THERE HAS BEEN some movement on the inter-county camogie circuit in recent weeks as the managerial chopping and changing continues across Gaelic games.
Here, The 42 looks at how things are shaping up for 2024, with a firm focus on senior outfits.
Cork
The All-Ireland champions are on the lookout for a new manager after the surprise departure of Matthew Twomey last month.
Twomey stepped down just weeks after steering the Rebels to O’Duffy Cup glory for the first time since 2018. The Douglas man spent two seasons at the helm, having previously been involved in Paudie Murray’s backroom team.
“Obviously it’s a bit harder after winning the All-Ireland but my mind was made up well before it,” Twomey told The 42 as he explained the reasoning behind his exit. “I just wanted to give it my best for two years and then step away.”
He bows out as camogie’s PwC Manager of the Year, and is a hard act to follow.
Kilkenny
Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere similarly has a tall order ahead of him as he succeeds Brian Dowling in the Kilkenny hot-seat.
Dowling stepped down after the All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Cork in July, having delivered two All-Irelands (2020 and 2022), four Leinster championship crowns and one National League title in his four years in charge. He’s now set for the Kildare hurling hot-seat.
Cleere takes over on a one-year term initially, after a successful stint with the Carlow camogie team. A two-time All-Ireland winner as a player and a former team-mate of Dowling’s, ‘Chap’ also served two years as Chairman of Kilkenny County Council.
Galway
There has been little word from Galway in the wake of the Tribe’s semi-final defeat to Cork. Cathal Murray took charge in 2018 and oversaw All-Ireland successes in 2019 and 2021, establishing Galway as a consistent Top Three force.
Murray was reportedly in the running for the Galway U20 hurling management job but withdrew long before Fergal Healy got the nod.
Waterford
Seán Power steered the Déise to their first All-Ireland final in 78 years, but a heavy defeat to Cork should not stall their progress. Power took over in November 2022, and the assumption is that the former minor and U21 All-Ireland winning manager will go again.
Limerick
John Lillis’ departure was confirmed this week, with Limerick on the hunt for his successor. The former Tipperary boss and inter-county camogie referee spent two years at the helm with the Treaty struggling, only securing their senior status with a final round win over Offaly in 2023.
Limerick Camogie Press Release. pic.twitter.com/bfYFbHdcxK
— Limerick Camogie (@LimCamogie) October 5, 2023
Tipperary
Denis Kelly enjoyed a fruitful first year at the helm and indications are the Toomevara tactician will continue in the role. Tipp ended a 13-year wait for Munster championship glory, before a promising run in the All-Ireland series which was ended by Waterford in the last four.
Wexford
Colin Sunderland has held the Wexford reins for a year, steering them to senior safety in a relegation semi-final win over Down. The All-Ireland club championship winning Oulart-the-Ballagh manager looks set to stay on, but as is the case with many counties, it remains to be seen.
Dublin
Tipperary All-Ireland winner and All-Star Paul Kelly took charge of Dublin on a three-year term last October. It was an up-and-down season for the Jackies, but they’ll hope Kelly will stay in situ after several years of managerial turbulence.
Clare
John Carmody is in his second coming with the Clare senior camogs, while he guided the county’s second team to All-Ireland Premier Junior glory in Croke Park during the summer.
Down
Paul Donnelly, in charge since December 2021, saw his Down side retain their senior status with a relegation shootout win over Offaly during the summer. There has been little soundings from the county, but Donnelly is likely to stay on at this stage.
Antrim
Elaine Dowds has been at the helm since late 2021, having previously been part of Paul McKillen and Jim McKiernan’s management team. One of the few female inter-county managers, Dowds is aiming to bridge the gap with the Saffron. The 2021 All-Ireland intermediate champions suffered a 3-23 to 0-6 quarter-final defeat to Tipperary as they appeared at that stage for the first time in 41 years.
Others
Offaly, relegated to intermediate for 2024, are on the hunt for a new manager after Noelle Kennedy’s departure. “I got a one-line email just to say I wouldn’t be reappointed next year,” she told The Irish Independent last month.
2023 All-Ireland intermediate champions Derry, who take Offaly’s place in the senior ranks, confirmed this week that PJ O’Mullan and his mangement team will stay on for a second season.
