New Hurling Boss

Anthony Daly

Anthony Daly (born 1970 in Clarecastle, County Clare) is an Irish hurling manager and former player, currently embarking on his first season as manager of the Dublin senior hurling team. He played hurling with his local club Clarecastle and with the Clare senior inter-county team from 1990 until 2000. Daly managed the Clare senior inter-county team from 2003 until 2006 and also served as manager of the Kilmoyley senior hurling team in Kerry. He also works as a pundit on RTÉ's The Sunday Game.

Playing career

Club

Daly played his club hurling with his local club in Clarecastle and enjoyed much success. In 1991 he first tasted major success when he captured a senior county title with the club. Daly added a second county winners’ medal to his collection in 1994. After a brief hiatus Clarecastle were back on top of the local hurling world again in 1997 with Daly picking up a third county title. The club subsequently represented the county in the provincial club championship and reached the final. On that occasion Daly won a coveted Munster club title following a 2-11 to 0-15 defeat of Limerick side Patrickswell. His side were later defeated by Birr following a draw and a replay in the All-Ireland club semi-final .^[2]

[edit] Inter-county

By the late 1980s Daly had come to the attention of the Clare inter-county selectors. He quickly joined the Clare minor team hurling team; however, he narrowly missed out on a Munster medal in 1989 as he was overage by one year. Daly subsequently moved onto the inter-county under-21 team but had little success in this grade either.

In 1989 Daly played with the Clare senior team for the first time in a National Hurling League game against Waterford.^[3] He made his first Munster Championship appearance in 1990 when Clare took on Limerick, however, it wasn’t a happy period for Clare, then regarded as the minnows of Munster hurling. Two years later in 1992 Daly was appointed captain of the Clare senior hurling team, a position he held until 2000.

Clare hurling was at a low-ebb in the early 1990s, however, in spite of this Daly lined out in his first Munster final in 1993. Tipperary were the opponents on that occasion, however, the game turned out to be a complete disaster for Clare. A final score line of 3-27 to 2-12, in favour of Tipp, resulted in a humiliating trouncing for Clare.^[4]

In 1994 Clare were back in the Munster final for a second consecutive year. Limerick provided the opposition in Daly’s second provincial decider; however, the result was a familiar one. Clare were completely overwhelmed and were trounced yet again by 0-25 to 2-10.^[5] In spite of this defeat Daly’s performance throughout the championship earned him his first All-Star award.

In 1995 Ger Loughnane took over as manager of the Clare senior hurling team and made sweeping changes. New fitness regimes and new personalized diets and, above all, a new psychological approach, resulted in the fittest and most prepared Clare team ever taking to the field for a third consecutive Munster final in 1995. Limerick were the opponents for a second consecutive year and took an early lead. Clare never surrendered and, thanks to an inspirational penalty by goalkeeper Davy FitzGerald, fought back to win by 1-7 to 0-11. It was Daly’s first Munster title and Clare’s first since 1932.^[6] A subsequent defeat of Galway gave Daly the right to lead his team out in Croke Park for the All-Ireland final. Offaly provided the opposition on that occasion in what was the first ever meeting of these two sides in the championship. The game developed into a close affair with Offaly taking a half-time lead. Four minutes from the end substitute Éamonn Taaffe first timed a long range free straight into the net to give Clare a one-point lead. After a quick equalizer Daly sent over a 65-metre free to give his team the lead again. Jamesie O'Connor pointed soon afterwards and at the full-time whistle Clare were the 1-13 to 2-8 winners.^[7] Daly had just won his first All-Ireland medal while he also had the honour of becoming the first Clare person since 1914 to life the Liam McCarthy Cup. He was later presented with a second All-Star award.

