Dublin can contend for Leinster under Micheál Donoghue - Ryan O'Dwyer

Ryan O'Dwyer believes Michéal Donoghue is a "brilliant appointment" for Dublin and that he can make them realistic contenders for a Leinster hurling title.

The ex-Galway manager was announced on Monday as Mattie Kenny's successor on a three-year term with Noel Larkin, Francis Forde and former Westmeath boss Shane O'Brien as his selectors.

"I'm excited by this," former Dublin hurler O'Dwyer, who was a coach with Down this year, told 2FM's Game On.

"For me anyway, it came out of left field. There were other names being thrown around but when I heard the news I thought it was brilliant for the Dublin hurlers.

"He does have a lot of work on his hands to build up the confidence in the team from last year, just getting beaten on score difference to qualify for the All-Ireland series.

"So there might be a confidence issue there at the start but I have no doubt that the experience he will bring to it, Francis Forde, Noel Larkin and Shane O'Brien, I think it's a great management team.

"They [Donoghue, Larkin and Forde] have worked together in Galway and won an All-Ireland. When Shane O'Brien was manager of Westmeath he had Noel Larkin in as coach so there is a good working relationship there as well."

O'Dwyer, who was a senior panellist with his native Tipperary before lining out with the Dubs, was on the last Sky Blues team to win Leinster, nine years ago.

Kilkenny beat them by nine points in the 2021 decider, the only final of Kenny's four-year reign.

"It's not going to be a case that Michéal Donoghue comes in and flicks a switch and all of a sudden they are contesting Leinster again," he said. "You have to be realistic about it.

"If you're setting goals at the start of this year for Dublin, it's not going to be about winning an