Dara Bradley

LIKE him or loathe him – there appears to be no ‘middle ground’ of opinion – Galway senior hurling manager John McIntyre looks set to steer the county team for the next two years.

McIntyre, who was appointed Galway manager in October 2008 for a two-year term (not two years with the option of a third as had been widely speculated), is expected to be re-appointed at a Hurling Board meeting on Monday, September 13 or Tuesday, September 14.

Hurling Board officers and more than 40 club delegates convened at a meeting Raheen Woods Hotel, Athenry on Tuesday night to discuss the procedure for the selection of a senior manager for the next two years – there was ‘unanimity’, according to chairman Joe Byrne and other delegate sources, that McIntyre should be re-appointed.

At the meeting, McIntyre delivered his manager’s report and gave a passionate, unscripted speech for around 25 minutes. Unsurprisingly, the 49-year-old former Offaly county manager focussed on what he saw as the positives – he pointed to the fact that Galway won two pieces of silverware this year (Walsh Cup and National League), the first national senior hurling titles for the county in six years.

The Tipperary native from Lorrha also reminded delegates that of the 16 competitive matches Galway played in this year, they won 12, drew one and lost three times to the teams who are contesting Sunday’s All-Ireland final (twice to Tipperary and once to Kilkenny in the Leinster).

McIntyre acknowledged Galway badly needs to find two or three more players to progress further and challenge at the business end of the championship in September; and he also said the Tribesmen would have to develop their ability to close out games.