In a surprise announcement last night Luke Dempsey has come back into senior management by agreeing to work with the Carlow football team.
Formerly of Westmeath, Dempsey will help fill the shoes of Mick Condon, who resigned in controversial circumstances last week after Carlow's final match in the National Football League.
A native of Carlow, Dempsey will for now be acting in an advisory role, working with Johnny Nevin and Brendan Hayden, who have been looking after the team since Condon's departure. It was the decided that a long-term management team would only be put in place after the conclusion of this summer's championship.
Dempsey, however, will continue to manage the Leixlip club side.
"Luke will be working closely with both Johnny Nevin and Brendan Hayden in the team preparations and control of the team on match days, with the aid of two further selectors to be appointed in the coming days," confirmed county PRO Tommy Murphy.
Dempsey returns after nine years of reasonable success with Westmeath - first at minor, then at under-21, and finally three years at senior level.
Yet he too departed under controversial circumstances late last year by refusing to go through the interview process for a fourth year in charge, and was replaced by Páidí Ó Sé.
Tyrone welcome back defender Conor Gormley from illness for Sunday's football league semi-final against Galway at Omagh. Kevin Hughes also returns at midfield to take over from the injured Gerard Cavlan.
Significantly, manager Mickey Harte has not given up hope of winning an appeal this weekend against Stephen O'Neill's recent dismissal against Kerry, and leaves a vacancy at left half forward.
The Kerry team to play Limerick in the other semi-final is back to full strength, with the An Ghaeltacht contingent of Marc, Tomás and Darragh Ó Sé coming back into the starting line-up.
Offaly make two changes for their division two semi-final against Kildare at Portlaoise, with Padraic Kelly back in goal and James Grahan returning to midfield.
The Irish Youths teams recorded a 44-42 win in their final International Rules Test against Australia in Fremantle yesterday - sealing an overall series victory.
Meanwhile, there are still some tables left for tomorrow week's Evening with Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh to be held in Croke Park. Proceeds will go to RESPECT, the fundraising body of the Daughters of Charity service for people with a mental handicap. The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, will be the guest of honour. Contact Liam Walsh at RESPECT, telephone 01-8385527.
TYRONE (SF v Galway): J Devine; R McMenamin, C Gourley, C Gormley; B Donnelly, G Devlin, P Jordan; K Hughes, S Cavanagh; B Dooher, B McGuigan, AN Other; M Harte, E McGinley, O Mulligan.
KERRY (SF v Limerick): D Murphy; T O'Sullivan, M McCarthy, M Ó Se; T Ó Se, S Moynihan, A O'Mahony; D Ó Se, W Kirby; L Hassett, E Brosnan, P Galvin; C Cooper, D O'Sullivan, MF Russell.
OFFALY (SF v Kildare): P Kelly; S Sullivan, C Evans, S Brady; B Mooney, C Daly, K Slattery; C McManus, J Grennan; P Kellaghan, R Malone, A McNamee; C Quinn, N Coughlan, N McNamee.
