THE GAA off-season inevitably sees the focus switch to retirements, returns and ratifications.
In Kilkenny, since Brian Cody’s first campaign as hurling manager back in 1999, they like to give their man plenty of time to make up his mind.
“There is a November meeting but there is no panic,” explained county board secretary Ned Quinn. “Brian is entitled to that space. We have always given it to him. We leave him alone.”
Michael Fennelly was also asked about Cody’s return yesterday. “At the end of the day we can’t talk for Brian, but you’d be hoping he’ll be back. It’s a personal choice.
“He is with Kilkenny 13 years now and he might look for a break maybe from it, I don’t know. He might have something else in his head.
“Hopefully he won’t because obviously our record stands for itself and after being so successful underneath him you’d be hoping he would stay on. At the end of the day you don’t know until he says he’ll stay on.”
Perhaps of a more pressing concern for the All-Ireland champions is the decisions to be made by the elder statesmen on the panel.
“It’s hard to know,” Fennelly continued. “The likes of the older lads, who are 32 or 33, Henry (Shefflin), Noel Hickey, Eddie (Brennan), Michael Kavanagh, these lads have a lot of miles on the clock.
“They are hurling since they were 19, 20 years of age for Kilkenny. Obviously you couldn’t see Henry retiring but it depends on family commitments. Mick Kavanagh now has two or three kids. Eddie has a kid there as well.
“It just depends on work and kids and do you actually have the time to be an intercounty hurler, but I am hoping they will be, because they are a huge asset to the team and great experience, and even this year again, Eddie there didn’t’ play all year long and the next thing boom in the final and had a great game.
“They bring all their experience to their younger lads. I’d be encouraging the boys if they can to stay on but at the end of the day it’s a personal decision.”
Meanwhile, Tyrone’s Ryan McMenamin says he has put on hold making a decision on whether he will continue playing intercounty football for yet another year.
The 33-year-old defender says he hasn’t yet decided to follow in the footsteps of Brian Dooher who last week announced his retirement at the age of 36.
“At the moment I’m just focusing on the club and I haven’t given any thought to my inter-county situation,” explained McMenamin, whose county had their championship campaign ended in early August by Dublin for the second successive year.
“I’d say that it will probably be November before I make my mind on whether I want to continue with Tyrone for next year.
“As soon as the club is finished in the championship (Dromore have qualified for the county semi-finals after beating Brian and Tommy McGuigan’s Ardboe last weekend), I’ll have a word with Mickey (Harte).
“I’ll see what he has in mind for next year and I’ll then make a decision about my future,” added McMenamin who is chasing his third Tyrone county senior medal, having tasted success with his club in 2007 and 2009.