News flash🗞️🗞️
— Derry Camogie (@DerryCamogie1) October 5, 2023
Derry Camogie is delighted to announce the re-appointment of our senior Manager PJ O' Mullan along with his back room team, Michael Henry, Adrian McCann, Karen Rafferty and Ciara O'Mullan
We wish the management team the best of luck ❤️
Photo - @Laraghkennels pic.twitter.com/VPIXl0j2dW
The void left by Peter Cleere must be filled in Carlow, while there are vacancies in Kerry and Westmeath after Pat Ryan and Diarmuid Cahill’s exits.
Most counties’ second teams are overseen by their senior manager, but David Sullivan (Tipperary) and David Deady (Limerick) are among the exceptions.
Their respective futures, and that of many others, are yet to be confirmed.
Time will tell in several camps.
Excellent article Murray. It’s the passing that’s concerning. A basic skill, you would assume at this level it certainly ought to be dealt with in training as regards timing. It can’t be perfect in training & poor in matches. So where are the standards vs Joe time when was non negotiable. Jamie O is young but a poor passer when moving and evident since his Leinster debut. We rarely pass in front of each other, almost always static in receiving, and when there is a 1st phase move, it gets stuck in midfield on contact. Bar Hugo try v Italy, very little innovation, attempts to do so. Extremely low risk rugby SA aside, since RWC. And while we love Hugo, nothing in attack from returned kicks. Little evidence Andrew Goodman was the right choice. You can swap the above comments for Leinster too.
@Mark Kearney: agree and add the waning of our ‘power game’ – that’s another point of difference for France and England and why they both ‘destroyed’ Wales and we didn’t.
@Mark Kearney: good point. Lancaster was really hot on passing accuracy and that meant the majority of players coming into Ireland camp under him were on top of their skills. Connacht also playing attacking style since Lam. New Munster/Ulster coaches also emphasize ball handling. I think the change in style at Leinster is really having a big impact on IRL attack. Leinster players concentrate on chasing kicks and being aggressive in défense. Leinster’s attack has been really poor these last 2 seasons but their brilliant defense means they still win. Cc LRO game was case in point. Irelands last 2 6n’s were also built on solid defense btw. People like to praise the IRL attack but it’s our defence was the foundation of our attack. We conceded more tries this 6n’s than in the last 2 combined.
The key statistic is professional playing numbers. In Ireland, we have 180, France, and England have very many more. It’s probably 8 to 10 times more, especially in France. Long-term strategy is surely to have a fifth team probably off the island.
@D Farrell: agree, but we have what we have. We have to revert to having a point of difference, back to most of Joe’s time in Lein & Ireland, was passing. That you can do with existing structure, if you first accept there is an issue. I don’t think we do, and poor standards are accepted across the provinces. That’s on the coaches, and players wanting to improve.
@D Farrell: Wishful thinking, I fear. The revenue to support a 5th team does not exist. Frankly I doubt whether we have the revenue to support four. Especially if the growth of Women’s pro rugby is already acting like an additional province in terms of its financial impact
I haven’t gone back to check but I imagine what has been said (by both fans and media) about this Ireland team/players/coaches is nothing compared to what the French will have had to put up with when we did them last season. They didn’t go through a massive clean out, and I don’t think we need to either. The other provinces other than Leinster do need to pull their socks up though.
It’s no coincidence our attack faltered when Andy Farrell was away. I think it’s forgotten that he is heavily involved in Irelands innovative attack plays and his absence definitely affected this. Also it’s worth mentioning Catt started very poorly with Ireland and became instrumental in our brilliant attack over the last few years. Maybe Goodman needs time to bed in also
Being third in what many considered a two horse race can’t be considered a success .
However it reflects the approach of the Irish management based on defence . Both Irish wings selection and reputations based on their performance on a catch and kick game .
But teams have stopped kicking deep as blocking in front of the catcher is penalized and the objective is to ensure the ball is behind the defending pack . Thus the reason to pick paceless wings no longer exists .
As previously noted 9 of the 23 are over 30 whose best games are behind them .
I considered that this was last 6 nations for more than PoM Murray and Healy and the preference for Leinster Blue was undeserved by several players .
@SAMUEL T McGLADERY: Who do you think should have been picked on the wings instead of Hansen and Lowe?