GAA News

It wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret, but Kerry have finally confirmed that Cian O’Neill will train the county’s senior footballers next season.

O’Neill has been heavily linked with a role in Eamon Fitzmaurice’s management team for the last number of weeks since confirming his departure from the Mayo set-up following their defeat in the All-Ireland Final in September.

Cute hoors as they are in the south-west, however, they were giving little away in public about the O'Neill link.

O’Neill had been involved with the Tipperary hurlers prior to his involvement with Mayo and players from both camps have spoken highly of his contribution to the cause.

University of Limerick lecturer O’Neill had been looking for a post closer to his base in the Treaty City having spent last year repeatedly travelling the long distance to and from Mayo and as one of the most highly-rated trainers in the business, it was no surprise that Fitzmaurice came looking for his services.

According to The Kerryman newspaper – the de facto source for all things Kerry GAA, of course, - O’Neill was ratified as one of Fitzmaurice’s selectors alongside former ‘keeper Diarmuid Murphy and Kingdom legend Mikey Sheehy this evening and it was also confirmed that O’Neill will take charge of training the team.

It was a far from vintage year for Kerry last season, but it is only a fool that would write them off and with such an impressive-looking management team in place, they look as if they won’t be far off the pace again next season, depressing and all as that is for the rest of us.