Michael Ryan is the clear favourite to succeed Davy Fitzgerald as Waterford hurling manager.

With Jason Ryan staying with the Wexford footballers, John Allen taking the reins in Limerick and Fergal Hartley having ruled himself out, Ryan is set to become the first local to manage the Deise since Jim Mansfield in the mid-1990s.
Ryan, who first came to national prominence as manager of the All-Ireland winning Waterford and Ballymacarby ladies football teams of the 1980s and 1990s, served as a selector under Justin McCarthy when Waterford won NHL and Munster SHC titles in 2007.

In 2000, he was selector/coach with the Waterford under 21 football team that shocked Kerry in the Munster championship after a replay. He also managed the Munster inter-provincial hurling team in 2007. As Waterford ladies football manager, Ryan won five All-Ireland titles and also led Ballymacarby to 10 All-Ireland ladies club football successes between 1997 and '98.

He led De La Salle to county and Munster club SHC honours last year and has been nominated by his club Fourmilewater for the county job.

Ryan is understood to have Nicky Cashin, Brother Philip Ryan and former Kerry physical trainer Pat Flanagan as part of his management team, but the appointments committee set up by the county board is expected to meet at least two more candidates in the next week before coming to a decision.

County board chairman Tom Cunningham, vice-chairman John O'Leary, secretary Timmy O'Keeffe and treasurer Joe Cleary, along with club delegates Seamus Quirke (De La Salle) and John McDonnell (Tallow), have been given the task of finding the new man and hope to be in a position to make a recommendation within the fortnight. Tweet

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