Kevin Fennelly was formally unveiled as Dublin's new hurling manager at Parnell Park yesterday. The former Kilkenny hurler and manager was his usual blunt self and new Dublin chairman John Bailey was his usual upbeat self as Fennelly talked about the future of the game in the capital.

The Kilkennyman had just returned from his holidays when he was informed that he had been handed one of the less glamorous tasks in hurling.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge, but I haven't had much time to assess it. I didn't take much convincing because I've managed teams for over 20 years.

"The standard in Dublin is on a par with Laois and hopefully it can get up to Wexford's and Offaly's. It would be expecting a bit much to get to where Kilkenny are at the moment."

He went on to illustrate this point by laconically referring to Dublin's championship draw. "Meeting Laois if they get out of the round-robin and after that Wexford is a help.

"But I wouldn't have looked at that too closely. If the draw had been against Kilkenny, I'd have been spending only three months in Dublin."

Fennelly's managerial experience is extensive. In his early 20s, he was a selector of the minor All-Ireland winning team, captained by his brother Sean. He has worked continually on the club circuit, but is most famous for his one year in charge of the Kilkenny seniors. He is quick to defend that turbulent 12 months.

Having taken over in the aftermath of the ugly end to Nicky Brennan's tenure - with crowds barracking the manager and his brother Canice - Fennelly became embroiled in controversy when DJ Carey announced what was to prove a temporary retirement. His nerve remained steady and he picked up Kilkenny's first Leinster title in five years and took the county to that year's All-Ireland final.

Arguably, the team had overachieved, but that didn't spare Fennelly when Offaly reversed the result of the Leinster final.

Among the dissent was the charge that the manager had prematurely discarded experienced players, including John Power who subsequently went on to enjoy two further good seasons, culminating in last year's All-Ireland win.

"I got stick from people who wouldn't know any better," he said yesterday. "Mikey Phelan was probably the best centre forward around at the time and he broke his shoulder at the wrong time, but no one was pointing that out.

"The three games against Clare (1998 semi-final) made Offaly a better team than they were. There were people who didn't see why John Power was left out.

"I don't need to justify myself. There were players who gave as much as John Power who were dropped last year and nothing was said. We picked our players on the basis of what we saw in the county and we did a bloody good job."

The criticism and its abrasiveness brought out another side of Fennelly's character. Always confident about his own capabilities, he simply decided he wasn't going to be unfairly saddled with the blame and walked away. He knows this is the nature of the job.

"You get abuse and hardship. I know that from the Monday after the All-Ireland (1998). The press never talks about losers, winners get all the credit. The rider of a horse beaten by a short head never rides a good race."

As was referred to during the press conference, there was a certain irony to the whole scene. Three years next May, Fennelly took Kilkenny to Parnell Park for a championship match with Dublin.

For the first time in generations, there were people who believed that the home side could win the match. Instead they were rubbed out and the massive blow to Dublin's hurling confidence blighted the remainder of Michael O'Grady's management career.

O'Grady was present for the introduction of his successor yesterday and is set to serve on a putative task force for hurling in Dublin. This initiative is the brainchild of chairman Bailey, but has yet to be approved by the county's administrative structures.

Fennelly will attend Sunday's Walsh Cup match against Wexford although he won't select the team. He expects to announce his selectors later this week.

Three referees received their Eircell monthly awards for December 2000 at a reception in Croke Park yesterday.

Pat McEnaney of Monaghan took charge of last year's drawn All-Ireland final and was also involved as the Irish official in the International Rules series.

Wexford's Brian White refereed the All-Ireland replay and travels at the end of the month to Dubai for the All Stars exhibition match.

In hurling, Willie Barrett of Tipperary was honoured. Last September he took charge of his second All-Ireland final.