No knee-jerk reaction in Tipperary

Hurling semi-final aftermath: There will be no hasty reaction in Tipp to Sunday's record defeat at the hands of old rivals Kilkenny in the All-Ireland hurling semi-final.

Manager Michael Doyle has had a difficult year with injury wreaking havoc in his panel, but it has been a deeply disappointing year for the county, which only two years ago won the All-Ireland.

After a satisfactory league campaign that ended with the side just narrowly beaten by Kilkenny in last May's final, the championship has brought two large-scale disasters.

Short half his first-choice defence, Doyle watched Clare beat them by nine points and, at the weekend, Kilkenny extended their narrow margin of victory in the league to 12 points.

According to Tipperary county secretary Michael O'Brien, there is no question of the team management being under pressure.

"Michael Doyle was appointed for a two-year term and there is no provision for an annual review. I can't remember a manager not getting two years."

Doyle's predecessor Nicky English served four years and before that both Len Gaynor and Fr Tom Fogarty each had two-year terms. Unlike in some other counties, the county board doesn't intervene in the autumn to ratify the continuation of agreements.

In neighbouring Limerick the procedure is different and, after a troubled first year in charge, manager Dave Keane is under pressure. Last week he met with county officials who will now report back to the county board.

"There will be no statement on this," said county secretary Jimmy Hartigan.

"The officers met with the senior team manager and we will be reporting to the next meeting of the county board, which isn't scheduled until September 9th.

Other counties can take some consolation from All-Ireland finalists Cork who are currently on the county's fourth manager in four years, but Donal O'Grady has succeeded in winning the Munster title for the first time since Jimmy Barry-Murphy's team in 2000, getting them back to the All-Ireland final for the first time since 1999.

Meanwhile, Munster champions Kerry have no injury problems ahead of the weekend's All-Ireland football semi-final.

Coach and selector John O'Keeffe said yesterday that manager Páidí Ó Sé would have a full pick.

"The team will be announced later in the week, but we've a clean bill of health with no injuries." Tyrone manager Mickey Harte is in a similarly happy position.

Colin Holmes and Chris Lawn have both recovered from injury, leaving Harte with a difficult call to make at full back. Cormac McAnallen has been a revelation since his switch from centrefield.

An additional defensive option is also available, with centre back Gavin Devlin having completed a 12-week suspension imposed for stamping on a Laois player in the National League final last April. The only panellist unavailable for the weekend is Ryan Mellon, still recovering from a virus, which brought a promising season to a sudden halt three months ago.