Kevin Walsh and Anthony Cunningham reappointed for 2016 GAA season

‘Peace for Our Time’ – a phrase made famous by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in his speech concerning the Munich Agreement and the Anglo-German Declaration in 1938, a year before the outbreak of World War II.

While ‘war’ might be too strong a word to describe the civil unrest in Galway hurling over the Winter months in recent years, the Galway Hurling and County Committees would appear to have learned from the harsh lessons of the past by moving quickly to reappoint their senior managers this week.

At a County Committee meeting in Loughgeorge on Monday night, both Anthony Cunningham and Kevin Walsh were reappointed as 2016 senior hurling and football managers respectively after they had both addressed delegates.

For Cunningham, who was made to fight hard to hold onto the post last year before guiding the Tribesmen to the All-Ireland senior hurling final last month, his prompt ratification should ensure still waters in Galway hurling over the slow months between October and January.

“The important thing was to do it very timely and quickly and get positivity out there so we could move on,” said Galway Hurling Chairman Michael Larkin this week.

“I would say from the Hurling Committee point of view – and Galway GAA – we basically wanted to ensure continuity [after reaching the All-Ireland].

“Things go on and things move on quickly. There is a 10-week break to the inter-provincials (v Ulster), which take place on the first week of December, while the first round of the Walsh Cup is on January 3. So, it was important to move quickly.”

Despite coming under intense competition from other candidates within the county in late 2014, including his former coach Mattie Kenny, Cunningham was backed by the County Committee to remain in the post for another two years, with a review to take place after the first.

After the All-Ireland defeat to Kilkenny, the GAA Committees locally moved swiftly to reappoint Cunningham for a fifth year, although it remains to be seen if any changes are to be made to his backroom staff, which includes trainer Eugene Cloonan and selectors Damien Curley and former team-mate Pat Malone.

“Like everything else, Anthony will be reviewing all aspects of his management team, and his backroom team, because that is part of the review that has to take place. If you just expect to continue with what you have, you are basically going to stand still and at the end of the day we know we have to improve and beef it up again,” said Larkin.

“We certainly don’t want a situation like we had where there was a lull in 2013 after reaching the All-Ireland final the year before. We need to ensure that type of situation doesn’t happen again and ensure we get back into the All-Ireland final next year and this time go one better.”

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