The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Legendary two-time All Ireland winner Brian Lohan has confirmed to The Clare Champion that he is in the running to be named as the next Clare senior hurling manager.
The Wolfe Tones clubman said he made the decision to allow his name to go forward for the position after he was contacted by chairman of Clare GAA Joe Cooney.
Lohan, who won four All Star awards during his time in the saffron and blue, is currently working on putting his backroom team together and details of this are expected be outlined to delegates at the October meeting of Clare GAA. He previously managed UL to Fitzgibbon Cup success and managed a number of the current Clare senior panel during their time with the college.
Mr Cooney confirmed on Wednesday that there are currently three candidates being considered for the position, with outgoing joint manager Donal Moloney also in the running. The chairman said he would not be disclosing the identity of the other person in the race so as to allow them time to work on finalising their backroom team.
The O’Callaghan’s Mills clubman previously stated that an update on the position would be outlined to delegates at the October meeting of Clare GAA, which is now set to take place on Tuesday October 14, two days after the Clare senior hurling championship concludes.
The Clare Champion understands that Moloney presented his proposed plans for 2020 along with the makeup of his backroom team to the chairman and secretary of the board three weeks ago with no further update on a decision about his future outlined since then, indecision which has led to much frustration. It is also understood that the players have had no update on the progression of the appointment process.
Mr Cooney said that the board have met with Moloney twice since Clare’s exit from the championship.
“The first time we met with Donal was when Gerry O’Connor was still involved as a joint manager, so when that changed we had to look at it as a different circumstance again. We met again and let him know what the process would be and how we would be moving forward” he explained.
The chairman also confirmed that the review into Clare’s hurling season which was called for by Ruan delegate Ger Lyons in the aftermath of the Banner’s Munster championship exit has been completed. He stated that while no one asked about it at the previous board meeting in September, details of the review would be available to delegates when they meet on October 14. It is expected that an update on the future of the minor and U-20 positions will also be made known at the October meeting, with Fergal Lynch and Sean Doyle being the outgoing managements from 2019.
It comes as a former member of Moloney and Gerry O’Connor’s backroom team expressed dissatisfaction with the board at the delay in making their intentions known as to Moloney’s future in the role. Niall O’Connor, who served as Maor Foirne under the joint managership of his father Gerry and Donal Moloney, tweeted: “I have seen the sacrifices the man vying for the Clare senior hurling job has given to Clare over the last two decades. The way he has been treated in the past few weeks is awful, basically kept on a piece of string, listening to rumours and looking at false newspaper articles. Players and clubs should be asking questions how this is been handled and look how our competitors are conducting their business. Regardless of who is over them I’m sure we will rise again but that man deserves more than what he’s getting now.”
Meanwhile Clare are set to face games over three consecutive weekends in the Munster hurling championship for the second year in a row.
Provisional fixture details have been released with the Banner having a bye in the opening round before facing All-Ireland champions Tipperary in Semple Stadium. Clare will then host Limerick before making the trip to face Cork with the final game being at home to Waterford. Final dates are to be confirmed but it is expected Clare will open their campaign against the Premier on Sunday May 17.
