As trump cards go, Michael Donoghue’s is pretty good.
The prospective new Galway manager has former Tipperary manager Eamon O’Shea lined up as a member of his backroom team, should he be appointed as successor to Anthony Cunningham.
O’Donoghue managed Clarinbridge to All-Ireland glory in 2011 is seen by many as favourite to take over the Galway hurlers, ahead of current Cuala manager Mattie Kenny.
O’Shea, who stood down as Tipperary manager after this year’s semi-final defeat to Galway, is an economics professor at NUI Galway and could be open to an immediate return to the intercounty game if it does not involve travel, according to the Irish Times.
Instrumental in Tipperary’s 2011 All-Ireland win as an attacking coach under Liam Sheedy, O’Shea would a hugely respected figure in a dressingroom that wields a lot of power.
Cunningham stood down as manager on Monday after the team took a vote of no confidence in the manager who led them to two All-Ireland finals in four years, accusing the players of holding a “kangaroo court”.
Galway are flying to Boston for Sunday’s Fenway Classic against Dublin with a temporary three-man management team of Damien Coleman, Malachy Hanley and Tex Callaghan in charge for the one-off Super-11s game in the home of the Boston Red Sox.
