Bennis expected to seek renomination as Limerick manager

NEWS ROUND-UPRICHIE BENNIS is expected to seek renomination to the Limerick hurling manager position in the coming fortnight. Under the Limerick system, Bennis's club Patrickswell can nominate him for the job and a seven-man committee will then select their preferred candidate.

Both Bennis and football manager Mickey Ned O'Sullivan officially stepped down at Tuesday's county board meeting as their tenures were complete.

Bennis guided Limerick to the All-Ireland final in 2007, but after some familiar disciplinary problems reappeared this season, they lost heavily to Clare in the Munster championship and were well beaten by Offaly in Phase III of the qualifiers, 3-19 to 0-18, on July 12th.

"Both men can be renominated by a club," said county board secretary Mike O'Riordan. "A perspective manager has to be consulted by a club before his name can be put forward but the seven-man sub-committee can also seek further candidates for the position."

O'Sullivan remained coy yesterday over his future with the county footballers, but after a successful campaign that eventually ended in a round two defeat to Kildare, he is expected to continue for at least a fourth season.

"I haven't expressed an opinion either way, but last night's county board meeting was very positive. If there are any negative vibes the management team will not continue. It is up to the football board to take the next step."

Ger Loughnane's future as Galway hurling manager is set to remain in the balance until next Tuesday. A meeting of the Galway Hurling Board to discuss Loughnane's position, which was provisionally fixed for last Tuesday night, has been deferred until next Tuesday.

The only manner in which the issue could be resolved before then would be for the former Clare boss to step aside in advance of the meeting, arising out of his failure to deliver on his well-documented target of an All-Ireland title for the Connacht county within two years.

Loughnane will also be acutely aware of the fact that at a meeting of the Galway Hurling Board two days after the disappointing All-Ireland qualifiers defeat by Cork, on July 20th, 14 of the 45 club delegates present expressed opposition to the Clare man being granted an additional term, while only one delegate spoke in his favour.

Galway hurling sensation Joe Canning picked up his second monthly award in Dublin this week when he added the Vodafone GAA player of the month for July to the GPA award he received on Monday.

Pádraic Joyce made it a first ever county double as he was recognised for captaining Galway to the All-Ireland quarter-final, where they were beaten by Kerry last Saturday.