Three-time Cork SFC winner takes over as new Castlehaven manager
Three-time Cork SFC winner takes over as new Castlehaven manager
BY DENIS HURLEY AND
KIERAN McCARTHY
IT WILL be a family affair for Castlehaven this season, following the appointment of Liam Collins as the club’s new senior football manager.
A winner of three county senior championship with the club at full-back, in 2003, 2012 and 2013, Collins has been announced as the replacement for James McCarthy, who has stepped down in order to focus on his role as the manager of the Cork U17 team. Having been on the senior panel until the end of 2015, he played at junior level with the Castletownshend/Union Hall club last year.
The 36-year-old will have as his selectors Batt Maguire, his uncle Bernard Collins and Fergus Shanahan. As well as the familiarity of playing with much of the current panel, he also brings experience as an U21 selector in recent years.
Adding to the family feel is the fact that Liam’s father Christy is the club chairman. Before McCarthy, Jim Nolan was in charge for a year after Finbarr Santry, and Christy is hopeful that some continuity can be put in place.
‘We are very happy to have got this sorted, it’s business as usual in Castlehaven,’ he says.
‘We kept it in-house, it’s not always easy to get people, but I always knew that somebody would step up and do it.
‘Ideally, you’d like it done earlier and as well, this is the sixth manager in my time as chairman. You’re prefer for there to be continuity, that a fella would stay in charge for three or four years and leave his mark.’
Meanwhile, the Carbery GAA Board has yet to announce the identities of the division’s senior football and hurling managers – but they are exploring different options and narrowing down the search. Gene O’Driscoll has been in charge of the Carbery footballers for the past few seasons and could yet stay at the helm for the campaign ahead, while Ballinascarthy’s Gerry Ryan stepped down as Carbery senior hurling boss after last season.
Newcestown have appointed Michael Fitzgerald from Carrigtwohill as the club’s senior hurling coach, but while the club is still to appoint a new senior football manager, club officials are very hopeful of white smoke quite soon, maybe even this weekend.
