News round-up: Páidí Ó Sé is the latest candidate to hold talks with members of a four-man committee set up to find a new Roscommon football manager, writes Gavin Cummiskey

It hardly comes as a ringing endorsement for the remaining candidates that acting county chairman Michael McGuire, John McGowan, Séamus Maher and Mick Fahy are considering such a high-profile figure at such a late stage in these long-drawn-out proceedings.

"A financial backer from within the county, who is a personal friend of Páidí Ó Sé, came to us so we have had to consider this," said Maher. "So far, the talks have been very preliminary. We did not sit down with him but there was contact, more of a courtesy phone call."

Maher was adamant John Maughan, Frank Doherty, Jimmy Gacquinn and an anonymous candidate, who meets the committee this weekend on return from holidays, are still being strongly considered.

Former Offaly manager Paul O'Kelly withdrew his name on Tuesday. Maher dismissed statements on local Roscommon radio that Maughan had been ratified.

"That is all pub talk and local media speculation. Paul O'Kelly seemed to get fed up with all this and pulled out. We would hope to come to a final decision over the weekend but will take as long as it takes to get the best man for the job whether it's an external or internal candidate. There is no time deadline but we want to have a complete management team in place before announcing a manager."

However, in yesterday's Roscommon Herald Maher's fellow committee member Maguire took a rather different line: "We understand people are wondering that this has taken a bit of time but we expect to have a decision tomorrow night (Wednesday) and will have a name for the management position to go before the county board meeting on Monday."

The Ó Sé revelations come at a time when Maughan is scheduled to meet the committee for advanced discussions regarding whether he will succeed Val Daly. The Mayo man still appears the most likely candidate and even stated a backroom team from within the county would be required.

"I have held an initial discussion with two members of the sub-committee and spoke to them on the phone since," said Maughan yesterday. "We are due to meet again in the next 48 hours with a view to progressing discussions. "If I am to take the job certain guys in the backroom team will be vitally important but I would expect selectors to be from inside the county because I would need local knowledge as I wouldn't know the finer points of Roscommon football."

The search for a Wexford football manager also continues with their committee, headed by county board chairman Seán Quirke, meeting tonight to narrow a list of five candidates down to two. They have still to meet one more person, widely believed to be former Cork manager Larry Tompkins, who has just returned from Australia.