GAELIC GAMES NEWS ROUND-UP: THE DUBLIN County board met last night and ratified Pat Gilroy as the county's new football manager together with selectors Mickey Whelan, the manager's St Vincent's club-mate who will coach the team, Paddy O'Donoghue (Kilmacud Crokes) and Paul Nugent (Thomas Davis), former Dublin players from the early 1990s when Gilroy's intercounty career started.
The appointment is for a two-year period with an annual review. This is a more restricted term of office than has been the norm in Dublin where management teams have generally been given at least three years at the start of their tenure.
The board meeting accepted the recommendations of the sub-committee, featuring former All-Ireland winning managers Pat O'Neill and Kevin Heffernan, formed to assess candidates for the post. There was some disquiet expressed at the fact media outlets were aware of the appointment before the county board and queries as to what candidates were interviewed. But overall there was support for the appointment.
Gilroy has been a surprise choice given his lack of experience but he was a key influence on St Vincent's All-Ireland club success last March, under the management of Whelan, whose stock has risen steadily since his unhappy experience as manager of Dublin in the immediate aftermath of the county's previous All-Ireland victory in 1995 when Gilroy was part of the panel. Aside from managing St Vincent's to Dublin, Leinster and All-Ireland success, Whelan has also been involved in coaching with DCU and was an Ireland selector in the International Rules series in 2005.
The reality underlying the decision to recommend the management team was the lack of a broad range of candidates. Former Dublin All-Ireland winner and Derry manager Brian Mullins withdrew from the process and it was felt another former All-Ireland medallist Mick Deegan and his management team lacked the senior experience despite having taken the county to this year's junior All-Ireland.
Gilroy's management and administrative credentials impressed the panel and he was considered to have the potential to complement Whelan's considerable coaching experience. The new manager will meet the media in Parnell Park at noon today.
Meanwhile, in Galway the meeting to decide whether Ger Loughnane should continue as senior hurling manager has been postponed again until next Monday. The sudden death in a traffic accident of county panellist Paul Flynn caused the meeting of the hurling board scheduled for last Tuesday to be deferred until last night. Two further bereavements in the county caused the meeting to be postponed again.
Elsewhere Derry county finalists Slaughtneil and Ballinderry have been severely punished for disorderly incidents that took place at last weekend's county final after which there was a melee on the field between players, officials and supporters. Slaughtneil, who lost 0-8 to 0-10, have been banned from all competitions for six months, while 96-week bans have been handed out to club members Raymond McCluskey and Danny McMullan. County players Francis and Fergal McEldowney plus Michael McEldowney and Michael Rogers, also of Slaughtneil, have been served with 48-week suspensions.
Ballinderry selector Paul Devlin has been suspended for two years, while Slaughtneil have also been fined £5,000 (€6,275). The county board investigation isn't yet complete. Both clubs have 72 hours to appeal.
Meanwhile, RTÉ have confirmed their coverage arrangements for the International Rules series in Australia at the end of the month. Both Tests will be televised live with the first match on October 24th to be broadcast from Perth starting at 11.30 (BST) and the second from the MCG, Melbourne on October 31st at 8.45. There will be no live radio commentary.
Finally Australia coach Mick Malthouse has named his team for the series. Only six members of the panel - Brent Harvey, Campbell Brown, Ryan Crowley, Adam Selwood, Kade Simpson and Daniel Wells - have represented Australia in the series before.
AUSTRALIA: Nathan Bock (Adelaide), Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), Jared Brennan (Brisbane Lions), Campbell Brown (Hawthorn), Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide), Matt Campbell (North Melbourne), Ryan Crowley (Fremantle), Michael Firrito (North Melbourne), Nathan Foley (Richmond), Brent Harvey (North Melbourne), Roger Hayden (Fremantle), Leigh Montagna (St Kilda), Daniel Motlop (Port Adelaide), Marc Murphy (Carlton), Michael Osborne (Hawthorn), Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood), Drew Petrie (North Melbourne), David Rodan (Port Adelaide), Max Rooke (Geelong), Brad Sewell (Hawthorn), Kade Simpson (Carlton), Adam Selwood (West Coast), Dale Thomas (Collingwood), Scott Thompson (Adelaide), Daniel Wells (North Melbourne).