A heavyweight list of contenders appear to be in the running to take over as Clare manager following Davy Fitzgerald’s departure.
Fitzgerald announced on Wednesday night that he was stepping down after five years, one All-Ireland and one League title.
The Clare County Board will shortly begin the process of finding their next senior hurling manager, but it doesn’t look as though they will be lacking for top-class candidates.
Gerry O’Connor and Donal Moloney guided the Banner County to a three in-a-row of All-Ireland Under-21 titles between 2012 and 2014, with their talented young players back-boning the ’13 Liam MacCarthy Cup triumph.
O’Connor and Moloney had a complicated relationship with Fitzgerald while they were in charge of their respective teams and they were long viewed as potential senior managers.
Anthony Daly is the other big-name associated with the job.
Clarecastle’s Daly captained Clare to All-Ireland titles in 1995 and ’97, sides on which Fitzgerald was the goalkeeper, and is a living legend amongst his home people.
He retired from inter-county hurling in 2002 and stepped almost straight into management when he took charge of Clare in 2004, stepping down in 2006 following a roller-coaster three seasons.
He then managed Dublin between 2009 and 2014, leading the Boys in Blue to League and Leinster titles and two All-Ireland semi-final appearances.
Daly (above) always made it known that he felt he had unfinished business with Clare so he may be interested in filling the hot-seat vacated by his former team mate.
Clare won the All-Ireland in 2013, beating Cork after a replay, and though they haven’t seen action in the business-end of the season since then the Banner still have some of the most talented hurlers in the country.
Players like Tony Kelly, Shane O’Donnell, Podge Collins and Aaron Cunningham are now only approaching their prime and with their best years likely ahead of them they should be able to challenge for the MacCarthy Cup again.
It was reported earlier in the week that Fitzgerald was expected to step down as manager following talks with his players, who felt a change was needed.
He had shaken up his backroom team during his five years, shocking many hurling fans when he appointed former Cork goalkeeper Donal Og Cusack as a selector, and he had another full season left on his arrangement with the country board.
The Sixmilebridge man insisted that the decision to walk away was his own, that he wasn’t pushed and that he took it after his joint-captains Tony Kelly and Cian Dillon indicated that the players wanted change.
Fitzgerald (above) released a statement on Wednesday night confirming his departure and he stated his believe that Clare would go on to further success in the near future.
"I leave the Clare job with a heavy heart but full of confidence that there will be further great hurling days for the Banner County," he said.
