Donal O'Grady leaves Limerick

Daysha

Now this is a surprise. County board meeting tonight and it has finished with Limerick looking for a new manager. Should be a bit clearer in the morning how this all came about.

hardybuck

Well, I wouldn't mind paying a surcharge like the one that Waterford County Board tried to impose a couple of years back if it paid for O'Grady to take over!

PTH2009

Jesus Kilkenny and Tipp are scarying away managers now lol.

Would love him to come down to Waterford but i think hes management days are over now.

adrian522

Well I don't know the facts of what happened but as outsider looking in it seemed that Donal wanted to stay for another year.

If the LCB has decided not to offer him another year then it is a very poor state of affairs and Henry Martin has a new chapter for his book.

But I'll wait for more details before jumping to conclusions.

It's possible D'OG didn't fancy another year in division 2 given they had just got promoted.

hardybuck

I imagine the whole league situation is very deflating for Limerick, but if this was the reason surely his feelings would have become known sooner?

You wouldn't know with O'Grady, very fond of keeping his cards close to his chest it appears.

Kerrydude1981

He always said he was only in the job for a year didnt he?? I thought he would be kept on after the progress Limerick made this year with him in charge and the backroom team he had,Limerick have talented young players and I hope they get a top class manager in for next year and not go back to carry on a few years back.It would be a waste of talent



http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0906/ogradyd.html

Benny Cake

Very disappointing for Limerick hurling, really looked like O'Grady could bring them on...

hardybuck

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

He always said he was only in the job for a year didnt he?? I thought he would be kept on after the progress Limerick made this year with him in charge and the backroom team he had,Limerick have talented young players and I hope they get a top class manager in for next year and not go back to carry on a few years back.It would be a waste of talent



http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/0906/ogradyd.html

He engineered the best job in hurling for himself. Once he was appointed, the striking players from the previous year would return, automatically reversing the fortunes of the team. Anything which he could add to that was a bonus.

By stating that he was only going in for a year to put Limerick back on track and develop a new manager, he was downplaying hype and ensuring he could walk away risk free after a year if he didn't really achieve anything.

What transpired was better than anyone really expected. His tactical nous combined with plenty of young emerging talent resulted in a great year for them, with genuine prospects for the future.

Given all this, and the rumoured backing of the likes of JP McManus, I think everyone thought him going back was a no-brainer. Will be very interesting to get the full story here.

realdanbreen

Is it possible he's lining himself up for Frank Murphys job as county secretary?

grizzlyadams

realdanbreen wrote: »

Is it possible he's lining himself up for Frank Murphys job as county secretary?

Spot on !!;)

Al0502

It had to be him walking away as surely the Limerick County board wouldn't be daft enough to get rid of him

teednab-el

We could do with Grady here in Cork again or he could be a selector with JBM. That would be some combination, two All Ireland winning managers previously.

adrian522

Al0502 wrote: »

It had to be him walking away as surely the Limerick County board wouldn't be daft enough to get rid of him

LCB wouldn't be known for great decsions TBH.

For a start they should never have been playing the league final in Ennis.

Browney7

3 words describe how I feel about this....for f**k sake!!!

I imagine its a case of Dog wanting Ccb job. Interesting to see who takes over. I await our dirty washing being aired in public

longpuck

adrian522 wrote: »

Well I don't know the facts of what happened but as outsider looking in it seemed that Donal wanted to stay for another year.

If the LCB has decided not to offer him another year then it is a very poor state of affairs and Henry Martin has a new chapter for his book.

But I'll wait for more details before jumping to conclusions.

It's possible D'OG didn't fancy another year in division 2 given they had just got promoted.

Was thinking that myself asweell

washman3

DO'Gs year in charge was completely overhyped.
He got the striking players back ok,big deal, but these lads were all going to come back when Justin went,they had to,as they did not have anything near the public support the Cork lads had during their turmoil. If Dustin the turkey got the job the "strikers" would have returned.
So what did he achieve? won Div 2.!! beat the likes of Kerry,Carlow, Westmeath,Down mostly by cricket scores. Only win of note was the final in Ennis,while it was a good win at a tough venue,Clare were disjointed, with IMO was their poorest team since pre 1995.
Our first championship test V Waterford ended in failure. But our outing in Parnell Pk was to me the defining game of how our game plan could be easily countered. We had an extra man for 50mins?? but with 5 mins remaining the game was still in the melting pot.
The game V Dublin was there for the taking but again ended in failure.
I attended all home league games and all championship games this season and in the immortal words of Pat Spillane would describe it as PUKE hurling
If we are going to play that game we need a manager who will commit to a 3 year term.
I think DOG took a good look at last Sunday's final and realised his type of game could never match that intensity. Times have changed.

JerryHandbag

Just puttin it out there.....Davy Fitz for Limerick?

Edit: Ah I see its being discussed in the Davy Fitz thread!

big toenails

JerryHandbag wrote: »

Just puttin it out there.....Davy Fitz for Limerick?

Edit: Ah I see its being discussed in the Davy Fitz thread!

In his wildest dreams he'll never be the Limerick manager.

aidan24326

big toenails wrote: »

In his wildest dreams he'll never be the Limerick manager.

Why would managing Limerick be his wildest dream in the first place?

