Galway forward Michael Donnellan will miss the Sunday's crucial International Rules game due to a fracture of a bone in his foot. The Dunmore man, who gave another scintillating display in this year's championship, had his foot set in plaster yesterday following exploratory X-rays.
"It was obviously a knock he picked up in the All-Ireland replay on Saturday," said Galway PRO John Power last night. "It is a tremendously disappointing conclusion to his season. I know that Michael had been hopeful of lining out out for Ireland on Sunday." Delegates from Galway's hurling clubs were still in session late last night to decide upon a manager for the county side for the forthcoming season. Mattie Murphy, the outgoing candidate, remains a front runner, with former county star and under-21 manager Noel Lane also seen as a strong contender.
Wexford's protracted search for a replacement for Joachim Kelly has ended with the appointment of former football manager Tony Dempsey.
The Enniscorthy school principal has been steeped in county GAA affairs at both managerial and administrative level for almost three decades and previously demonstrated his coaching capabilities by guiding the Wexford football team to the footholds of respectability in the 1980s. He has long been seen as a suitable candidate for the post of hurling manager.
"He had been approached about taking on the job on several occasions before and while he as always interested he just felt unable to pursue it due to work and other commitments," said Wexford PRO Pat Murphy yesterday. "But his circumstances have changed and he now believes that he will be able to invest the time he feels is necessary."
Dempsey trained the Wexford junior hurling team to an All-Ireland title in 1992 and was in charge of the county under-21 side which won the Leinster title in 1979.
He also guided the under-21 footballers to the provincial final of 1988, when they lost to Offaly after three replays. He served as chairman of the county board from 1976 to 1980 and remains very active in Gaelic games at schools level.
It is expected that two selectors will be appointed over the coming days.
Meanwhile, the Dublin county final between Na Fianna and Kilmacud Crokes will go ahead as scheduled on Saturday, despite a request tabled on behalf of the International Rules squad for a postponement. Several of the players who will feature in that final, including Armagh defender Kieran McGeeney and Dublin's Jonathan McGee could play crucial roles in the concluding Rules match in Croke Park on Sunday.
"To postpone the match at this late stage just wouldn't be feasible," explained Dublin county board PRO John Costello. The club programme was drafted in January and subsequently adopted by the clubs.
Kildare captain Glen Ryan is in action in Kildare's county semi-finals on Saturday and International Rules manager Brian McEniff will have to wait until late on Saturday evening to see if personnel he hopes to avail of on Sunday will be fit.
It is also still unclear if McEniff will be able to call on the services of any of the players who lined out in last weekend's All-Ireland final.
