Offaly set to look outside for manager

With several high-profile hurling management positions to be filled, the prospect of going beyond county boundaries to find suitable candidates has become commonplace.

Offaly hurling has traditionally chosen managers from outside of the county and given Michael Duignan has ruled himself out, they look likely to go down the same road again. Cork have never gone for an outsider and outgoing selector John Allen is favourite to succeed Donal O'Grady.

Wexford haven't had the happiest experiences bringing in coaches with Offaly's Joachim Kelly and Galway's Cyril Farrell lasting only a season. But the departure of John Conran hasn't thrown up an obvious successor.

His Rathnure colleague and club manager Séamus Murphy has drifted in the betting after the club's defeat in the county final and with champions Oulart's manager George Sunderland not considered a likely contender Wexford will have to look at former players or candidates from other counties.

The county's 1996 All-Ireland winning manager Liam Griffin has ruled himself out of a return and sees both opportunity and difficulty in the latter approach. "There are a number of very good coaches in Kilkenny who would probably like a crack at county management but won't get a chance in the near future. Even if Brian Cody stepped down this year his successor would probably be a long-term appointment.

"But it's hard for a Kilkenny man to manage a team against his own county. Diarmuid Healy did it but at that time Offaly weren't seen as a threat. Eamonn Cregan took Offaly to an All-Ireland but the last thing he expected was to have to face Limerick.

"It's funny in football, it doesn't seem to cause anything like the same problems. John O'Mahony doesn't have any problems beating Mayo. You wouldn't be surprised to see anyone take up a football job anywhere. Maybe it's because hurling's such a smaller pool but it's not as easy."

Meanwhile, Limerick manager Pad Joe Whelahan has named his panel for the new season and several familiar faces have been recalled. Former under-21 All-Ireland medallists Mark Keane, Eoin Foley and Timmy Houlihan, all out of favour last season, have been named. They are included among 12 players new to the panel. There are no places for last season's panellists Michael McKenna, Eugene Mulcahy, Albert Shanahan, Paul O'Reilly, Willie Walsh, Eoin O'Neill, Maurice O'Brien, John Meskell, James Butler and Peter O'Reilly.

Whelahan continues to omit his more high-profile dual players, Brian Begley, who recently returned to his club Mungret after injury, Conor Fitzgerald and Stephen Lucey.

Munster have named their side for Sunday's Railway Cup hurling semi-final against Leinster. There is a big Tipperary influence with manager Donie Nealon, coach Ken Hogan and six players from the county involved. Only Ronan Curran and Joe Deane are from All-Ireland champions Cork whereas Munster champions Waterford have four.

There will be some surprise at Paul Flynn being named on the bench. The selectors are Donie Collins from Cork and Waterford's Nicky Cashin. The semi-final will take place as a curtain-raiser to the second International Rules test.

Ticket sales have been "brisk" according to the GAA and an attendance of over 50,000 is expected. Tickets are on sale from the ticket office at the rear of the Cusack Stand from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow.

MUNSTER (SH v Leinster): B Cummins (Tipperary); P Curran (Tipperary), P Maher (Tipperary), J Murray (Waterford); E Corcoran (Tipperary), R Curran (Cork), D Fitzgerald (Tipperary); T Browne (Waterford, (capt), O Moran (Limerick); D Shanahan (Waterford), N Gilligan (Clare), N Moran (Limerick); J Mullane (Waterford), E Kelly (Tipperary), J Deane (Cork). Substitutes: D Fitzgerald (Clare), J Browne (Cork), B Dunne (Tipperary), D Bennett (Waterford), S Prendergast (Waterford), P Flynn (Waterford), P O'Brien (Tipperary), K Murphy (Cork), S Brick (Kerry).

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS: Football: Armagh, Crossmaglen Rangers 1/5 and Mullaghbawn 16/5; Clare, Éire Óg Ennis evens, Kilmurray Ibrickane 3/5; Derry, Slaughtneil 8/13, Bellaghy 6/5; Kerry, An Ghaeltacht 5/4, South Kerry 7/4, Laune Rangers 3/1, St Kierans 7/1; Limerick, Drom/Broadford 2/5, Newcastle West 9/5; Mayo, Crossmolina 3/4 Charlestown 13/4, Knockmore 7/2, Ballina 13/2; Sligo, St Mary's 3/4, Tourlestrane evens; Westmeath, Garrycastle 4/5, Castledaly 5/2, Tyrellspass 4/1 Mullingar Shamrocks 6/1, Hurling: Clare, Kilmaley 17/20, St Joseph's, Doora-Barefield 17/20; Galway,Athenry 3/4, Portumna 19/20; Kilkenny, Young Irelands 11/10, O'Loughlin Gaels 5/4, James Stephens 4/1.