Paidi O Se (right) and Seamas Mac Gearailt - O Se's arrival at the helm in Kerry was only orchestrated when he went on a ticket that also included the less well-known Mac Gearailt. The suggestion at the time was that O Se needed someone else on board to keep some county board doubters happy. Mac Gearailt more than played his part in the '97 All-Ireland win, but bowed out soon afterwards without getting that much recognition for his role at the time.

Justin McCarthy and Fr Michael O'Brien - A rare hurling management double act, they guided Cork to their Centenary All-Ireland final win. McCarthy stayed on the following year and O'Brien was back on his own for the push to the 1990 success. Not believed to have been the most harmonious of partnerships. Question of who got the credit seemed to cause friction. Unlikely that they still do dinner.

Art McRory and Eugene McKenna - Guided Tyrone to back-to-back Ulster titles, in 1995 and 1996, failing at the final hurdle to Dublin in '95 and to Meath in the '96 semi-final. Back for more this year.

Brian Canavan and Brian McAlinden - Armagh's current duo have matched their Tyrone counterparts by winning back-to-back Ulster titles. Still to go one step further and make an All-Ireland final, or one better still and win an All-Ireland title.