Mike O’Halloran on Lixnaw’s minors, the new Kerry coach, a great read and Stacks’ county final win…

IT was a busy week for hurling this weekend.

I was in Kilmoyley on Saturday to see Lixnaw complete a double in county minor hurling championship with a very impressive win over St Brendans, a man of the match display by Colin Sheehy was the highlight of this game.

Kilmoyley also completed a double when they won the Intermediate Championship when they overcame Dr Crokes in Abbeydorney and  South Kerry became the Under 16 champions.

After what seems like a long search, the new Kerry hurling manager has been named.

Ciaran Carey, the wholehearted former Limerick player, selector and U21 manager is to take charge of the team for the 2016 season.

For Kerry to be able to secure the services of one of the most high profile ex-players in the country is quite a coup for Kerry hurling.

Ciaran is noted, not only for his great skill, but his huge passion and bravery on the pitch. All these attributes will be needed in abundance to guide Kerry through what looks like a pretty tough journey in division 1B, but if anyone can do it he can.

Ciaran is no stranger to the Kerry hurling scene having been involved with Lixnaw and bringing them success.

His name had been in the mix from the day Eamonn Kelly departed and he is undoubtably a perfect fit for the job with his knowledge of Kerry hurling and his inter county experience at the highest level.

It will be quite a team to be reckoned with when Carey as manager teams up with the determined dynamo that is Daniel Collins of Kilmoyley, who, I presume will captain the Kerry hurlers.

The task ahead of the new manager and his team is huge and to help them along the way in Div 1B, every hurling supporter will have to come out every day, home and away, to encourage the team when they face the likes of Clare.

Let’s hope Ciaran gets at least a three-year contract to put his mark on the team. The last thing Kerry hurling needs is for another manager to depart before his work is done.

We saw this year during the Garvey’s SuperValu Kerry Hurling Championship the passion and togetherness of the hurling community in North Kerry. Lets put that passion behind Ciaran and his team and help them to stay in Division 1B.

Talking of North Kerry, I was in Ballyroe Hotel on Sunday night for the launch of North Kerry – A Hurling History A history of the North Kerry Hurling Board 1925 – 2015, written by Tommy O’Connor.

This book is a must have for anybody with an interest in hurling and its history.

Tommy O’Connor and the North Kerry Hurling Board have produced one of the best history books I have ever seen, not alone is there all the information you’d expect from a sports history book, there are also some gems of social history of North Kerry since 1925.

North Kerry A Hurling History is for sale for €20 and is the perfect Christmas present.

Congratulations to the board and to Tommy O’Connor.

Earlier in the day I was in Lixnaw to see Austin Stacks hurlers overcome Duagh in the final of the County Junior Hurling Championship on a scoreline of 4-13 points to 0-10, in a hard fought game where the scoreline does not reflect the challenge posed by Duagh.

Best of luck to Kilmoyley in the Munster Intermediate Championship on Saturday.