McCarthy appointment ratified

Justin McCarthy was officially installed as the new Limerick hurling manager at a county board meeting last night.

The self-styled ’hurling missionary’ from Cork was the only name put before club delegates and he was voted in unanimously along with his selectors Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey.

The appointment marks a swift return to inter-county manager for the veteran coach who was forced to stand down as Waterford manager after seven years earlier this year after a player coup against him in the wake of a nine-point defeat to Clare in the first round of the Munster championship.

McCarthy takes over from Richie Bennis, who has paid a heavy price for Limerick’s shock All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Offaly this summer. McCarthy has vast experience of managing teams from Antrim to Cork, and oversaw a very successful period in Waterford’s history when he led them to three Munster titles and their first National League title in over four decades.

Last night’s meeting also rubberstamped Mickey Ned O’Sullivan’s reappointment as football manager.