Minor hurling boss search at an advanced stage
By Shane Brophy
The Tipperary minor hurlers will have a new manager in 2021 after Paul Collins stepped down after two years in the role.
While the announcement was only made last weekend, the Drom & Inch clubman informed Tipperary County Board of his decision prior to Christmas, shortly after his side lost to Limerick in the Munster Final in the much-delayed campaign due to Covid-19.
Speaking to the Nenagh Guardian, Collins cited work commitments for his decision as he is self-employed as owner of the Diagtech IT Managed Services, based in Thurles.
Before his appointment as manager in 2019, Collins spent a year as minor selector under Tommy Dunne in which they won the Munster Championship in 2018.
After Dunne joined the senior hurling management, Collins was promoted to manager where we was joined by Shane McGrath (Ballinahinch), Ger Ryan Bawn (Cappawhite) and Tony Shelly (Killenaule) where they endured a tough campaign in 2019, winning just one of their four Munster championship games.
However, they were much improved in the condensed 2020 campaign, defeating Kerry and Waterford to progress to the Munster final where they were unfortunate to be defeated after extra time by Limerick last month.
Tipperary county board are in the process of putting together a new minor hurling management team, and they hope to be in a position to make an announcement by the end of this month as the 2021 championship due to get underway in mid-March.
However, this date was set prior to the latest set of Covid-19 restrictions and with the 2020 championship still to be completed, this year’s championship is likely to be delayed as a result with Level 5 restrictions on the playing of non-elite sport unlikely to be lifted at the end of the month.
For selector Shane McGrath has ruled himself out of the running to succeed Collins but his former Tipperary senior midfield partner James Woodlock is strongly linked to the position as he was involved with the under 16’s over the last twelve months, despite the group having no organised tournaments to play in because of Covid-19. That knowledge of this group of players will be vital are there are only four players from last years panel eligible for 2021 and without schools’ competitions and a condensed under 16 club championship last year, putting a minor panel together will be no simple task.