*Maurice Walsh. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
MAURICE WALSH will not continue as manager of the Clare U20 footballers.
Walsh took on the reigns following Michael Neylon’s resignation last November. Initially Neylon had been appointed to continue for a sixth season but left the role in the wake of Peter Keane’s appointment as Clare senior football manager.
Miltown Malbay’s Neylon had been in the mix to succeed Mark Fitzgerald in the top job and had been the initial preferred choice of senior officials in Clare GAA until they opted to go with Keane who was the last person to apply for the job and did so after the deadline had passed.
A former manager of the Clare minor footballers, Maurice was interested in returning to the minor job last year but didn’t proceed with putting a ticket together when Joe Hayes had formed a management to succeed Dermot Coughlan.
Speaking to The Clare Echo in March, Maurice explained how he became U20 manager. “I had no real desire for a position and then Michael (Neylon) stepped back and the position opened up and because I had spoken to a couple of lads in relation to forming a management team so we said we’d approach the County Board and put our names forward to see how we’d get on”.
At Tuesday’s meeting of the County Board, Chairman of Clare GAA Kieran Keating announced that Walsh would not continued in the post for 2026 and that they hoped to put a proposal before the September meeting for approval of the delegates.
He stated, “We started some work at the weekend on putting an under 20 management team in place. We had a meeting at the weekend, myself and a few including former players that we consult with to guide us”.
Keating thanked Maurice and his management team for their efforts in the season gone by. He said he had informed the outgoing manager that “we are looking at putting a management team in place. In fairness to him he took the 20s last year quite late in the day and I sincerely thank him and his team for taking the role. We will proceed with the process over the next few weeks, speaking with the candidate or candidates we feel are best equipped to lead that group for the coming year. We aim to have a proposal at the September meeting”.
Walsh was joined in his U20 management by ex Clare footballer, Kildysart’s Ger ‘Bobby’ Kelly, Daniel Ryan of Kilrush Shamrocks, Lissycasey’s Declan Conway and Shane McNeilis from Kildysart with Mike Brennan on video analysis, Nathan McNicholas responsible for S&C and Ruth Hassett as physio.
During phase one and two of the Munster U20 football championship this year, Clare played six games, winning one and losing five.
