News that Tom McGlinchey was not interested in a fifth league and championship campaign in charge of the Waterford footballers came as a shock to most when news broke on Friday morning last.
The Cork native, in his four seasons in charge of Waterford, played remarkably well with the cards he was dealt with.
The highlight for McGlinchey was without a doubt the masterminding of Waterford’s first championship win earlier this year. Waterford beat a fancied Wexford side in the first round of the All-Ireland qualifiers at Wexford Park, the first time that Waterford had won in the championship since then Waterford manager John Owens side beat London 1-17 to 0-13 in the second round of the All-Ireland Qualifiers back in 2011 at Ruislip.

Tom McGlinchey announced his resignation as Waterford senior football manager last Friday.

Tom McGlinchey announced his resignation as Waterford senior football manager last Friday.


Under his stint as Déise Manager McGlinchey guided his side to only a second ever McGrath Cup success in 2015, beating UCC in the final on a 3-12 to 1-9 score line at Fraher Field while twelve months ago, against all the odds, he ran his native Cork in one point (1-12 to 1-11) in the first round of the Munster Senior Football Championship, again at Fraher Field.
Speaking to WLRfm on Friday morning McGlinchey said “There’s a lot of lovely highlights: the McGrath Cup being won in 2015; even though it was a loss, the display against Cork in Munster last year; and culminating in the Wexford Championship win this summer, and that’ll never be taken away from us”
McGlinchey informed the players of his decision before making it public, says he feels the squad will benefit from ‘a change of voice’in the dressing room.
While the Cork man has every right to be proud of his stint in charge of Waterford, if there was to be a low point, it was earlier this year, when matters were taken out of his hands and the CCCC decided to declare Waterford’s home game in the National League with Leitrim null and void, despite both counties wanting to play the game and agreeing a Dublin venue.
The process will now begin to appoint a successor to the Cork Man. An early name mentioned is former Waterford footballer and Wexford and Kildare manager Jason Ryan, who coincidently was also listed by one leading bookie to take over the position of Waterford senior hurling manager.