MANAGERIAL NEWS: Selection of Cork's new hurling manager may be delayed until November. Pat Horgan, PRO of the Cork County Board, outlined the process that will begin next Friday week when officers of the county board meet players' representatives.
"The meeting with the players is due for 11th October," he said, "and the following Tuesday, the 15th, the county board will meet to discuss the situation and may well wish to have another meeting with the players.
"It could be the middle of next month before a decision is taken. There's no great hurry with the National League not starting until February, but there's no point in undue delay either."
Former trainer and Waterford manager Gerald McCarthy has been the name most linked with the vacancy, but sources indicate he is not convinced about taking on the position.
The first matter to be resolved is the position of the four remaining selectors now that team manager Bertie Murphy has stepped down.
County secretary Frank Murphy, currently on holidays, PJ Murphy, Pat McDonnell and John Meyler are still serving selectors and the county has always been reluctant to remove selection committees after such a short space of time.
Nonetheless, with the team manager gone, it seems inconceivable that his selectors will remain on for much longer.
Besides McCarthy, the name of Jimmy Barry-Murphy, manager of the side that won the All-Ireland in 1999, has been mentioned.
But given that he stood down only two years ago after five years in charge, it is uncertain that he would want to resume the huge commitment involved. Whether he would be interested in a role as selector remains to be seen.
The same is true of Seán O'Leary, one of the 1999 selectors, whose name has also been associated with the next management.
An outsider gaining support is RTÉ hurling analyst Tomás Mulcahy who captained Cork to their 1990 All-Ireland success.
Meanwhile, across the border in Tipperary, the managerial vacancy is likely to be filled somewhat more quickly. Nicky English stepped down last week after four years in charge and one All-Ireland title.
A sub-committee of the county board was appointed immediately to recommend new county management committees for all grades.
Sources within the county suggest that the mantle of favourite to succeed English may fall on Ken Hogan, a long-time selector with both English and Fr Tom Fogarty, in the mid-1990s.
Other names associated with the position include former county centre back and Offaly manager John McIntyre - a journalist in Galway where he is also being associated with that county's management should Noel Lane not continue.
Another name being mentioned as a possible selector is former player John Leahy who helped out on English's sideline in the championship just concluded.
Finally, the Ireland panel for the upcoming International Rules series will be announced next Monday.
Manager John O'Keeffe and his selectors had hoped to be able to finalise the selection in the aftermath of the All-Ireland final last week. But the coming weekend's All-Ireland under-21 football final has delayed the announcement.
Both Dublin and Galway have players involved who have trialled for Ireland. Dublin's goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton and corner forward Alan Brogan and Galway's Joe Bergin are under consideration.
