By Stephen Barry
Eamonn Kelly, the former manager of the Kerry Senior Hurling team, is set to become the new Offaly manager, pending ratification at a County Board meeting next Tuesday.
Kelly led Kerry to promotions to the Liam McCarthy Cup, after winning the Christy Ring Cup, and Division 1B of the National Hurling League this year, and has been nominated by the Offaly Executive Committee to become their manager.
Kelly cited travel and other hurling commitments for quitting the Kerry role after two years but Offaly will be a shorter commute for the North Tipperary native.
He will face a big challenge in taking over a Faithful County that remains in the hurling doldrums, though, having lost heavily to Laois and Clare this summer.
It has also been 15 years since Offaly won a Leinster hurling title at any grade.
Eamonn Kelly nominated as new Offaly Senior Hurling Manager and his nomination to go to County Board meeting for ratification next Tuesday
— Official Offaly GAA (@Offaly_GAA) September 2, 2015
Eamonn Kelly will become the fourth Tipperary man to manage Offaly after John McIntyre, Michael 'Babs' Keating and Fr Tom Fogarty. #GAA
— Pat Nolan (@pat_nolan) September 2, 2015