Former Limerick hurling stars Gary Kirby and Richie Bennis, together with current under-21 manager Tony Hickey, were last night proposed by the Limerick County Board to take on responsibility for the senior hurling team, working alongside Liam Lenihan, who served with Joe McKenna as a selector.

The new management team was ratified last night by the county's club delegates.

Kirby, a member of the Limerick All-Ireland final teams of 1996 and 1998, and Bennis, winner of an All-Ireland medal in 1973, are members of the Patrickswell club, while Hickey is attached to Murroe Boher.

In a local radio interview four weeks ago, Kirby said that he had thought about putting his name forward as a future manager of the county team, but only when he felt the time was right. Bennis is brother of Phil Bennis, who was manager of Limerick in 1992.

County board chairman Denis Holmes confirmed that the trio had approached them with a view to helping out. "They knew of our plight after Joe McKenna handed in his resignation and were anxious to help out in the short term," he said.

The idea was, he said, that with Liam Lenihan, they would work as a four-man management team. "We did not wish to rush into appointing a manager to replace Joe McKenna. We felt it was best to allow the dust settle and return to the management issue later in the year."

McKenna and coach Ger Cunningham resigned in the aftermath of Sunday's 17-point defeat to Clare in their opening qualifier match at Cusack Park, Ennis, on Sunday. It was the third successive defeat, following the National League final loss against Kilkenny and Munster championship defeat to Tipperary. Limerick's next match is against Offaly on July 1st.