Officially they are still weighing up their options although both All-Ireland final hurling managers – Brian Cody and Eamon O'Shea – are now expected to retain their respective positions in 2015.
O'Shea still has another season to run on his three-year term with Tipp. There were some doubts, in the immediate aftermath of last month's replay defeat to Kilkenny, about whether he would stay on, partly because of work commitments at NUI Galway, where he lectures in economics.
Cody has never committed to more than one year at a time, although after guiding Kilkenny to their 10th All-Ireland title since taking charge in 1999, there is nothing to suggest he won’t go for another year. He traditionally waits until after the county hurling final before making his intentions known (that competition not being concluded until next month) but in the meantime he has indicated to sources close to the county board that he is leaning towards another year in charge.
What is certain is that both county boards are keen to keep their managers in place, Tipperary chairman Sean Nugent saying that "everything is positive" with regard to O'Shea's intention for 2015: "We haven't sat down and discussed anything, but we will be making a statement at the next county board meeting."
The players are equally keen for O’Shea to continue. Defender Paddy Stapleton has already spoken on their behalf, indicating that everyone “to a man” wanted O’Shea to stay. “There’s not a man among us that wouldn’t want Eamon to stay on,” said Stapleton. “He gets us and we get him. He has a fantastic personality, a great motivator, and has a great vision of hurling and the way it should be played in the style of Tipperary. He’s is sync with ourselves and we would love if he could stay on.”
For Cody, entering a 17th consecutive season in charge would further underline his status as the longest-serving manager in the game. Since taking over, he has won 13 Leinster titles, eight National League titles, and six Walsh Cup titles, to go with his 10 All-Irelands. The next longest-serving managers in hurling are some considerable distance away, as Anthony Cunningham in Galway, Jimmy Barry-Murphy in Cork, and Liam Dunne in Wexford each enter a fourth consecutive season in charge (although Barry-Murphy also took charge for a previous period in Cork).
Meanwhile, 2013 All-Ireland hurling champions Clare have announced joint captains for their 2015 campaign, that honour being shared by Pat Donnellan and Cian Dillon. Manager Davy Fitzgerald has expressed his desire to spread responsibilities more evenly, and while Donnellan also acted as captain during the 2013 campaign, Dillon will now share that responsibility.
The Waterford hurlers, meanwhile, have lost another of their longest serving players, with Seamus Prendergast confirming his retirement after 15 seasons with the county. Now 34, Prendergast won four Munster titles, including their breakthrough year in 2002, plus one national hurling league title, his last appearance for the county coming in the qualifier defeat to Wexford this summer, when he appeared as a substitute.
