Matthew Twomey coped brilliantly with the pressure of the Cork job, he'll be a hard act to follow

THE big news during the week was the departure of Matthew Twomey after two years at the helm of Cork’s senior camogie team.

It’s very disappointing to see him go but I’m not surprised. He had suggested earlier in the year that this term would be his last. Yes, he’s only been manager for two years, but he has been involved with Cork for over a decade.

Being manager, of course, brings an additional workload. It’s a tough job.

The easiest part of it is the hours you spend on the training ground. The distractions away from that are multiple.

However, it’s not easy to walk away from a winning side. You always feel that there’s another title in the team and that is certainly the case when it comes to Cork and this particular team, considering the underage success the county has had and the transitional period that Kilkenny and Galway are undoubtedly in.

But Matthew’s mind was made up. Feeling like he has left his work colleagues and family to carry the weight of the day-to-day, he said when I spoke with him: "From a GAA perspective it's very hard to leave, from a personal perspective it’s an easy decision."

PRESSURE

Make no mistake but the pressure was on Matthew to deliver, and he had a difficult 2022 losing both the league and championship titles.

There was no shame in losing that final, but it hurt. Losing the 2023 league title was another blow but management and players kept at it and Matthew was adamant that the All-Ireland title in 2023 was the aim.

I’m delighted for him in particular that it worked out the way it did. And to win it in such style made it all the sweeter.

There was no easy route, they had to beat Kilkenny and Galway along the way.

Of course, speculation goes immediately to a replacement. It’s a big change.

Matthew was familiar with the girls and him, and he also kept consistency with the likes of Teddy O’Donovan.

Will a new manager bring an entirely new backroom team? There’s danger in that, particularly if you haven’t been involved in camogie up to now.

Jerry Wallace has been mentioned as a replacement. It’s no surprise that is the case considering his massive underage success with the Cork minors.

He knows camogie inside and out. I picked his thoughts on Tuesday and his reply was: "Now that the opportunity has arose, and it’s unexpected, the Cork community in shock at Matthew’s departure, I certainly would have ambitions to lead Cork [at senior level]. If it came my way, I wouldn’t be shy."

I imagine a panel will be selected like in 2021 and applicants invited to apply.

Time will tell, but it needs to be addressed pretty quickly.