Kilkenny City manager Joe McGrath announced his resignation after a training session with the team last night. The news comes sfter a 7-2 drubbing at the hands of Bohemians in the FAI Cup quarter final at Buckley Park last Sunday.
McGrath who only took charge last September told the Star, "I have been mulling it over for weeks." "It was for business reasons and had nothing to do with the defeat on Sunday," he added.
McGrath, who spent 10 years as National Director of coaching and some time as a member of New Zealand's World Cup coaching squad, is leaving Kilkenny for the second time having managed the team in the 1990/91 season.
Kilkenny are a certainty for the drop this season having only won one game, away to Galway United last August, before McGrath took charge of the club after the resignation of Pat Byrne in September 2000.
Under McGrath the team has only won twice in all competitions, both results in the FAI Cup against Galway United and non-league Cherry Orchard, the latter being a replay.
Assistant coach Billy Walsh will take charge of the team for the remainder of the season, beginning with tonight's Eircom League Premier Division fixture away to Longford Town.
