First among equals - Derek Lyng can join elite club of debutant managers to win Liam MacCarthy

Replacing the great Brian Cody in the Kilkenny hot seat might have been viewed as a poisoned chalice but Derek Lyng has the chance to join an exclusive club today: managers to win the All-Ireland hurling title in their first year in charge.

His counterpart, John Kiely of Limerick, Micheal Donoghue, Davy Fitzgerald, Dónal O'Grady and Cody all did it in their second year in charge since the turn of millennium but getting over the line inside the first 12 months is a rate feat indeed.

Here are the most recent men to manage it.

2016 - Michael Ryan (Tipperary)

The 1991 All-Ireland winning corner-back had been a selector with Liam Sheedy in 2010 and assistant manager under Eamon O’Shea from 2012-15.

Tipperary made the unusual step of confirming him as O'Shea's successor a year before the change over but it paid off as the banker and farmer from Upperchurch-Drombane led the Premier County to a flawless championship season at the first attempt.

Tipperary beat Waterford by 21 points in the provincial final and were 2-29 to 2-20 winners over Kilkenny in the All-Ireland decider after a narrow semi-final win over Galway.

The Tribesmen got their revenge at the same stage the following year and Ryan resigned after Tipp failed to get out of Munster in 2018. He was replaced by… Sheedy, who won the title in his first year back in charge.

2005 - John Allen (Cork)

A dual star who won two hurling All-Irelands in his playing days, Allen was a selector under Donal O’Grady in 2003 and 2004.

Cork had won the title in O'Grady's second season but he stuck by a pledge not to seek an extended term, win or lose.

Allen (50) succeeded his fellow school principal and went one better, beating Tipperary to reclaim the Munster crown that had been lost to