Galway turns to Donoghue as new senior hurling manager

CLARINBRIDGE’S Micheál Donoghue says it is a “huge honour” for him to be appointed the new Galway senior hurling manager, but admits with such a short lead-in time to the Walsh Cup he will not have much time to stand on ceremony.

The Tribesmen face DCU in the competition at Duggan Park on Sunday, January 10 but with the Galway players due to fly out on their team holiday just after the Christmas, it leaves little time for Donoghue and his charges to prepare for their season opener.

“Hopefully in the next few days I can meet the players but with Christmas upon us and they are going on holidays for a week on the 27th or 28th, it is hard (to arrange),” says Donoghue, who captained the ‘Bridge to its first ever Galway SHC title in 2001 before managing the club to All-Ireland club honours in 2011.

“For me, it is just about setting up right structures now in relation to performance and behaviour and preparation. And just working really hard to achieve what we can achieve.

“Also, because there is such a short lead-in time, it is just focusing on the management team, meeting the players, getting our own views across and driving it on by working really hard.”

Taking over from Anthony Cunningham, Donoghue is joined by Turloughmore’s Francis Forde, who previously coached the Galway minors to All-Ireland success and later the Offaly seniors under Joe Dooley, as team trainer while Tom French has returned as strength and conditioning coach.

“There is some continuity with Tom staying on for the strength and conditioning work. I think that was important because there was a lot of good work done. He is highly regarded and he has a good insight into the lads.

“Each candidate would have been doing a bit of work behind the scenes and although there is a short lead-in time to the Walsh Cup – from today it is just 18 days – I have done a good bit of work. I am nearly there [in finalising the backroom team] and when I have completed it I will announce it,” he adds.

Donoghue, who was ratified for a three-year term at a special meeting of Galway GAA County Committee in Loughgeorge on Tuesday evening, brings a wealth of experience to the position.

Enjoying a distinguished career as a hurler with Clarinbridge and Galway – winning All-Ireland minor and U-21 titles, along with Railway Cup and National League senior medals – his transition into management has been seamless. Most recently, he was involved in the Tipperary senior set-up under Éamon O’Shea.

Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.