In the off-season of inter-county hurling, the biggest development has been the GAA's search for a new man to oversee the future direction of the sport.
Two months after Clare's epic victory over Cork in the All-Ireland final, the association announced at a conference in Croke Park last week that a new 'National Head of Hurling' would be pursued to build on the work done hitherto by the National Hurling Development Committee. The role will likely follow on from the work carried out by previous National Hurling Development manager Martin Fogarty, who stood down from his role some months ago.
The GAA's description of the new role said that the new Head of Hurling would "have responsibility for the overall strategic development of the game of Hurling, with particular emphasis on designated counties."
President of the association Jarlath Burns said of the move:
The Hurling Development Committee and the appointment of a new National Head of Hurling represents our determination to grow the game, increase participation and crucially, establish new clubs.
The days since the conference in Croke Park have seen much speculation about who could be considered for the position, with several big names from the past few decades of hurling thrown in as speculative shouts.. One of those men is Clare legend Anthony Daly.
Dalo captained his county to their two maiden All-Ireland crowns in the 1990s, before completely reinvigorating the Dublin county team during a four-year spell in charge in the early 2010s.
His pedigree is immense in the game, and Daly's name has been thrown around plenty in the week since the Head of Hurling role was announced - but the Banner man's first public response has been to publicly criticise aspects of the GAA's job advertisement.
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Anthony Daly explains gripes with Director of Hurling search
9 June 2024; Former Clare captain Anthony Daly, who lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 1995 and 1997, before the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship final match between Clare and Limerick at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
The GAA have listed their 'Head of Hurling' job on various Irish job forums over the past few days.
The leading two responsibilities the successful candidate will be tasked with are:
- Lead the formulation and subsequent implementation of a strategic plan to support the promotion and development of Hurling nationally with particular emphasis on the designated Tin Region that encompasses parts of Ulster, Connacht and Leinster.
- Work closely with the Camogie Association in the identification, development and delivery of common programmes and club start-ups in line with their strategic objectives around growth and participation of Camogie in the designated Tin Region.
Alongside management and review of fixtures, budgets, and marketing, the leading contender will also be tasked with "leading and driving improvements in structures" and "programmes and initiatives to grow and enhance the game." Another key goal is to increase the number of clubs playing hurling up and down the country.
It is in the "requirements" section of the job advertisement, however, that Anthony Daly finds cause for concern.
Three years of experience in a similar role, wide experience of managing and coordinating sports events, and experience working with key partners are all required - as is a third-level degree in a relevant associated field.
Speaking on his hurling podcast with the Irish Examiner this week, Anthony Daly took issue with the requirement of a third-level degree, saying that it had the potential to freeze out the right candidates for the role.
In fact, the Clare man said that he himself would be ruled out of contention by that first requirement.
That's the first requirement of the job...of the application, third-level qualification. You could be a hurling man for 30 years but you'd have to have an oul bachelor of arts.
I would have been interviewed for the job before Martin and I didn't take it. That's no disrespect, maybe they'd have given it to Martin anyway. But I ruled myself out because it was a John the Baptist effort - 'twas, go off there and...was there any vision there? I'm happier here talking to the two of ye about it.
No, look, never say never - but I don't have the third-level qualification anyway, so that rules me out. I dropped out and joined the bank! If I'd stayed in L.I.T. for the three years I could apply but I can't even apply.
Anyway, look, I presume relevant experience would be a help there, I'm not touting for the thing there.
Having rattled off a few of the potential contenders to take on the new role, Daly would have a parting jab at his fellow RTÉ pundit Dónal Óg Cusack.
There's a lot of candidates out there.
They'd probably be afraid of Cusack that he'd be too hurling! He'd be too hurling or wouldn't understand the football areas.
The Examiner's hurling podcast can be heard in full here.
