Cunningham ratified as manager of the Galway hurlers for another two years

As expected Anthony Cunningham was last night ratified as manager of the Galway hurlers for another two years. He has held the post for the past three seasons, leading the county to the 2012 Leinster championship and that year's All-Ireland final that they lost after a replay to Kilkenny.

His management team has been strengthened by the addition of former All-Ireland winning team-mate from the 1980s and All-Star, Pat Malone as a selector, joining Damien Curley and Eugene Cloonan.

Also ratified, as football manager, was Kevin Walsh, who won All-Irelands with the county in 1998 and 2001. He also managed Sligo up until last year and his selectors will be Corofin’s Brian Silke, brother of 1998 All-Ireland winning captain Ray, and Barna’s Sean Conlon.

Both managers will be subject to a review at the end of next year

Dublin expect to be in a position to name a successor to Anthony Daly as senior hurling manager within the next week. A number of names have been speculated on as candidates but at present it's believed that a short list for the appointment has been drawn up and that interviews are taking place.

Included are Shay Boland, the county's former under-21 manager, Liam Hogan, from Ballyboden St Enda's, former Cork coach Ger Cunningham and former Galway coach and selector Mattie Kenny, who has been managing Dublin club Cuala this season, and was a candidate for the Galway manager's position filled last night by incumbent Anthony Cunningham.

There is further speculation that former Offaly All-Ireland winner and Sunday Game pundit Michael Duignan is on the list of candidates. He managed Meath in the county's most successful period as a senior hurling county during which they beat Laois in the championship and secured promotion to Division One.

Westmeath footballers are also expected to have a new manager, a successor to Paul Bealin, named within the next two weeks. Among the names in contention is Séamus McEnaney, the former Monaghan and Meath manager and Niall Carew, who stepped down as manager of Waterford after this season. He was formerly involved with his own county Kildare as part of Kieran McGeeney's management team.

Another nomination is Val Daly, the former Galway manager, who was educated in the Carmelite College in Moate and has other Westmeath connections, having taken charge of the Athlone IT team in the Sigerson Cup. There are also a number of local nominations and interviews will take place over the next week.

The shortlist for the Player of the Month awards for September was released yesterday. The winners of both All-Ireland titles are represented by two players. Kieran Donaghy and Paul Murphy from Kerry and Donegal's Neil Gallagher receive the football nominations.

In hurling Richie Hogan, hot favourite for Hurler of the Year, and Richie Power, whose three goals in the drawn match and replay contributed significantly to Kilkenny's success, are both listed together with Tipperary's John O'Dwyer who scored 10 points over the two matches.