Jeff Lynskey, the former Galway All-Ireland-winning minor manager, has claimed that former Ireland rugby head coach Eddie O'Sullivan "hasn't a clue about hurling and shouldn't have had a say in who the Galway senior hurling manager was
Galway were knocked out of the championship last weekend after losing to Dublin at Pearse Stadium, 2–27 to 1–24, and now question marks around Henry Shefflin's future have emerged as a result.
Lynskey, who lost out to Kilkenny legend Henry Shefflin when he was appointed in 2021, explained that he was interviewed by a panel that included former Ireland rugby head coach Eddie O'Sullivan.
Although he holds no ill will towards O'Sullivan, the 47-year-old believes that someone who doesn't live and breathe Galway hurling shouldn't be deciding who the Galway senior hurling manager is.
“You are talking to someone doing interviews who has been doing interviews for a 25-year period in terms of VP jobs, AP1s, and education. You are well used to dealing with people. I did the last interview, and you'd find Eddie O’Sullivan inside it. You'd find county officers inside it. That was my third interview with them. They will decide who they want at the end of the day," said Lynskey, speaking to ‘The Maroon and White Pod".
Galway manager Henry Shefflin (Photo By Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile via Getty Images)“I would shake it up in terms of bringing a better calibre of person into the interview process. Make sure it guides them as well.
“It is nothing against Eddie, but Eddie doesn’t have a clue about hurling. Not a clue. He doesn’t understand the workings of Galway hurling. I would go after somebody who understands us as a county, club hurling, and what it means to wear a Galway jersey.”
Lynskey admits it bothers him that Dublin's last two management teams have come from Galway. Mattie Kenny led the team from 2019 until the summer of 2022, as did Galway's 2017 All-Ireland-winning manager, Micheál Donoghue.
He believes both should be involved with Galway and not other parties.
“They have had two Galway managers in charge over the last six years. So let’s call a spade a spade. These are lads who should be working inside their own county, not outside. That’s the disappointing thing for me,” said Lynskey.
“Because all those lads are top, top coaches. Mattie, Micheál, and they are outside the county. Coaching for someone else, and I have an issue with that, to be honest with you.”
