The Offaly County Board last night unanimously appointed Kevin Kilmurray as their new senior football manager. However, football captain Ciarán McManus asked chairman Tommy Byrne at the meeting why former manager Gerry Fahy was not interviewed for the job.
McManus first asked if all candidates had been interviewed for the job. Byrne was adamant he would not go into specifics, and that a special sub-committee had been set up to carry out the job of bringing forward a nomination to last night's meeting in Tullamore.
McManus then specifically asked if Fahy, who walked away from the post citing insufficient support from the board, had been interviewed for the job. He was again given a non-committal answer, though sources in Offaly indicate Fahy was not interviewed - and McManus is almost certain to have known this. This is the latest twist in the tale following the recent resolution of the players' strike which followed Fahy's resignation.
When the players' strike was resolved in a deal brokered by Eugene McGee, Fahy was understood to be still in the running, but instead the five-man selection committee presented Kilmurray as their candidate. His name was ratified last night, and under the new agreement he will hold the position for three years, with no review until after the second year.
Kilmurray was centre forward on Offaly's first All-Ireland winning team of 1971 and again a year later, but is now based in Dublin with strong links to the St Brigid's club in Blanchardstown.
Kilmurray holds great respect in the county in light of All-Ireland achievements, which included two All Star awards in 1972 and 1973. The Daingean native also won three Leinster titles in succession, 1971-73. In 1980 he won a Dublin county title with the Civil Service club. His main managerial experience, however, is mostly based with St Brigid's. He led them to a senior league title in 1999 and also to two Dublin finals, where they lost out to Na Fianna. He still lives in the Blanchardstown area.
Offaly's search for a new hurling manager in succession to Mike McNamara continues, with a separate selection committee yet to come back with any candidates.
Kilmurray's appointment could yet see Fahy moving to Sligo, who are continuing their search to find a successor to James Kearins. According to Sligo chairman Joe Queenan, the county had hoped to be in a position to finalise an appointment last night.
"That was our original target," confirmed Queenan. "But we are still in discussion with several candidates, it's just we haven't got a total commitment yet. But we certainly hope to do so over the next 10 days."
Asked if Fahy, who resides in Galway, was among those in contention, Queenan declined to comment: "All I can say is there were several names doing the rounds, and most of them still are. I know John O'Mahony was one of them, but of course that's highly unlikely now. But no one has given a full commitment either way as of yet."
Along with Fahy, Dominic Corrigan and Eugene McKenna were the other two known candidates. Corrigan, the former Fermanagh manager, appears committed to Tyrone club champions Carrickmore for the time being.
The Dublin County Committee yesterday rejected an allegation in Ireland on Sunday on October 31st relating to a story concerning Brian Mullins's interview for the position of Dublin football team manager.
A statement from county secretary John Costello explained "at no stage during the interview or since did any disagreement take place between Brian Mullins and the sub-committee comprising John Bailey, John Costello, Gerry Harrington and John McNicholas.
"The cordial interview lasted approximately 90 minutes. The matter has been placed in the hands of our legal advisers."
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