Surely as a Clareman leading his native county to All-Ireland triumph would be his ultimate dream.

premierstone

washman3 wrote: »

DO'Gs year in charge was completely overhyped.
He got the striking players back ok,big deal, but these lads were all going to come back when Justin went,they had to,as they did not have anything near the public support the Cork lads had during their turmoil. If Dustin the turkey got the job the "strikers" would have returned.
So what did he achieve? won Div 2.!! beat the likes of Kerry,Carlow, Westmeath,Down mostly by cricket scores. Only win of note was the final in Ennis,while it was a good win at a tough venue,Clare were disjointed, with IMO was their poorest team since pre 1995.
Our first championship test V Waterford ended in failure. But our outing in Parnell Pk was to me the defining game of how our game plan could be easily countered. We had an extra man for 50mins?? but with 5 mins remaining the game was still in the melting pot.
The game V Dublin was there for the taking but again ended in failure.
I attended all home league games and all championship games this season and in the immortal words of Pat Spillane would describe it as PUKE hurling
If we are going to play that game we need a manager who will commit to a 3 year term.
I think DOG took a good look at last Sunday's final and realised his type of game could never match that intensity. Times have changed.

By god your a tough man to please and I think you could be in for an awfull dissapointing season next year if you dont think last year was anything but a wonderfull sucess.

shawnee

washman3 wrote: »

DO'Gs year in charge was completely overhyped.
He got the striking players back ok,big deal, but these lads were all going to come back when Justin went,they had to,as they did not have anything near the public support the Cork lads had during their turmoil. If Dustin the turkey got the job the "strikers" would have returned.
So what did he achieve? won Div 2.!! beat the likes of Kerry,Carlow, Westmeath,Down mostly by cricket scores. Only win of note was the final in Ennis,while it was a good win at a tough venue,Clare were disjointed, with IMO was their poorest team since pre 1995.
Our first championship test V Waterford ended in failure. But our outing in Parnell Pk was to me the defining game of how our game plan could be easily countered. We had an extra man for 50mins?? but with 5 mins remaining the game was still in the melting pot.
The game V Dublin was there for the taking but again ended in failure.
I attended all home league games and all championship games this season and in the immortal words of Pat Spillane would describe it as PUKE hurling
If we are going to play that game we need a manager who will commit to a 3 year term.
I think DOG took a good look at last Sunday's final and realised his type of game could never match that intensity. Times have changed.

I am inclined to agree with the above Post and how anyone can attribute Limerick's displays of this year to an outstanding success I just don't know. O'Grady took over the team at an all time low and put them together to beat a few very average teams in div2. The game against Wexford was indeed puke hurling, he continued with Seamus Hickey at full back when there were certainly better full backs around. With the players Limerick have and the upcoming Under 21s I just hope they continue to build. But to be honest as a Limerick supporter I do not want to watch that brand of hurling for another year. Donal got well paid and said he'd stay a year and he did just that. Now let's move on.

Royal Seahawk

Disappointed in O'Grady to be honest. He could have said he was leaving the week after the Dublin game, leaving it until now had everybody's hopes built up. What's the point in just hanging around for a year?

Limerick_Lass

aidan24326 wrote: »

Why would managing Limerick be his wildest dream in the first place?

Surely as a Clareman leading his native county to All-Ireland triumph would be his ultimate dream.

Exactly... cant see why he has a problem with Limerick either, didnt he train the LIT team for a bit.

kraggy

realdanbreen wrote: »

Is it possible he's lining himself up for Frank Murphys job as county secretary?

Why would someone want a County Secretary job? Does it pay well or something?

washman3

premierstone wrote: »

By god your a tough man to please and I think you could be in for an awfull dissapointing season next year if you dont think last year was anything but a wonderfull sucess.

To be honest, i was expecting us to come out of Div.2 from the off and was certain after we beat Clare in the first game. I think this years U21 team would have got us out of Div.2, it was that poor.
I was expecting to run Waterford very close and possibly catch them on the hop. But on the day the Deise were there for the taking and we let it slip.
I fancied our chances V Dublin on the basis that they hate Thurles and we were on a roll after Waterford/Wexford/Antrim games.
Dubs were again there for the taking and it was only in the final 1/4 when we threw off the shackles and dispensed with the Puke hurling that we owned the game, but diabolical shooting cost us dearly.
I was never expecting us to beat Tipp/Cats or Galway or cant see us doing it in the near future, until old loyalties disappear and we have a few forwards that can score consistantly.

bungaro79

i thought he might be going into the vacant galway job but have heard that davy fitz might be approached by both counties. want to put some money on this but no place is giving odds on the limerick or galway job! are there any bookies in limerick?!

plasmaguy

I'm pretty sure O'Grady said he would only take the job for a year and he was true to his word.

It would be worse if he hung around for a couple of years with no real improvement in the team.

premierstone

bungaro79 wrote: »

i thought he might be going into the vacant galway job but have heard that davy fitz might be approached by both counties. want to put some money on this but no place is giving odds on the limerick or galway job! are there any bookies in limerick?!

Mullholands in Galway are giving odds on the Galway job anyway, maybe try Cashmans for the Limerick job, they are Cork based but are generally fairly good for GAA betting.

Mountainlad

Royal Seahawk wrote: »

Disappointed in O'Grady to be honest. He could have said he was leaving the week after the Dublin game, leaving it until now had everybody's hopes built up. What's the point in just hanging around for a year?

Two things there;

1) He always said he was going to give it one year

2) There is the possibility that he was contemplating staying on after the Dublin game, and needed time to consider everything. Bit of unfair to be 'Disappointed in him'.