O'Dwyer to be ratified as Clare boss

THE APPARENT fast-forwarding of Mick O’Dwyer’s ratification as new Clare senior football team manager was partly prompted by the agreement in recent days of the terms of his appointment, including the make-up of his backroom team.

The name of the 76-year-old Kerry native was due to come before a meeting of the county board next Tuesday night, but that has now been brought forward to this evening, in Ennis, where O’Dwyer’s initial one-year term will be rubber-stamped.

It has also been agreed in advance that his backroom team will consist of former Clare forward Ger Keane from Kilkee and Michael Neylon from St Joseph’s, Miltown, with physical trainer Michael Cahill being retained from the previous management team of Michael McDermott.

After weeks of speculation, it emerged earlier this week that O’Dwyer was agreeable to the task, in what will be his sixth coming as an intercounty manager, having previously been in charge of Kerry, Kildare, twice, and more recently Laois and Wicklow.

The Clare county board, meanwhile, are still considering what if any course of disciplinary action to pursue following the on-field brawl that broke out during last Saturday’s minor club final between Clarecastle and Kilmaley.

Dublin hurling manager Anthony Daly, a selector with Clarecastle who appeared to play some role in the incidents, has not been named in the referee’s report and is therefore likely to escape any sanction.

The managers of the two teams, Kilmaley’s Niall Romer and Clarecastle’s Tom Howard, who were both dismissed on the day, are understood to have been noted by the referee, and therefore could yet face further disciplinary action.

Kilmaley won the game by a single point.

The women’s football association have also announced their shortlists for the Players’ Player of the Year awards – the nominees for the prestigious awards chosen by the intercounty squads that have played with and against these nominees, and singled them out as the outstanding players in their grade.

The senior nominees are Dublin’s Sineád Goldrick, along with Cork’s Briege Corkery, and Geraldine O’Flynn, who were both members of the All-Ireland champions’ dynamic half-back line.

At intermediate, Elaine Power is chosen to representing Waterford and Caroline O’Hanlon from the All-Ireland champions Armagh, along with Sharon Treacy of Longford.

All-Ireland junior finalists share all three nominations between them in that category, with Grace Lynch from Louth, and Kirsty McGuinness and captain Clare Timoney from Antrim’s All-Ireland winning team.

The winners will be announced at the All Star Awards on Saturday week.