Kenny new Dublin hurling manager while Cunninghan in line for Roscommon football post

ABBEY-Duniry native Mattie Kenny, who led Dublin outfit Cuala to back-to-back All-Ireland SHC club championship titles in 2017 and 2018, has been named as the new Dublin senior hurling manager.

Taking over the reins from Pat Gilroy, Kenny has been handed a three-year term with his management team to be officially ratified by delegates of the county committee at their next meeting.

Kenny, who hurled with the Tribesmen between 1988 and 1992, served under manager Anthony Cunningham as both Galway U21 and senior hurling coach, training the U21s to All-Ireland success in 2011 and the seniors to a first ever Leinster title in 2012.

Although it is believed Cunningham, who served under Gilroy in the season just past, and former Dublin boss Anthony Daly were also in the running for the vacated senior manager’s position, Kenny’s knowledge of the local hurling scene on Liffey-side and his success with Cuala swayed the selection committee.

With Cuala, Kenny won three county championships between 2015 and 2017 and he and Cuala followed this up by winning both Leinster and All-Ireland titles in 2016 and 2017 to polish up his impressive resumé.

It remains to be seen if any of Kenny’s backroom team will join him in the  Dublin set-up, particularly Cuala coach and former Galway hurler Gregory Kennedy and ex-Loughrea hurler Thomas Kelly, who was Cuala’s statistician and who is believed to be headhunted by another inter-county outfit at present.

Meanwhile, it is rumoured former Galway senior hurling manager Anthony Cunningham could be the next man to take over Roscommon senior footballers after former Armagh star Aidan O’Rourke pulled out of the running last week.

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

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