Ger Loughnane has resigned as manager of the Clare hurlers. At last night's Clare County Board meeting, the most flamboyant manager in the game quietly and emphatically called it a day.

He had been in charge of the Clare team for the last six years and spent a year previously as one of his predecessor Len Gaynor's selectors. The county board has moved quickly to appoint former player and outgoing selector Cyril Lyons as the Loughnane's successor.

"I would like to thank everybody. It was six years ago that I was appointed manager by the county board and now I'm leaving through the county board. I'm not interested in tributes and the decision is final," he told the board meeting in Ennis.

His period in charge of the team brought the county its greatest success in history. A first Munster title since 1932 and a first All-Ireland since 1914 were the landmark achievements of Loughnane's first season in charge. He added two more provincial titles and one further All-Ireland.

In the aftermath of the heavy defeat by Tipperary two weeks ago, Loughnane's retirement had been the subject of heavy speculation but as time wore on, it had been felt that he would consider the situation and not come to any decision for a while yet. It had certainly been felt that no announcement would be made until the county's eagerly-awaited under-21 campaign had started this week.

Last night an emergency meeting of the county officers was held and it was disclosed that Loughnane wished to address the board. Although speculation by then was widespread that the Shannon-based headmaster was going to resign, the matter wasn't confirmed until Loughnane arrived in last night, made his announcement and departed just before 10 o'clock.

The county board immediately considered a motion to appoint Lyons, from the Ruan club, as the new manager. This was agreed and Lyons announced that he would be asking Louis Mulqueen, coach to All-Ireland club finalists St Joseph's Doora-Barefield and the third member of this year's management team, to stay on as a selector. Further selectors would be chosen in consultation between Lyons and the county board.

Players on the panel are believed to have asked him not to step down on the basis that the team would be having its first decent break in four years and would be back rested and better next year. Loughnane, however, obviously decided that the team needed to hear a new voice.

His achievements have been phenomenal. He took over a Clare side which had reached two Munster finals, in 1993 and '94, losing heavily to Tipperary and then Limerick and proceeded to transform the county's fortunes. Clare won the following year's Munster title and added the 1995 All-Ireland final very much against the odds.

Loughnane's emphatic half-time statement to camera that Clare were going to win is still remembered as encapsulating the spirit and self-belief which characterised the side.

The team he built placed great emphasis on physical fitness and stamina but it also contained many great hurlers. The team was captained from half back by the exceptional Anthony Daly in a defence backboned by Brian Lohan and Sean McMahon. That defensive unit hurled together with ever-present goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald virtually unchanged from 1995-97.

Colin Lynch's arrival in 1997 freed James O'Connor to become the one constant in attack and he became hurler of the year in '97.

In 1998 the team lapsed into the habit of drawing matches they should have won. The Munster final and the All-Ireland semi-final epic with Offaly took Clare five matches to complete. Lynch was suspended by the Munster Council for three months in August and his loss affected the team deeply. It triggered a number of outbursts from Loughnane.

Although ravaged by these controversies in 1998, Clare still came within touching distance of a third All-Ireland but lost over three matches to Offaly after a remarkable semi-final replay when referee Jimmy Cooney failed to play the full 70 minutes. Clare were leading by three points but had to replay the match and lost. Last year, they were beaten again at All-Ireland semi-final stage by Kilkenny.

In an attempt to revitalise the team Loughnane appointed Lyons and Mulqueen as selectors in succession to Michael McNamara and Tony Considine and Brian Lohan took over the captaincy from Daly.

But earlier this month Clare were comprehensively outplayed by Tipperary with whom they had had a frequently bitter rivalry throughout the 1990s.

In addition to all his other achievements, Loughnane was named Manager of the Year in 1995.

Louth football manager Paddy Clarke has been reappointed for another year. Clarke has completed a successful year in which the county won the Division Two NFL title and ran Kildare close in the Leinster championship.

The replay of the Ulster football semi-final between Antrim and Derry has been fixed for Sunday July 2nd in Casement Park, Belfast. The Ulster Council has postponed the provincial hurling final to Sunday July 9th.