In 1996 Clare dramatically lost their Munster and All-Ireland titles in a first-round meeting with Limerick. The winning point by Ciarán Carey has been described as one of the greatest match-winners of all-time.^[8]

In 1997 Clare were back on form and reached the Munster final once again. Tipperary, a team regarded as one of the aristocrats of hurling, provided the opposition on that occasion. It was an occasion to savour for Daly as Clare won a close and exciting game by 1-18 to 0-18.^[9] Daly’s acceptance speech, however, in which he asserted the Clare were ‘no longer the whipping boys of Munster’, seemed to annoy certain people.^[10] The introduction of the new ‘back-door’ system resulted in both Clare and Tipperary meeting for the second time in the first all-Munster All-Ireland final. The game itself was one of the best of the decade. Clare were well on top for much of the game, however, Liam Cahill and Eugene O’Neill scored twice for Tipp in the last ten minutes. John Leahy missed a goal chance in the last minute while another Tipp point was controversially ruled wide. At the full-time whistle Clare won by a single point – 0-20 to 2-13.^[11] In winning the 1997 All-Ireland final Clare defeated Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary - the big three of hurling. In doing so they became only the second team ever, along with Waterford, to achieve this.

In 1998 Clare were once again the favourites to take a third All-Ireland title in four years. All went to plan as Daly captained the county to another Munster title.^[12] The victory over Waterford in a replay was an ill-tempered affair, with many citing it as the beginning of the end for Clare’s great run of success. Daly’s next game with Clare was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Offaly. Clare were the red-hot favourites, however, it took a late equalizer by Jamesie O’Connor to secure a draw.^[13] The replay was a bizarre affair. With two minutes left to play Clare were 1-16 to 2-10 ahead and looked destined for victory, however, referee Jimmy Cooney blew the full-time whistle. The Offaly supporters launched a sit-down protest on the pitch at Croke Park and a second replay was granted. By this stage Daly’s side were exhausted and lost the game by 0-16 to 0-13.^[14] In spite of a bitter and controversial defeat Daly was still presented with a third All-Star award.

The following few seasons proved difficult for Daly and Clare. A young Cork team emerged in 1999, defeating Clare in the Munster final.^[15] Following the conclusion of the championship in 2000 Daly decided to retire from inter-county hurling.

Provincial

Daly also lined out with Munster in the inter-provincial hurling championship where he played alongside his championship rivals from other Munster hurling counties. He first played for his province in 1993 as Munster were defeated by Ulster in the semi-final. Defeat was Munster’s lot again in 1994; however, Daly won his first Railway Cup title following a defeat of Ulster in 1995. He was captain of the province in 1996 as he collected a second Railway Cup title after Munster’s victory over Leinster

Managerial career

Clare

Daly was appointed manager of the Clare senior hurling team on 22 October, 2003. Other candidates interested in the job included Seán Stack, Mike McNamara, Colm Honan and Kevin Kennedy.^[17]^[18] After a relatively unsuccessful National League campaign Daly's side were trounced by Waterford in their first championship outing. After successfully completing the qualifiers system Clare were eventually defeated by reigning champions Kilkenny following an exciting draw and a replay.

In 2005 Daly's side exited the provincial championship at an early stage once again. After topping group B of the qualifier series Clare subsequently defeated Wexford to set up an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Cork. In that game Daly’s side had the reigning All-Ireland champions on the ropes. Clare led by six points at one stage, however, Cork fought back to defeat Clare by just one point. The defeat was a massive blow for Clare, however, Daly was offered another year as manager thanks to his performance.

In 2006 Clare were comprehensively defeated by Cork in their opening game in the championship. After topping group B of the qualifier series for the second consecutive year Clare subsequently defeated Wexford to set up an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Kilkenny. Clare, however, were defeated once again. Following this defeat Daly resigned as manager.^[19] He was replaced by former selector Tony Considine.

Kilmoyley

After a brief hiatus Daly returned to management in 2007 when he succeeded John Meyler as manager of the Kilmoyley senior hurling team in Kerry.^[20] His first season in charge bore some fruit as the club reached the final of the county championship. On that ocacsion Kilmoyley took on Lixnaw, a side managed by Éamonn Cregan. The result was not a good one as Daly's side were defeated on that occasion.^[21] Kilmoyley bounced back in 2008 with Daly's side reaching the county final once again. On that occasion Causeway were the opponents, however, on this occasion Kilmoyley recorded a comfortable 1-18 to 0-8 to take the title.^[22]