Surprise as hurling champions part company with manager

Both the Offaly senior hurling and senior football champions will have new managers next year, following the surprise decision of Kilcormac-Killoughey not to reappoint Shane Hand for the 2025 season.

Niall Stack had already stepped down as Tullamore senior football manager, having led the Blues to three Dowling Cup triumphs. But there was considerable surprise when it emerged that Hand would not be continuing as Kilcormac-Killoughey manager.

Hand guided Kilcormac-Killoughey to the last two Offaly senior hurling titles and they went on to reach last month’s Leinster final, where they were denied by Dublin champions Na Fianna, who have gone on to book their place in the All-Ireland decider since.

During Hand’s three years in charge, the Kilcormac/Mountbolus outfit contested the Offaly senior final each year. They lost out to first-time winners Shinrone in the 2022 decider, but avenged that defeat in comprehensive fashion against the same opponents last year.

The double Ks retained the Sean Robbins Cup by defeating Ballinamere in this year’s final, and they went on to claim away wins over St Mullin’s (Carlow) and Castletown Geoghegan (Westmeath) in their Leinster campaign.

The strength in depth in the K-K ranks can be easily gleaned from the fact that they have won both the senior ‘A’ and senior ‘B’ championships for the past two years. In addition, players from K/K backboned Offaly’s All-Ireland U20 hurling success earlier this year.

The level of talent possessed by K-K means they will be viewed as strong contenders for honours inside and outside the county in the years ahead. But despite all their recent success, Hand - whose son Daniel was a regular in attack this year - won’t be in charge for the 2025 campaign.