Cork hurlers deny All Star boycott plan

Hurling All Stars: Cork hurlers will attend tonight's Vodafone All Stars banquet in Dublin.

Full back Diarmuid O'Sullivan, who will be picking up his fourth award, yesterday dismissed suggestions that there would be a boycott of the event because of dissatisfaction over the All-Ireland champions' representation of six on this year's selection.

The prospect arose in an interview with team selector Joe O'Leary in yesterday's Daily Star.

Accepting that he wasn't happy with some of the selections, O'Sullivan nonetheless emphasised that there was no intention of taking the above course of action. "It's totally unfounded. There's no chance of that happening."

O'Sullivan would have more reasons than most to quibble with the selection in that its most startling omission is that of his Cloyne club-mate Donal Cusack, who was passed over as goalkeeper by Clare's David Fitzgerald, prompting O'Leary to ask of the selectors: "Do these people know anything about hurling and about goalkeeping?"

This year's football All Stars will be announced tonight at the function at the Citywest hotel in Dublin, as will the players and young players of the year in both football and hurling.

Meanwhile, John O'Mahony has shed further light on his decision not to accept the position of manager with the Mayo footballers. O'Mahony, who led Galway to two All-Ireland titles, previously took his own county to a first All-Ireland final in 38 years and had been favoured to resume that role when John Maughan stepped down after the championship exit against Kerry.

Writing in the annual yearbook of the Mayo Association in Dublin, O'Mahony contrasted his experiences in Mayo with the backing he got while managing Galway, where he won an under-21 as well as two senior All-Irelands. "As management it is hugely important to get total and absolute backing of your county board at all times. My experience is that success comes when that happens," he said. "On a personal level, I got that backing totally in Galway during my years there, but it wasn't always present during my time in Mayo."

O'Mahony cited the need for "total unity of purpose between the players, management and county board" as a prerequisite for success, and added that he would not have won his All-Irelands with Galway if that were not present. "I also had it in Mayo for the 1983 under-21 All-Ireland victory."

He left the Mayo senior job in 1991 having been refused the choice of his own selectors and went on to land a first Connacht title in 67 years for Leitrim and subsequently enjoy great success with Galway.

Tyrone have announced that Paddy Tally, who trained their first All-Ireland winning team in 2003, is to resume a role with the county footballers.

Tally, who parted company with the squad following that breakthrough triumph, has been appointed trainer to the under-21 side. He will link up with new managers Liam Donnelly and Martin Coyle.

Trillick man Donnelly believes that Tally, who manages the St Mary's College Sigerson Cup side in Belfast, has more to offer than just physical training techniques. "He has great experience not only as a trainer, but in coaching as well, and he should be a big asset to us."

Elsewhere, Kilkenny hurler Conor Phelan is to get a second opinion from Harley Street on the heart condition that prompted him to retire from playing last week at the age of just 22. "The chances of things changing are slim," he said, "but I have to explore every avenue," the player said. "The consequences are so serious I would like to get a second opinion to put my mind completely at rest."

It has been revealed that the Limerick County Board spent €747,000 on the preparation of all county teams in 2005, leading to an overall loss of €143,000 on the year's activities.

This compares to a profit of €13,000 for last year.

The current deficit would have been far greater were it not for what was described as a "very generous first-time contribution" towards training expenses from multi-millionaire JP McManus.

According to board secretary James Hartigan: "JP helped to bankroll a portion of the expenses incurred in getting our teams ready for leagues and championship. Without his contribution our loss would have been much greater. We are not in a position to state how much he donated, but the amount will be included under 'sponsorship' in the accounts to be presented by treasurer Paddy Quilligan to convention next month."

Last year McManus donated €5 million towards the refurbishment of the Gaelic Grounds, which cost €12 million.

Former Mayo footballer Eugene McHale is one of three people in line to be the new manager of the Sligo women's junior football team. McHale, a north Sligo-based garda, John Wallace from the St Farnan's club and Fina Golden (St Mary's) will be interviewed by a selection committee which will announce their decision in 10 days' time. Pádraig Mannion, the current manager of the St Mary's women's team, and Golden are going forward as a joint management team.