GALWAY GAA OFFICIALS hope to have a new senior hurling manager in place before the county final on Sunday week between reigning champions St Thomas and Liam Mellows.

And with former Limerick star Ciaran Carey an interested spectator at Sunday’s two senior semi-finals in Kenny Park in Athenry, speculation is increasing that Galway may turn to the current Patrickswell manager to find a successor to Micheál Donoghue who surprisingly stepped down in August.

What does seem certain at this stage is that Galway will turn to an outside manager for the first time since Ger Loughnane was appointed for two years in the autumn of 2006.

Louis Mulqueen, who served with Loughnane during that stint with the Tribesmen, is also a strong contender having guided Liam Mellows on Sunday to a third successive county senior final.

They had not been in a final since they won their ninth title back in 1970 — they are third in the roll of honour — until Mulqueen took over the city side and steered them to victory over Gort in 2017.

The manner in which he has got a young side to play an attractive brand of hurling has impressed many in Galway and now they are back in the final again seeking revenge against a St Thomas side who beat them in last year’s final.

Mulqueen, who withdrew from taking over his native Clare last week and paving the way for Brian Lohan to take charge of the Bannermen, did not rule out the Galway job when interviewed after Sunday’s semi-final success over Cappataggle but his primary focus is getting ready for the final on Sunday week.

Ciaran Carey (top left) and Louis Mulqueen (bottom) have emerged as two of the leading contenders to take the Tribesmen reins. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

The emergence of Carey as a serious contender, coupled with his presence in Athenry on Sunday, has garnered a lot of support in Galway where there is an appetite to move on after a couple of months of negativity.

Carey recently led his native Patrickswell to the Limerick title which he won nine times as a player and his management experience also includes stints in charge of Kerry, the Limerick U-21s and the Limerick camogie team.

Anthony Daly is also being mentioned in some quarters but Carey is being strongly fancied as an ideal candidate to bring an end to bitterness which followed Donoghue’s resignation and which included his selectors Franny Forde and Noel Larkin turning down the job when it was offered to them earlier this month.

“There has been a lot of accusations and point-scoring with individuals and factions that have nothing to do with finding the next Galway manager, so the quicker we move on and appoint a manager is probably best for everyone,” said one senior official.

“There are a few good candidates in the field and some believe that going outside the county might be best at this stage.”

GAA officials, the candidates mentioned and the players have been keeping their cards close to their chest for fear of adding fuel to some of the bitter rows which are ensuing on the ground, but on Sunday in Athenry it was clear from supporters that there is a need to move on.

“We have not set a deadline for the new manager to be appointed but we would hope to have progress in the coming week and ideally have it sorted before the county final, but the most important thing is to get the right man,” added another senior Galway GAA official.