Hand to take Offaly U20 hurling reins

Incoming Offaly U20 hurling manager Shane Hand

Shane Hand is set to be named as the new Offaly U20 hurling manager.

The Kilcormac/Killoughey clubman’s appointment will be ratified at the October county board meeting. He takes over from Leo O’Connor who called time on his seven-year involvement with underage hurling teams in the county in July.

O’Connor famously led Offaly to All-Ireland U20 glory in 2024 after coming within a whisker of winning an All-Ireland MHC title two years earlier. Hand will be a popular choice for the role, having previously served as an U20 selector under Gary Cahill. He has enjoyed huge success as a club manager in the Faithful County. After leading Ballinamere to a maiden SHC ‘B’ title in 2018, he guided his home club to three successive SHC final appearances. After losing to first-time winners Shinrone in 2022, Kilcormac/Killoughey turned the tables on the Tipperary-border club in spectacular fashion in 2023 before retaining the Sean Robbins Cup at Ballinamere’s expense in ’24.

K/K went on to contest the Leinster club SHC final against eventual All-Ireland champions Na Fianna but, in spite of this, Hand was controversially replaced as manager for 2025 by Declan Laffan. Within weeks, he was appointed to the Tullamore hotseat and was unlucky not to guide them to the knockout stages of the SHC in each of the last two years.

Hand’s imminent appointment means that all of the Offaly inter-county manager roles have now been filled ahead of the 2027 season.