News round-up Mattie Murphy has withdrawn his name from consideration for the vacant Galway hurling manager's position. Murphy had been recommended for the job by a seven-man committee set up by Galway hurling board to interview candidates but that recommendation was rejected by club delegates on Tuesday night.

Outgoing manager Conor Hayes had also been interviewed and is now favourite to be reappointed. Delegates referred to the undesirability of once again replacing a manager after two years.

Yesterday's announcement emerged in a strongly-worded statement from Murphy released last evening. In the course of this he attacked the role of a member of the hurling supporters' club and criticised delegates for failure to abide by the selection process, which had been democratically devised.

Murphy said that one of the reasons he contested the position was the previous method of selecting managers had been changed.

"I allowed my name to be put forward for the position on the understanding that the selection process was changed and that the committee appointed were given the role of selecting the person from those nominated by the clubs," said Murphy.

"I have always felt that the method used in the past which involved canvassing clubs and delegates was divisive and not in the best interests of Galway hurling.

"I attended the interview and no stage did I, or anyone on my behalf, seek to influence their decision-making process. After their appointment a number of efforts were made to compromise some members of the committee, particularly in an article written in a Sunday newspaper on November 7th."

This is a reference to a piece in the Sunday Independent, which pointed out that two members of the seven-man committee (which is believed to have decided in his favour by a margin of five to two) had close links to Murphy's successful county minor team that won this year's All-Ireland.

Murphy also went on to criticise a member of the Galway Supporters' Club, "who was widely quoted in the article", for trying to influence players to support "another candidate". The fund raiser in question is Mick Culhane who in the newspaper article made no secret of his support for Hayes.

"Our support is for Conor Hayes and what we expect will be a revised management team," said Culhane in the article. "It does seem ludicrous to get thrown out after two years whereas a board officer can stay there for 22 years." The board officer is Phelim Murphy, who shortly steps down as hurling board secretary after over two decades in charge.

Murphy says he does not believe Hayes was involved in any of the manoeuvres. "I have the height of respect for Conor Hayes," he said.

In the circumstances Murphy's withdrawal was inevitable. Tuesday night's vote was effectively a vote of confidence for Hayes and although there have been suggestions the outgoing manager's predecessor Noel Lane, who withdrew from the race before interviews took place, may re-enter, it looks likely that Hayes will be reappointed.

Murphy's forthright views will complicate his own situation. A very successful minor manager, he also did well in his two previous stints as senior manager, winning the NHL in 1996 and 2000. Now it remains to be seen if he can stay on as manager of the minors and focus on becoming the first Galway manager to put back-to-back All-Irelands together at that grade.

The only positive aspect of the whole imbroglio is should Lane decide not to contest the position any further, the county can at least reappoint Hayes as quickly as possible and close the book on the whole matter.

Meanwhile Portlaoise are still concerned about the fitness of Martin Delaney ahead of Sunday's Leinster club football semi-final against Dublin's Kilmacud Crokes in Carlow.

Ian Fitzgerald is back from his travels, which caused him to miss the quarter-final, against Rhode, and is available for selection.