Kilmacud Crokes, who defeated Cuala in the Dublin hurling semi-finals last weekend. They’ll face Ballyboden St Enda’s in the county final on Sunday week and that’s where Daly’s focus remains.

“I have no control over what papers are going to say,” Daly said at the 2019 championship draw in RTÉ last night.

“I was obviously with Dublin for six years. When Pat Gilroy vacates the post – no more than when Ger Cunningham vacated it – I see my name linked. I have a county final to concentrate on. There’s no sideshows for me.”

When asked if the role appealed to him, Daly responded: “Yeah, but sitting in the couch here has a huge appeal. And writing for the Examiner has a huge appeal. You can criticise everybody!

“I’ve six years done in Dublin and three in Clare. You’d be wondering would you have that hunger ever again. I haven’t thought about it.”

Michael Duignan and Anthony Daly at the 2019 GAA championship draw tonight James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

James Horan and Liam Sheedy were recently reappointed as bosses in Mayo and Tipperary respectively. Daly previously managed Dublin between 2009 and 2014 and admits if the situation is right, he can see no issue with managers returning for a second spell over a county.

“Not at all. Nothing is ever really in stone in any of these things. That’s only a load of rot. It’s whatever is right is right for you. And what is right for you and the squad. If it’s the right thing to do and you want to do it and there’s no disgruntlement among the players that you’re going back.

“Pointing out stories about people who didn’t do it when they went back…sure Jesus, if (Ger) Loughnane went back in the morning, he’d do a job. Look, I don’t get that bit.”

Dublin are searching for their third manager in as many years, but Daly paid tribute to the work done by departing boss Gilroy.

“Look, he was certainly a stabilising effect on the whole thing. For whatever reason with Ger (Cunningham)…I’m great friends with Ger and I would have thought he was a great appointment.

“The first year was relatively solid. But there was a bit too much turmoil. Too many stories and that kind of thing.

“Pat came in and wiped the slate clean with everybody. He gave everybody a go and obviously trained them like absolute savage because the league wasn’t hectic.

“Because to be fair, they were really the most consistent team in the championship. They never had a down day. If you go through Munster, everyone had a down day. Dublin didn’t and were desperately unlucky.

“That day against Kilkenny looked like nothing but a Dublin win. Was it a foul on Paddy Smyth? Seán had gone on the overlap expecting the hand-pass and just that little hole was left and then Blanchfield nails it.

“After that it was going to be difficult. But still, they played great stuff in Salthill. They played great stuff against Wexford. So whoever takes over now has a fair platform to build on.”

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