We didn't know it then, but Liam Rushe was just joking when he tweeted on the night of All-Ireland hurling final replay that John Allen was Dublin's new hurling manager.

The Dublin centre back caused quite a stir when he tweeted a picture of himself and the former Cork and Limerick supremo accompanied by the words: "Delighted to announce our new bainisteior". But it has since emerged that Allen's fellow county man Ger Cunningham will take charge of the Dubs in 2015.

Speaking at an Under Armour promotional event at Portmarnock beach yesterday, Rushe smiled: "That fizzled out, yeah.

"That was just a bit of messing I suppose. I don't think his name was ever seriously in the ring. I think he's just enjoying his retirement."

The St. Pat's clubman reckons Anthony Daly may still be manager if the option of a one-year extension - rather than three years - had been there for him.

"I suppose the three-year commitment; he might have baulked at that. It's something we should have done three years previous rather than tacking on a year at the end of every year," he continued.

"I'm not privy to negotiations at the top level so it would only be conjecture. But he might have. I think it was a huge commitment to give, coming up and down from Clare for six years with a young family. So it's perfectly understandable that he didn't want to take it on again.

"But I think that was a good idea from the county board, nailing on Ger (Cunningham) for three years so he can put a structure or a plan together for that length of time.

"Ger has a lot of experience. He's been a selector in a few regimes. He's won All-Irelands, the Hurler of the Year and that so I think he has the necessary experience. I suppose it was about time he got a shot at a county job and we're happy enough it was Dublin."

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