Cork selector Bertie Og Murphy has emerged as the favourite to succeed Tom Cashman as manager of the county senior hurlers. Quoted in local bookies at 3 to 1 on, the Sarsfields man has a successful track record with the under-21s, whom he led to All-Ireland success in 1997 and '98.
He became a senior selector last year and attracted a certain attention by being on holiday when Offaly surprised Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final.
His under-21 experience means that he has managed many of the players now on the senior panel and he was considered a likely successor to Jimmy Barry-Murphy when the latter stepped down last summer and before Tom Cashman indicated his interest in taking up the management role.
Another name being floated is All-Ireland winner Seanie O'Leary, who was a selector in the 1999 All-Ireland triumph. He has an impressive track record at club level in the county having led Imokilly to two county titles and another final.
He has been troubled with a serious back complaint and may not want to take up the position.
Others mentioned include Gerald McCarthy, currently managing Waterford, who will fancy their chances of a long summer now that Cork have been eliminated.
McCarthy was trainer to the team that won the 1990 All-Ireland. His namesake Justin has also cropped up, but it's 16 years since he was last involved with the county team. No decision will be made on the appointment until later in the summer.
The GAA has announced the appointment of Donal Keenan as its new Information/Publications Officer. He will take up his duties at the end of June in the Public Relations Department, Croke Park.
A native of Roscommon, Keenan has worked extensively in sports journalism and was GAA correspondent of the Irish Independent for nearly 10 years and recently has been Ireland on Sunday's chief sports reporter.
His father, also Donal, won AllIreland medals with Roscommon in 1943 and '44 and went on to become president of the GAA between 1973-76.
Meanwhile, it has been agreed in principle by the Management Committee that, subject to details being agreed and arranged, the 2000 and 2001 hurling All-Stars will play in Argentina next year.
Last January the football All Stars played an exhibition match in Dubai and the idea of a hurling trip to Argentina was first mooted. Hurling has had a strong tradition in Argentina amongst a large population of Irish descent.
Competitions were continuously played there until World War II when the importation of hurleys became impossible. Competitions were revived in recent years to mark the Centenary of Argentina's Independence.
Finally. it has also been confirmed that a request to the Management Committee from London to participate in the qualifier round of the All-Ireland football championship was refused on the basis that London had not lost a first-round game proper.
Their scheduled first-round game with Mayo was cancelled due to the foot-and-mouth crisis.
The best kept secret at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday was that Limerick's hard-hitting wing back Clement Smith had taken ill in the dressing room at the interval.
It was because of that, he explained, that he was late in going back on to the pitch at the start of the second half, when he apologised to the referee.
In yesterday's Championship 2001 match statistics section, it was stated that the Munster hurling semi-final between Limerick and Waterford will take place in Thurles on June 10th. In fact, the match will be played at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
