4 days ago
Cork coach Kevin Walsh's intentions becoming clear as John Cleary looks to 2026
Kevin Walsh is set to continue coaching the Cork footballers for another season.
The former Galway and Sligo boss has worked under manager John Cleary for the past three seasons and all indications are that he will stay in the role for the 2026 campaign, reports.
Cleary completed a three-year term with this year's All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final defeat to Dublin having initially taken on the role on a caretaker basis during the 2022 season after incumbent Keith Ricken took ill.
He was handed a fresh two-year term last week despite the team failing to kick on having exited at the preliminary quarter-final stage for the second successive season after reaching the last eight in 2023.
However, there were some signs of encouragement, particularly in the Munster semi-final against Kerry, which the eventual champions went on to win after extra time, while Cork were in the ascendancy for much of that preliminary quarter-final against Dublin before slipping to a three-point defeat.
The acquisition of Walsh was seen as something of a coup for Cleary given how he had progressed Sligo and particularly his native Galway during his spells in as manager in both counties, though the length of the commute has raised questions as to how sustainable it would be for the two-time All-Ireland winning midfielder, whose services would be in demand closer to home.
However, it appears as though the management team is remaining largely intact as Cork gear up for another season in Division Two next year. Along with Walsh, Cleary also had Micheál Ó Cróinín, James Loughrey, Barry Corkery and Jim O'Donoghue on the ticket.
Meanwhile, there is still no firm indication around whether hurling manager Pat Ryan will continue in the job after the devastating All-Ireland final loss to Tipperary.
The 16-point defeat last month officially brought his three-year term to a close though it is believed that there is an appetite among the county board executive to grant him another season if he wants it.
This year Ryan guided Cork to their first League title since 1998 and bridged a seven-year gap to their last Munster title, but the season has been largely coloured by their spectacular second half collapse in the All-Ireland final, and whether the Sarsfields man is prepared to soldier on in the wake of that disappointment remains to be seen.
