THE LAST managerial appointment of 2013 may be the most dramatic of all. Mick O’Dwyer is due to be unveiled as the Clare football manager next week, a county board source confirmed to The Irish Times.

If the 76-year-old’s name was to be ratified next week it would certainly put a dent in the average age of intercounty managers, which currently stands at 44. He will be 77 next June.

O’Dwyer was unavailable for comment last night. However, the understanding is that he is poised to accept the offer to take control of the Division Four outfit.

The wily old Kerry man will see potential in the panel, which would be his sixth stint as an intercounty manager, as Clare reached the Munster final last July after beating Limerick 1-13 to 0-15 at the Gaelic Grounds. However, Cork had 12 points to spare on them in the decider.

Their most famous day was 1992 when they shocked Kerry to win only their second Munster football crown. Their only other title came in 1917.

The Clare County Board are also eager for fitness trainer Michael Cahill, originally from Limerick but based in Tralee, to remain a part of the backroom team with O’Dwyer’s selectors all coming from within the county.

O’Dwyer’s previous intercounty managerial roles have produced varying degrees of success. After winning eight All-Ireland’s with Kerry from 1975 to 1986 he reappeared as Kildare manager from 1991-94. His second stint with the Lilywhites saw them reach the 1998 All-Ireland final.

The next stop was Laois (2003-06) where he again delivered a Leinster title, his third, before the most recent reign in Wicklow (2006-11) yielded some memorable qualifier scalps.

O’Dwyer has been training his local Waterville club this year. Clare’s opening championship match next summer is a home semi-final against the winners of Limerick and Cork.