News round-up: The curtain has come down on the seven years of John O'Mahony's management in Galway. At a media conference in the city last night, he announced that he wouldn't be seeing out the final year of his most recent three-year appointment.

His decision comes just over two weeks after his team was eliminated from the All-Ireland qualifier series by Tyrone, the first time in his tenure that he has failed to take the county to the last eight of the championship.

Team selectors Pete Warren and Steven Joyce, who have been at his side since his appointment late in 1997, have also stepped down.

O'Mahony (50), has been one of the most successful coaches in the modern game and his stints with three Connacht counties have all included benchmark achievements. He led his native Mayo to two provincial titles and a first All-Ireland appearance in 38 years in 1989.

Next he led Leitrim to a first Connacht title in 67 years, before moving onto Galway and the most notable phase of his career. There he won four Connacht titles, two All-Irelands and an under-21 All-Ireland (which he also won with Mayo as both player and manager).

"It was a hard decision," said O'Mahony. "Talking to the media after the Tyrone match I was very emotional because I had basically said my goodbyes, although I couldn't be definite because the under-21s were still involved. At the beginning of the year we decided that we were going to give one big shot at the All-Ireland and my mind was made up that it would be my last.

"We came from Division Three of the National League and won two All-Irelands, and won playing a very good brand of football. I've been under no pressure and leave on brilliant terms with officials and players."

Current Galway captain Declan Meehan, who along with team-mates Gary Fahey and Seán de Paor was present at last night's meeting, paid tribute to his departing manager.

"It was a good day's work in 1997 when the football board chairman, Pat Egan, managed to get John for the job. If he can do as good with the next man he gets, we will be very happy. This is a sad occasion, the end of an era.

"Personally, to have four Connacht medals and two All-Irelands is all down to John, and on behalf of the players I say thanks."

O'Mahony has previously left at least a year between appointments, and, even though he would be in great demand, won't be taking up another intercounty appointment in the year ahead.

"I wouldn't be thinking along those lines," he said.

"I'm just taking a break and I've no intention of jumping from one dressing-room to another. I need the break.

"I'll miss it hugely. I've had seven fantastic years, but it's been very intense - thankfully so because of the success we've had - and I'm sure there'll be more in the years ahead. It's a natural break now, which we only had once before in 1999. Every other year we were involved at least up until August.

"I needed a break and am glad that I'm handing it over in good shape. We won the under-21 All-Ireland in 2002, and although people have said that those players haven't come through, there were four current under-21s on the side that lost to Tyrone plus four more that played last year. The perception that the team is in decline is not totally true.

"There has been change. Between 1998 and 2001 the team changed, and it has changed a fair bit since, so I wouldn't agree with painting the whole team with that brush."

Immediate speculation is that former Mayo captain and Sligo manager Peter Ford will be offered the Galway vacancy.

A teacher in Headford school in Galway, Ford lives in Castlebar and still plays with the Mayo over-40s.

His track record with Sligo was impressive and included a number of famous scalps in the qualifiers series in 2001 and 2002, in particular when his team beat Tyrone and took eventual champions Armagh to a tightly contested replay in the quarter-finals.

He has also been successful in Mayo as coach of his home club Ballinrobe.