Kilkenny Camogie yesterday (July 11) announced that manager Brian Dowling, who led the team to All-Ireland titles in 2020 and 2022, has stepped down.
The announcement comes after Kilkenny loss to Cork in last weekend's quarterfinal, which meant the team would miss out on the semi-finals for the first time since 2012.
🗣"We weren't clinical enough"
🟡Kilkenny manager Brian Dowling speaking with @ashoreilly after they lost to Cork today in the camogie quarter final in Croke Park
🗣"We kind of felt whoever won today will get huge momentum going forward" pic.twitter.com/05A2MJ91CD— Off The Ball (@offtheball) July 9, 2023
Dowling joined the Kilkenny coaching team in 2019 before being appointed senior manager the next year.
Kilkenny Camogie revealed that Dowling's "entire backroom team" is also stepping down. An appointments committee will be formed to fill the manager role before next season.
A statement from Kilkenny Camogie chair Theresa Aylward was also included in the announcement:
"Kilkenny Camogie would like to sincerely thank Brian and his entire backroom team for their commitment, dedication, and work, and most of all the professionalism that he has brought over the past five years.
"He is a two-time All-Ireland winning manager having won the titles with the panel in 2020 during the very trying Covid-19 period and again in 2022. The time that he has put into the panel has been second to none and he has always put the players welfare to the fore in his tenure.
"He has guided this panel of players to heights that many could dream of and he will be sorely missed. We wish Brian the very best in his future endeavours and we thank him wholeheartedly for what he has done for Kilkenny Camogie.”
Dowling was the recipient of manager of the year awards both years he led Kilkenny to the championship.
