KILKENNY ARE ON the hunt for a new senior hurling manager following the departure of Derek Lyng on Tuesday night.
The six-time All-Ireland winning player held the position for four seasons after taking over from Brian Cody, who famously managed the Cats for 24 years.
His epic reign produced 11 All-Ireland titles and 18 Leinster championships, a legacy which was always going to be difficult for Lyng to inherit. Kilkenny won three Leinster titles in-a-row under his watch while also contesting the 2023 All-Ireland final.
But after reaching last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, Kilkenny endured a string of disappointing results in 2026. An 18-point defeat to Galway in the league was Kilkenny’s biggest defeat since 1954, and their failure to qualify out of the Leinster series marks the county’s earliest championship exit since 1996.
The expectation for the next manager will be to oversee a big revival in Kilkenny. So, who are the leading contenders for that task?
Derek Lyng stepped down as Kilkenny manager on Tuesday night. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Henry Shefflin
Hailed as one of the sport’s all-time greats with 10 All-Irelands, Henry Shefflin was also considered for this job after Cody’s departure. At that point in his managerial career, Shefflin was in his first season with the Galway hurlers which ended at the All-Ireland semi-final stage.
He stayed with Galway for three years, reaching another All-Ireland semi-final in 2023 before failing to emerge from the Leinster championship the following year.
His CV also includes managing his club Ballyhale Shamrocks to back-to-back All-Ireland triumphs in 2019 and 2020. Shefflin returned for a second stint with Ballyhale which yielded another county title last year before losing the Leinster final to St Martin’s of Wexford.
He was in charge of the Kilkenny U20s this year, bringing the side to the Leinster final where they lost out to Galway by 2-20 to 2-11. Along with his vast experience, Shefflin’s knowledge of the emerging talent in Kilkenny could make him the top candidate for the position.
Brian Dowling
Brian Dowling is already spoken for as the current manager of the Kildare hurlers. But his recent exploits with the Lilywhites will surely catapult him into this discussion.
Since his appointment in 2023, Dowling has overseen a period of tremendous growth in Kildare. Their Christy Ring Cup success in 2024 was followed by winning the Joe McDonagh competition last year, marking a return to the Leinster senior championship for the first time since 2004.
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They will be playing in the second tier competition again in 2027, but they leave with some encouraging results in the Leinster round-robin series.
They gave Galway a scare last month, leading by 10 points at half-time before Micheál Donoghue’s side rallied in the second half to win by nine. Wexford also found Kildare difficult to shake off and just three points in front after 60 minutes before pulling clear to an eight-point win.
Kildare’s league form should also be noted after preserving their Division 1B status this year.
Dowling, who won two All-Irelands as a player, has already enjoyed a successful term as manager of the Kilkenny camogie team. After taking over from the legendary Ann Downey, Dowling delivered two All-Ireland titles in 2020 and 2022.
Dowling is also the manager of St Kieran’s College where he works as a career guidance counsellor. They won their third Croke Cup in four seasons this year, after defeating Presentation College Athenry in the final.
Eddie Brennan
The four-time All-Star also featured in the conversation for Cody’s successor, and would be a strong candidate this time around having been part of Derek Lyng’s backroom team.
A former manager of the Kilkenny U21s, Brennan was in charge when they suffered a shock defeat to Westmeath in the 2016 Leinster championship before reaching the All-Ireland final the following year where they lost out to Limerick.
He guided Laois to a Joe McDonagh title and an All-Ireland quarter-final appearance in 2019, and has worked with various clubs including Cuala in Dublin, and Tipperary side Moycarkey-Borris.
David Herity before the 2025 All-Ireland semi-final between Tipperary and Kilkenny. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
David Herity
The former Kilkenny goalkeeper has developed plenty of mentoring experience at both club and inter-county level. He has worked with the Dublin camogie team as well as the Kildare hurlers.
He was involved in Henry Shefflin’s backroom team during his second term in charge of Ballyhale Shamrocks, and also played a key role as part of Liam Cahill’s coaching unit for Tipperary’s march to All-Ireland success last year.
Michael Rice
Another prominent figure during the Derek Lyng administration, Rice would certainly bring continuity to the role should he be selected as the new Kilkenny boss.
The pair also worked together when Lyng was in charge of the Kilkenny U20s when they won the All-Ireland in 2022.
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Rice won eight All-Ireland titles as a player with Kilkenny.
Peter Barry
The three-time All-Ireland winner was also part of that Kilkenny U20 backroom team in 2022, and was subsequently added to the senior set-up when Lyng was appointed as manager.
Similar to Rice, he would be a familiar face in the dressing room if he were to be promoted to the hot seat.
Brian Hogan before the 2025 Kilkenny hurling county final between O'Loughlin Gaels and Ballyhale Shamrocks. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Brian Hogan
After an impressive career at centre-back for Kilkenny, Brian Hogan has built up some noteworthy credentials in management.
He brought O’Loughlin Gaels to the summit of Kilkenny in 2023 after a famous victory over Ballyhale Shamrocks who were defending All-Ireland champions at the time, and chasing a county six-in-a-row. They went on to win the Leinster final later that season.
Hogan was part of Shefflin’s backroom team with the Kilkenny U20s this year.
Tom Mullally
A native of Kilkenny, Mullally is best known for leading Carlow’s Mount Leinster Rangers to an unlikely Leinster senior title in 2013, and an All-Ireland final appearance against Galway’s Portumna.
Mullally was also involved with the Clara club in Kilkenny at that time, and led them to a senior county title in 2013. He later managed Naas to Leinster and All-Ireland intermediate titles in 2021/22, and brought them to a Leinster senior semi-final last season.
