Cunningham in fight for survival as Galway players vote for change

ANTHONY Cunningham’s future as Galway senior hurling team manager hangs by a thread after losing the support of the players.

Just weeks after guiding the county to a second All-Ireland final in four years, the St. Thomas’ clubman faces a desperate rearguard action to stay at the Galway helm for a fifth year.

Cunningham has so far offered no indications of throwing in the towel in his quest to remain as Galway manager, a post which has consumed him since his appointment in the autumn of 2011.

He had just been ratified to continue as Galway manager for 2016 when news broke of a players’ revolt over a loss of confidence in the sideline set up.

A delegation of four Galway players (names revealed in this week’s Inside Track column) had informed Cunningham the weekend before he was due to be ratified that they no longer supported him in the role.

But the players’ heave was not revealed to the County Board which pressed ahead with Cunningham’s re-appointment despite being aware that relations between the squad and management had deteriorated.

Board officials have since met separately with two player representatives (team captain David Collins and vice-captain Andy Smith) and Cunningham where a significant ‘conflict’ in the respective summaries of the atmosphere in the camp were revealed.

There are strong indications that the players’ attitude towards the team management and the desire for change are beyond compromise, but Cunningham is understood to be no mood to step down.

Unfortunately, efforts to contact the Galway manager have again proven futile and with a big programme of important local GAA fixtures set for this weekend – notably the county football final – officials are struggling to find the opportunity to solve the crisis quickly.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.