Walsh set to remain with Sligo

KEVIN WALSH is expected to be reappointed as manager of the Sligo footballers tonight. It is hoped the former Galway All-Ireland winner, who has taken the county to two Connacht finals in three years, will be ratified at tonight’s meeting of the county board.

The process has taken quite a while since the county lost its fourth-round qualifier to Kildare in July but with the county championship over two weeks now and Walsh having met the players and officials, the county executive was confident last night the former Galway captain and All Star would confirm his intention to proceed.

“It hasn’t been nailed down yet because we’re waiting to hear back from Kevin,” county secretary Pádraig Duffy told this newspaper yesterday, “but everything has been discussed and we’re very hopeful that the ratification will take place.”

Meanwhile the GAA yesterday confirmed that Saturday’s Central Council meeting had resuscitated the M Donnelly interprovincial competitions and they have been fixed for next spring. The alternative calendar slot was the autumn but that presumably wasn’t a runner, as the international rules series resumes next October with the visit of Australia to Ireland.

The scenes at the end of the Limerick football final were under consideration at a Competitions Control Committee meeting in the county last night. An investigation into what happened was expected to be launched in response to incidents which included a half-time brawl and an attack on a Newcastle West player during the match, against Drom-Broadford, which ended in a draw.

According to county PRO Helen Cross no penalties were due to be imposed last night. “They’ll work out how the investigation will proceed,” she said.

On what was a bad day for disorder at big club matches an Errigal Ciarán supporter was arrested by gardaí for verbally abusing opponents at Breffni Park where the Ulster first round club championship match between the Tyrone champions and Cavan’s Mullahoran, a match which saw world handball champion Paul Brady, who plays for the Cavan club, red carded shortly after coming into the match as a replacement in the 22nd minute.

Finally Séamus Scanlon, Kerry All-Ireland winner and All Star centrefielder, announced his retirement from intercounty football at the weekend.

CHRISTY RING CUP (SH): First round

(May 4th, 2013) – Derry v Wicklow, Down v Kerry, Meath v Armagh, Kildare v Mayo. Final: June 8th.