Football Manager:Clare aren't expecting to hear developments on Páidí Ó Sé's future as manager of the county football team until the end of the week, but it is believed that Ó Sé might well decide to step down after Sunday's defeat by Waterford.

It was the winners' first senior championship victory since beating the same opposition in 1988.

"What happened on Sunday," according to county PRO Des Crowe, "is that Páidí said nothing in the dressingroom or in the hotel afterwards. There was a very strong viewpoint in Clare last week that if we lost to Waterford, he would probably call it a day."

Relegation to next season's Division Four has meant that Clare are now out of the championship with automatic diversion to the Tommy Murphy Cup, the fate of defeated teams in that division rather than access to the qualifiers. It is widely believed that Ó Sé is unenthusiastic about presiding over a campaign in the competition for weaker counties, which Clare won in its inaugural year, 2004.

"It's thought that he didn't say anything," said Crowe, "as a matter of courtesy and that any decision he comes to would be communicated to the county chairman Michael McDonagh, who's away in the US until Thursday."

Clare fielded nine debutants on Sunday and, despite racing into a four-point lead after 10 minutes, stalled badly and did not add to their score until the second half.

"There was no expectation in the county before the match," said Crowe. "What will happen now is that players will go back to their clubs for the county championship and then, while we'll honour our commitments to the Murphy Cup, they probably won't be in training for it."