Managerial confusion reigns

GAA PRESIDENT Christy Cooney last night clarified the situation regarding the appointment of the Ireland manager for next year’s international rules series with Australia.

It had been indicated that Seán Boylan, who took charge of Ireland during the series of 2006 and 2008, would not be considered for a record third series when the internationals resume next autumn, but according to Cooney this is not necessarily so.

Instead, Cooney will make a final decision on the appointment in the new year, and in the meantime Boylan is not ruled out.

The four-times All-Ireland winning manager with Meath was due to hold the position had this year’s series, scheduled for October, gone ahead but the AFL requested a postponement of the tests for financial reasons and the GAA reluctantly agreed.

The nomination of the Ireland manager is traditionally made by the GAA president, and Cooney indicated he would be considering his options before making the final announcement on the manager for 2010, and following some consultation with Boylan.

Meanwhile the painful sagas surrounding the hurling managerial appointments in Clare and Limerick continues. The issue of Mike McNamara’s tenure in Clare looks set to drag on for another week after the latest effort to bring together the players, McNamara and the county board officers fell through on Sunday night, which county board Michael O’Neill put down to a “misunderstanding”.

It is understood that on this occasion, McNamara’s full management team of himself and selectors Ollie Baker and Alan Cunningham were unable to attend, and the next available date for the meeting has been provisionally set for this Saturday.

A similar meeting set for last Wednesday night also fell through because of the adverse weathers conditions. McNamara is still expected to step down from the position once he hears what the players have to say – or rather they hear what he has to say – but it has been over three weeks now since Clare county board delegates urged him to stay when it looked like he was ready to step down, after which O’Neill promised a resolution within 10 days – which has now well passed.

The situation in Limerick may well come to a head tomorrow night if, as expected, Justin McCarthy attends the county board meeting in Ballyagran.

Limerick chairman Liam Lenihan suggested McCarthy may be prepared to give his account of what has been happening over the last six months, and that a vote of confidence in the manager may also be tabled.

Members of the 2009 panel have already met with Limerick officers, and the county executive, but it remains to be seen whether that has changed the county’s board attitude towards McCarthy.

The problems there started when McCarthy dropped nine of last year’s panel, allegedly without any consultation – and this was followed by three more retiring, and another eight walking away in protest.

Weekend Fixtures

Sunday

Leinster SFC Final– Garrycastle (Westmeath) v Portlaoise (Laois), 2pm, Tullamore, D Fahy (Longford).

Munster SFC Final– Kerins O'Rahillys (Kerry) v Kilmurry-Ibrickane (Clare), 2pm, Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, M Condon (Waterford).

Camogie – All-Ireland Senior Final: Athenry v Cashel, 2pm, Clarecastle, Co Clare, F McNamara (Clare);

All-Ireland Junior Final: Lavey v St Anne's, Waterford, 2pm, Donaghmore, Ashbourne, Co Meath, M O'Kelly (Cork).