Dublin hurling has “reached a certain plateau” and changes are needed to bring it to the next level, according to county chairman Andy Kettle. Whether Anthony Daly is the man to implement those changes remains to be seen, although he will be asked to make a decision sooner rather than later.
Kettle has also rejected suggestions Dublin football is regaining priority over hurling, even if most of the county’s dual players are opting for football, and the goal of winning an All-Ireland hurling title has not in any way changed.
“Anthony Daly owes Dublin hurling absolutely nothing,” says Kettle. “And Dublin hurling owes an awful lot to Anthony Daly. He deserves the time and space he needs to think about the future, although the timeline I would like to see is some decision made before the recommencement of the Dublin hurling senior championship, in a few weeks’ time.
“For all we know Anthony might feel he’s done his bit, can’t get any more from this group. I wouldn’t say the thing has stalled, but I would say it has reached a certain plateau, and we need to move off that again. ”
Daly’s sixth season as Dublin hurling manager ended with last Sunday’s 13-point quarter-final defeat to Tipperary: he has promised to “take a few weeks to evaluate the situation”, and Kettle will allow him that time and space.
“Our situation, with any Dublin management team, is that there’s a review at the end of any given year. We haven’t met for any discussions yet, as either management committee or county committee, so far. But when we do, what I would be leaning on, at this stage, is the need to sit down and plan for the next improvement.
“There’s no doubt that Dublin hurling has improved over the last number of years. The reality is we made three Leinster finals this year, and lost three Leinster finals. We have made some superb strides in terms of the standard and quality of our hurling, but we need to take that to the next level.
Kettle also said he believes “the success of Dublin football in no way impinges on the success of Dublin hurling”.
