*James Murrihy. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
JAMES MURRIHY has been appointed as the new manager of the Kilmurry Ibrickane senior footballers.
Formerly a selector under outgoing manager, Aiden ‘Horse’ Moloney, James makes the step up to manager for the coming season, his ratification confirmed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the sixteen-time Clare SFC winners.
David Russell, the ex St Senan’s Kilkee and Clare midfielder who also managed Cooraclare at senior level will remain involved with the Bricks this year. Clare FM have reported that Odran O’Dwyer a holder of seven Clare SFC medals returns to his native club following stints with Kilmihil and last year, Ennistymon.
Highly-regarded football coach, Mick Bohan was part of the set-up last year in a matchday capacity, it remains to be seen if the Dublin man will continue for 2022.
It is the first time Murrihy has returned to the role of manager since stepping down as boss of the Clare intermediate ladies football side in December 2020. During his three-year tenure, Clare reached All-Ireland quarter-finals in 2018 and 2019 before reaching the semi-finals in 2020 for the first time since 2016.
In 2015, James was manager of the Corofin side that were crowned Clare IFC champions. He was once part of Colm Collins’ backroom team with the Clare senior footballers, focusing in a video analysis post.
Murrihy’s predecessor, Aiden Moloney guided the club to five final appearances in six seasons in his second stint in the role bringing the Jack Daly back to West Clare on three of those occasions. Horse was captain of the 2002 winning side, ten years on from collecting a Munster SFC medal with the John Maughan Clare team.