He stepped down as manager of the Carlow hurlers last year after winning the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2023.
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Who are the candidates to replace Derek Lyng as Kilkenny manager?
KILKENNY ARE ON the hunt for a new senior hurling manager following the departure of Derek Lyng on Tuesday night.
The six-time All-Ireland winning player held the position for four seasons after taking over from Brian Cody, who famously managed the Cats for 24 years.
His epic reign produced 11 All-Ireland titles and 18 Leinster championships, a legacy which was always going to be difficult for Lyng to inherit. Kilkenny won three Leinster titles in-a-row under his watch while also contesting the 2023 All-Ireland final.
But after reaching last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, Kilkenny endured a string of disappointing results in 2026. An 18-point defeat to Galway in the league was Kilkenny’s biggest defeat since 1954, and their failure to qualify out of the Leinster series marks the county’s earliest championship exit since 1996.
The expectation for the next manager will be to oversee a big revival in Kilkenny. So, who are the leading contenders for that task?
Henry Shefflin
Hailed as one of the sport’s all-time greats with 10 All-Irelands, Henry Shefflin was also considered for this job after Cody’s departure. At that point in his managerial career, Shefflin was in his first season with the Galway hurlers which ended at the All-Ireland semi-final stage.
He stayed with Galway for three years, reaching another All-Ireland semi-final in 2023 before failing to emerge from the Leinster championship the following year.
His CV also includes managing his club Ballyhale Shamrocks to back-to-back All-Ireland triumphs in 2019 and 2020. Shefflin returned for a second stint with Ballyhale which yielded another county title last year before losing the Leinster final to St Martin’s of Wexford.
He was in charge of the Kilkenny U20s this year, bringing the side to the Leinster final where they lost out to Galway by 2-20 to 2-11. Along with his vast experience, Shefflin’s knowledge of the emerging talent in Kilkenny could make him the top candidate for the position.
Brian Dowling
Brian Dowling is already spoken for as the current manager of the Kildare hurlers. But his recent exploits with the Lilywhites will surely catapult him into this discussion.
Since his appointment in 2023, Dowling has overseen a period of tremendous growth in Kildare. Their Christy Ring Cup success in 2024 was followed by winning the Joe McDonagh competition last year, marking a return to the Leinster senior championship for the first time since 2004.
They will be playing in the second tier competition again in 2027, but they leave with some encouraging results in the Leinster round-robin series.
They gave Galway a scare last month, leading by 10 points at half-time before Micheál Donoghue’s side rallied in the second half to win by nine. Wexford also found Kildare difficult to shake off and just three points in front after 60 minutes before pulling clear to an eight-point win.
Kildare’s league form should also be noted after preserving their Division 1B status this year.
Dowling, who won two All-Irelands as a player, has already enjoyed a successful term as manager of the Kilkenny camogie team. After taking over from the legendary Ann Downey, Dowling delivered two All-Ireland titles in 2020 and 2022.
Dowling is also the manager of St Kieran’s College where he works as a career guidance counsellor. They won their third Croke Cup in four seasons this year, after defeating Presentation College Athenry in the final.
Eddie Brennan
The four-time All-Star also featured in the conversation for Cody’s successor, and would be a strong candidate this time around having been part of Derek Lyng’s backroom team.
A former manager of the Kilkenny U21s, Brennan was in charge when they suffered a shock defeat to Westmeath in the 2016 Leinster championship before reaching the All-Ireland final the following year where they lost out to Limerick.
He guided Laois to a Joe McDonagh title and an All-Ireland quarter-final appearance in 2019, and has worked with various clubs including Cuala in Dublin, and Tipperary side Moycarkey-Borris.
David Herity
The former Kilkenny goalkeeper has developed plenty of mentoring experience at both club and inter-county level. He has worked with the Dublin camogie team as well as the Kildare hurlers.
He was involved in Henry Shefflin’s backroom team during his second term in charge of Ballyhale Shamrocks, and also played a key role as part of Liam Cahill’s coaching unit for Tipperary’s march to All-Ireland success last year.
Michael Rice
Another prominent figure during the Derek Lyng administration, Rice would certainly bring continuity to the role should he be selected as the new Kilkenny boss.
The pair also worked together when Lyng was in charge of the Kilkenny U20s when they won the All-Ireland in 2022.
Rice won eight All-Ireland titles as a player with Kilkenny.
Peter Barry
The three-time All-Ireland winner was also part of that Kilkenny U20 backroom team in 2022, and was subsequently added to the senior set-up when Lyng was appointed as manager.
Similar to Rice, he would be a familiar face in the dressing room if he were to be promoted to the hot seat.
Brian Hogan
After an impressive career at centre-back for Kilkenny, Brian Hogan has built up some noteworthy credentials in management.
He brought O’Loughlin Gaels to the summit of Kilkenny in 2023 after a famous victory over Ballyhale Shamrocks who were defending All-Ireland champions at the time, and chasing a county six-in-a-row. They went on to win the Leinster final later that season.
Hogan was part of Shefflin’s backroom team with the Kilkenny U20s this year.
Tom Mullally
A native of Kilkenny, Mullally is best known for leading Carlow’s Mount Leinster Rangers to an unlikely Leinster senior title in 2013, and an All-Ireland final appearance against Galway’s Portumna.
Mullally was also involved with the Clara club in Kilkenny at that time, and led them to a senior county title in 2013. He later managed Naas to Leinster and All-Ireland intermediate titles in 2021/22, and brought them to a Leinster senior semi-final last season.
He stepped down as manager of the Carlow hurlers last year after winning the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2023.
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