The overdue appointment of a national director of hurling will be announced later this month. Sources who were with the now disbanded Hurling Development Committee (HDC) confirmed yesterday that 18 applications for the post have been submitted to the GAA.
The interview process is under way for a high-profile figurehead to take control of the game's future development.
Former Wexford dual player George O'Connor has been linked to the position, as has outgoing GAA president Seán Kelly. However, Kelly distanced himself from the position in a newspaper interview before Christmas. Kelly is also unavailable as his presidency does not conclude until April's Congress.
The Government, through the Sports Council, and GAA recently committed a combined total of €2.6 million for the development of hurling. The financial breakdown has the Irish Sport Council putting up €1.25 million, the Sports Council of Northern Ireland €354,000 and the GAA €1 million.
Finalising the new role - to be renamed the national hurling development manager/co-coordinator - will bring an end to the HDC, a body set up by Kelly to address the deficiencies of hurling, especially outside traditional strongholds.
"We have achieved most of what we wanted to achieve," said HDC chairman Pat Dunny. "The main plan was to help spread the game of hurling in all provinces. The results from the recent investments will not be seen for five years but a director of hurling is important as it is a nice legacy for us to leave behind."
Dunny confirmed he will not be involved in the selection process for the new hurling post. He did, however, believe at least one member of the HDC will be on the interview panel.
Meanwhile, the Central Disciplinary Committee (CDC) emergency meeting in Croke Park last night, held to deal with the violence in the Tyrone and Dublin match in Omagh last Sunday, is not expected to announce any player hearings today. "It is anticipated that the committee's deliberations on the incidents in the Tyrone v Dublin Allianz National Football League game will not be completed for some time," read a statement from Croke Park yesterday.
Alan Brogan and Colin Holmes are expected to face suspensions, having been both shown straight red cards by referee Paddy Russell. The 14 yellow cards handed out in the game may ironically hinder the whole disciplinary process.
Last summer, after the Ulster football final replay between Armagh and Tyrone, suspensions for Ryan McMenamin and Ciaran McKeever were overruled on appeal as referee Michael Collins had already dealt with the respective indiscretions during the game.
In hurling, Limerick's Peter Lawlor has withdrawn from the county panel. Lawlor, who was the county's only All Star nominee last November, has not figured in Limerick's pre-season programme. County board secretary James Hartigan said: "We were all taken by surprise. It was Peter's own choice to opt out as he had been very much part of Joe McKenna's plans."
It is understood that Lawlor, who won two All-Ireland under-21 medals, will continue to play with his club Croom. Limerick open their National Hurling League campaign against Tipperary on Sunday week, with the sides also due to meet in the opening round of the Munster championship in May.
Offaly have named an unchanged team for their game against Mayo in Castlebar. The only doubt concerns centre back Scott Brady who was selected for last Sunday's game but was forced to cry off. He faces a fitness test later in the week and and if he fails this James Rafferty, who took his place against Cork last Sunday, will again deputise.
Limerick football manager Mickey Ned O'Sullivan has named the same side that beat Roscommon in their opening Division Two A game for Sunday's visit to Pearse Park in Longford.
Following their win over Sligo last Sunday, Tipperary manager Seamus McCarthy has announced an unchanged team for the visit of Westmeath to Semple Stadium next Saturday in Division Two B.
LIMERICK (SF v Longford): S Kiely; S Gallagher, J McCarthy, P Browne; C Mullane, D Reidy, S Lavin; J Galvin, S Lucey; P Ahern, T Carroll S Buckley; M Crowley (capt), J Murphy, M Reidy.
OFFALY (SF v Mayo): P Kelly; K Lynam, S Casey, B Mooney; N Coughlan, S Brady, N Grennan; R Connor, A McNamee; J Reynolds, C McManus, L Mooney; T Deehan, P Kellaghan, N McNamee.
TIPPERARY (SF v Westmeath): P Fitzgerald; P King, N Kelly, A Morrissey; M Phelan (capt), R Costigan, C Maher; E Hanrahan, G Hannigan; A Fitzgerald, B Hickey, N Fitzgerald; B Mulvihill, D Browne, D O'Brien.
