Henry Shefflin 'definitely' in line to manage Kilkenny one day despite Galway struggles

Henry Shefflin remains a Kilkenny manager in waiting despite his Galway experience, says Richie Power.

Shefflin stepped aside as Tribe boss this year after an underwhelming three-year spell in charge as they lost successful Leinster finals to Kilkenny before losing to Limerick in the All-Ireland semi-final in both 2022 and ‘23, though they failed to get out of the provincial group in this year’s Championship.

He has since taken the reins of his club, Ballyhale Shamrocks, for the second time having guided them to successive All-Irelands in 2019 and ‘20.

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“I definitely think we will see it,” said Power as to the prospect of his former teammate taking charge of Kilkenny down the line. “It could be five years, it could be 10 years down the line, you just don’t know. He would have started off his managerial career on a serious high down in Ballyhale, winning club championships and All-Irelands and he went for one year over the road to Thomastown.

“I think the Galway job was the next step for Henry. Inter-county management was definitely the next step for him. Unfortunately it didn’t work out for him in Galway.”

Bill Cuddihy, Chairman of the Cois Nore Cancer Support Centre, receives a cheque for €3,500 from Richie Power Snr from the proceeds of ‘Power, A Family Memoir’. Also pictured are Maria Connolly, Richie Power Jnr, Ann Power and Dermot Keyes (author).

Power questioned how much of the blame Shefflin should carry for that, however.

“I know the first thing people will do, they’ll turn back and they’ll blame management and they’ll blame tactics and they’ll blame this and they’ll blame that but I think when you look at it and it comes back to it, you always have to look at the players and I just don’t think that the personnel was there in Galway to be good enough to win an All-Ireland.

“Henry got very close two of the years and the third year was a real disappointment for him. I won’t say he’s left Galway in a good place, but I still think Micheal Donoghue going in now, he’ll realise that there’s a rebuild needed.”

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