Peter Ford, who has stepped down as Sligo manager, brought the county "to a new level", according to the team's All Star Eamonn O'Hara.

The former Mayo captain achieved a great deal with the neighbouring county over the past three seasons. But after Sunday's qualifier defeat by Donegal he told the players he was calling it a day.

"We had a slight idea that this would be his last year," said O'Hara, whose groin injury greatly hampered his and the team's display. "But it was unfortunate that it came a lot sooner than what we had hoped."

Since taking over in 2000 in the wake of a disastrous defeat by Galway in the Connacht championship, Ford brought Sligo to the NFL semi-finals in his first year in charge and topped that by taking Kildare's scalp in the qualifier series at Croke Park.

Last year was memorable for bringing Sligo closer to an All-Ireland than at any time in the county's history. Having defeated League holders Tyrone at Croke Park, the county went on to take eventual All-Ireland champions Armagh to a replay in which they ran them to two points.

This year has been a disappointment. Although Sligo held on to their Division One place, injuries and emigration thinned the panel. They lost the Connacht semi-final to Mayo and two days ago the summer was over.

"I think Peter brought us to a new level," said O'Hara. "His professional attitude impressed everyone in the county. People disagreed with him but he always played the 15 players that would make the best team.

"When he started, players had to come around to his way of thinking. Reputations wouldn't save you and he wouldn't take excuses. Everyone had to become more professional in the way they approached the game and he's left that legacy, which will be important for whoever comes in after him."

O'Hara agrees that the limitations of the county's resources ultimately told against Ford and his team. Bigger counties than Sligo have struggled to maintain form over a number of seasons.

"We're relying on the same 20 or 25 players and hoping that fellas won't get injured. We didn't play with the same passion this year, didn't have the same spark. You look at Meath and see them bringing in three new forwards, Kerry the same but we might get someone from the minors or under-21s and then have to give them a couple of years experience.

"Last year was history. We knew what we had to do because we had spoken about it. Peter had a few new ideas and some new people to come in and help with preparation. But we'd two chances this year and didn't deliver. You know there'll be surprises in the championship like Laois beating Dublin. And you hope that you'll be the team. But it didn't happen for us."

For O'Hara the summer now involves dealing with a persistent pelvic injury. He will discuss with consultants over the next couple of weeks what the appropriate treatment will be.

Club commitments and the International Rules series, in which he has been a major player over the past two years, will make the decision difficult.

"I have to take the long term into account," he says, "not just the short or medium term."

Meanwhile, it was confirmed yesterday that Dublin's Barry Cahill will be out of action for the rest of the year. An injury picked up at training last week was diagnosed over the weekend as damage to the cruciate ligament. Recovery from this injury takes on average nine months.

"The cruciate's gone," said Dublin selector Dave Billings. "It's a serious injury that modern players seem particularly prone to."

Cahill is the second of Dublin's first-choice defenders to sustain a cruciate injury. Peadar Andrews was ruled out for the year before the season started. Two other backs, Jonny Magee and Paul Griffin, carrying injuries are expected to be fit when the team is named later this week.

Dublin's opponents in Saturday's qualifier at Clones, Derry, have one injury worry. Kevin McCloy was substituted in the last qualifier round against Wexford. The back injury is now giving cause for concern.

"Kevin McCloy is a major doubt," according to county PRO Gerry Donnelly. "He had to go off after 20 minutes against Wexford and it's not looking great for him. Everyone else is okay."

In the weekend's other big match, the Munster hurling final in Thurles, the big injury story centres on Waterford captain Tony Browne, who injured his ankle in the semi-final replay victory over Limerick. Browne has been the subject of injury scares before but has tended to survive and play on the day.

Waterford PRO Paddy Dunphy said that the situation is "very dicey".

He continued: "It doesn't look good at the moment. A final decision hasn't been made but we're prepared to be without him." Opponents Cork name their side tonight.