The search is underway for a new Kilkenny senior hurling manager following the departure of Derek Lyng.
Lyng stepped down from the role on Tuesday evening, bringing an end to his three-year tenure in charge of the Cats. The announcement comes less than two weeks after Kilkenny’s surprise Leinster Championship exit to Dublin, a result that saw the county’s season come to an abrupt end.
One of Kilkenny’s most decorated figures, Lyng won six All-Ireland titles as a player and later added two more as part of Brian Cody’s management team between 2014 and 2019.
Kilkenny GAA has confirmed that the process of appointing a successor is now underway, with attention already turning to who could take on one of the biggest jobs in hurling.
Speaking on the KCLR Hurling Podcast, KCLR analyst and two-time All-Ireland winner Adrian Ronan suggested the county board should cast the net wider than in previous appointments and involve clubs in the process.
“Go back to the clubs and ask them for nominations. Find out what the clubs expect.
“Like any job, get a few people to apply for the role. There might be a few lads interested with a backroom team. Have it as you would for any job offer; you would have an interview process, possibly.
“That might be a change; we haven’t had to do that over the years, we’ve done in-house appointments, but it might be something we have to consider.”
Ronan also noted that while the statement confirmed Lyng’s departure, there was no mention of the rest of the management team.
“I would like to know what the rest of the management team are considering, because it is just Derek that has stepped down. That is the first thing we all need to find out before we start making assumptions.”
With Kilkenny facing into a significant rebuilding period following an early championship exit, the appointment of the next manager is expected to be one of the most important decisions the county board has made in recent years.
