Sheedy for Tipp post:Liam Sheedy will be ratified as Tipperary's senior hurling manager at a county board meeting next Tuesday evening. The Portroe clubman, who played in the 1997 All-Ireland final against Clare, will be recommended by a five-man county board sub-committee to succeed Michael "Babs" Keating.
Sheedy, who won a Munster minor medal, two junior All-Ireland titles, an under-21 All-Ireland in 1989 and two Munster under-21 medals during his playing career, was a senior team selector alongside Michael Doyle in 2003. And in 2006, Sheedy managed the Tipperary minors to All-Ireland glory for the first time in 10 years.
It has been confirmed Kilruane McDonaghs clubman Eamon O'Shea has agreed to be team coach, working alongside Sheedy, who will be handed a two-year term. Board officials are anxious to ensure a distinct manager-coach arrangement is in place after monitoring the success of the Declan Ryan-Tommy Dunne axis with this year's All-Ireland minor winning team.
O'Shea, who won an All-Ireland club medal in 1985, was a member of Tipperary's 1976 All-Ireland minor winning team and won Munster under-21 medals in 1978 and 1979. He added an All-Ireland under-21 medal in 1979 and was also a member of the team that captured National League glory that same year. A number of names have been bandied about as possible selectors, including Séamus Power, Declan Carr and Tommy Grogan.
McNamara for Clare
Clare County Board chairman Michael McDonagh has confirmed Mike McNamara is the board's choice to succeed Tony Considine as the county's senior hurling team manager. McNamara's name will be put before delegates at a meeting this evening, and Frank Doherty, who guided Galway side Caltra to All-Ireland club football glory in 2004, will be ratified as Clare's new senior football boss.
McNamara and Considine worked together alongside manager Ger Loughnane as Clare won All-Ireland titles in 1995 and 1997. McNamara was manager of Offaly for two seasons, 2003 and 2004. It is understood McNamara will reveal his backroom staff this evening and former players Fergie Tuohy and Ollie Baker are tipped to come on board.
Meanwhile, Galway native Doherty will succeed Páidí Ó Sé as football manager. It will be his first foray into senior intercounty management.
Kerry look at costs
Kerry County Board chairman Seán Walsh has reiterated his concerns at the growing costs of preparing intercounty teams for championship purposes. With the overall cost of running all Kerry county teams this year expected to surpass the €1 million mark, Walsh has again called on Croke Park for increased assistance. "I've been saying over the last few months the most difficult scenario for any team in the country is to get to an All-Ireland semi-final, and lose it. If you get to the final you have the opportunity to raise money.
"Since the semi-final, we've had various raffles, our corporate dinner in Kerry, and a golf classic in Dublin, and several other things. And we're lucky to have people prepared to give us the money. If we didn't have all that we'd be looking at a loss somewhere in the region of €200,000."
Nally Stand reopens
Croke Park's Nally Stand has been restored to its former glory - more than 100 miles away from its historic home. The stand as been re-erected at Páirc Colmcille, home of Carrickmore GAC in Tyrone. The stand is to be officially opened next week. Over the weekend of September 28th-30th there will be a special football match between Carrickmore and Balla, the home club of Nally.
