On All-Ireland final weekend, Brian Cody's announcement that he is walking away from the Kilkenny job he has become synonymous with was the most stunning news in the GAA world.
But who will be entrusted with the unenviable task of replacing the most decorated manager in GAA history?
Here, Mirror Sport highlights the three leading candidates:
READ MORE: Henry Shefflin pens classy goodbye tweet to Brian Cody as Kilkenny managers ends legendary reign
Derek Lyng
Appears to be the most obvious choice and may even be the anointed one by Cody himself.
A key midfielder on Cody’s greatest Kilkenny sides, winning six All-Irelands, Lyng later became part of his management team as the Cats enjoyed their two most recent MacCarthy Cup triumphs in 2014 and ‘15.
Stepped back after the 2019 campaign to take charge of the under-20 team and, having recently guided them to an All-Ireland, his stock is high.
Henry Shefflin
Cody’s greatest player, Shefflin appeared to be the heir apparent after his notable success with Ballyhale Shamrocks, who he guided to successive county, Leinster and All-Ireland titles immediately after his retirement from club hurling.
His apparent snub of a backroom role with Cody on more than one occasion before taking charge of Galway has changed the dynamic, however - for now at least.
If he makes a strong play for the job then it may come his way but given that he’s in situ in Galway and has only served one year, that appears unlikely.
Despite Liam Cahill’s recent hop from Waterford to Tipperary, musical chairs is uncommon in inter-county management.
Eddie Brennan
An eight-time All-Ireland winner under Cody, Brennan took on his first managerial role of note with the Kilkenny under-21s, who suffered an embarrassing defeat to Westmeath in his first Leinster campaign in 2016.
He recovered to win the provincial title the following year, however, and guided the team to the All-Ireland final, which they lost to a talented Limerick side that backbones the current senior team.
His most notable success was with Laois, with whom he won the 2019 Joe McDonagh Cup and inspired a famous win over Dublin in the subsequent All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.
Although he kept them afloat the following year, Brennan stepped down having endured a strained relationship with the county board. Has kept his hand in since by coaching Dublin club Cuala in 2021.
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