Barry-Murphy set to assume Cork reins

GAELIC GAMES NEWS:JIMMY BARRY-MURPHY is poised for a second term as Cork hurling manager, 11 years after his last stint in the position. The Cork County Board appointments committee announced yesterday that Barry-Murphy is the sole name put forward for ratification by the clubs on September 6th.

“By decision of the county committee at its last meeting, a new manager will have a three-year term and has the right, subject to ratification, to appoint his own selectors and backroom team.”

The county board statement added: “A former Cork dual star, Jimmy Barry-Murphy was born in 1954 and played hurling and Gaelic football with his local club St Finbarr’s, based in Togher, for many years. He was a member of the Cork senior inter-county teams in both codes throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He has an impressive management record at intercounty level, managing the All-Ireland-winning minor hurling team in 1995 and the All-Ireland senior hurling team in 1999.”

The arrival of Barry-Murphy as manager would open the possibility of 34-year-old Seán Óg Ó hAilpín returning to intercounty hurling next year, having been dropped by the previous manager Denis Walsh.

Meanwhile, Paddy McGrath and Michael Hegarty remain genuine concerns for Donegal ahead of the All-Ireland football semi-final against Dublin at a sold out Croke Park this Sunday. If McGrath does not recover from a hamstring injury then Eamonn McGee will join brother Neil in the Ulster champions’ full back line.

Hegarty recently suffered a setback to the damaged knee he sustained in extra-time of the All-Ireland quarter-final victory over Kildare on July 30th. Dermot Molloy, Christy Toye and Leo McLoone are the contenders to come into the Donegal attack.

Dublin manager Pat Gilroy reports no injury concerns and will announce his team this morning. An unchanged side is expected although Gilroy did make three unannounced switches for the Tyrone game with Michael Dara MacAuley at midfield, Barry Cahill operating as a forward instead of Eoghan O’Gara while Cian O’Sullivan returned to the defence after a frustrating hamstring injury.

All three are expected to start again on Sunday.