Michael Fennelly as Offaly hurling manager is over after the county board decided against offering him another term.
Fennelly had served three seasons in the job and indicated that he would be prepared to stay on following the defeat to Carlow which cost them a place in the Joe McDonagh Cup final in May.
The former Kilkenny star had said that not reaching the decider would amount to a “failure” on his part and, ultimately, the Carlow loss is probably what cost him the opportunity to continue in the role more than anything else.
His first season was particularly underwhelming as Offaly failed to emerge from Division 2A and then were beaten on penalties by Down in the Christy Ring Cup semi-final after a very poor performance.
They made strides in 2021, however, storming to the Division 2A title and the Ring Cup with a stream of facile victories though they were served a dose of reality in Division 1A of the Allianz League this year, losing all five regulation games before being beaten comfortably by Antrim in a relegation play-off.
They mixed the good with the bad in the McDonagh Cup though looked to have put themselves in position to reach the final after a dramatic win over Kerry only to blow it against Carlow.
Fennelly was clearly somewhat optimistic about staying in the job as he was in attendance at the Shinrone-Seir Kieran and Ballinamere-Coolderry Offaly SHC double header in Birr just last Saturday evening before it was communicated to him that there would be a parting of ways.
With it being two months now since Offaly made their exit from the McDonagh Cup, the decision could surely have been made at a much earlier stage though the timing of it has fuelled speculation locally that the board has a successor to the eight-time All-Ireland winner already lined up.
There doesn’t appear to be an outstanding candidate within the county and it is likely that Offaly will maintain their tradition of making an outside appointment.
Former Limerick hurler Leo O’Connor guided the minor team to this year’s All-Ireland final but is thought to be in line to take over the under-20 side.
Ex-Laois boss Eddie Brennan, a former county teammate of Fennelly’s, fits the profile of what Offaly may be looking for but, like a number of other prospective candidates, is probably awaiting developments elsewhere with more attractive positions currently open in Kilkenny, Waterford and Dublin.
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