Eamonn Cregan is ready to continue as manager of the Limerick hurlers. There had been speculation about his position after the county's defeat by Cork in the Munster semi-final two weeks ago but Cregan is happy to continue and the county executive will declare its support for him when the full county board consider the matter.

"We felt there was no point in turning away having brought in so many young players," said Cregan. "There'd be no problem about going if we had lost with an old team but they were young players who have just got to know us. Someone new would have to start again with them so we're happy to stay."

County board chairman, Donal Fitzgibbon said they had already met with Cregan and were happy to support his continuing as manager. "There is general agreement among the executive that he is the right man for the job and it is now up to the full county board meeting to ratify his re-appointment."

Earlier this week former manager Tom Ryan called for Cregan to step down and said he was anxious to have another crack at the job. Cregan refused to comment on this but said that he believed he had the support of most people in the county.

"Reaction has been very positive towards the performance against Cork," he said. "The feedback I'm getting is that people felt depressed coming out of Cork last year when Waterford beat us because they could see no future. This year they were optimistic because it was a young team with talent and a bit of heart."

Across the border in Clare, some statement about the position of Ger Loughnane is expected from next Tuesday's county board meeting. Whereas no one believes that anyone except the hurling manager himself will make a decision in relation to his future with the county, there may be a move to ask him formally to continue into what would be his seventh year with the team.

Still in Clare, it has been announced that county hurler Colin Lynch has declined an invitation to join the county's footballers for this year's championship. An immensely talented footballer with his home club Lissycasey, Lynch has concentrated on hurling for the last number of years and obviously feels that he hasn't enough football played to compete to the limit of his ability at intercounty level.

In Kildare there is mounting speculation that All Star Niall Buckley could rejoin the county football panel as early as next week.

It is thought he could be included in the Kildare panel in advance of the forthcoming Leinster championship semi-final against Offaly. Buckley, who has been based in Chicago for the past few months, opted out of inter county activity at the start of the season and did not take part in any of Kildare's league games.

Meanwhile Cork referee Niall Barrett has been selected to officiate at his first intercounty championship match since last year's controversial Carlow-Westmeath fixture in which six players were sent off. Amidst confusion over the precise interpretation of the rules which he had been instructed to apply, Carlow successfully objected to their defeat to the Leinster Council but Westmeath had the decision overturned by the GAA's Management Committee.

Despite being an experienced referee with a National Football League final - 1998 between Offaly and Derry - under his belt, Barrett was made something of a scapegoat for the fiasco and wasn't asked to take charge of any further matches last summer. The Connacht semi-final on July 2nd between Roscommon and Leitrim will be his first commission this summer.

However, there has been a dramatic change of referee for Sunday's Cork-Kerry match in Killarney. Armagh referee Brendan Gorman has picked up a serious back injury and his place will be taken by Michael Curley from Galway who took charge of last year's All-Ireland final.