Bealin expected to be named Carlow manager

The two outstanding football managerial appointments for 2008 will be completed in the next week with Carlow expected to ratify Paul Bealin as their new manager tonight.

Carlow County Board chairman Pat Deering would not confirm Bealin as the sole candidate to be presented this evening but speculation has been mounting that the former Dublin player and recent Wexford manager will take over the position.

The initial favourite, Michael Dempsey, ruled himself out of contention because of his role in the Kilkenny hurling management.

Bealin parted with Wexford after this year's championship following alleged disagreements with county chairman Ger Doyle over training preparations and the make-up of the backroom team.

The Wexford football selection committee hope to find a replacement candidate for rubber-stamping ahead of next Tuesday's county board meeting.

Local candidate Aidan O'Brien, who managed Good Counsel College and Horeswood, has ruled himself out for the post while the Wexford board clarified yesterday neither Seán Boylan nor Mick Galvin were approached despite speculation to the contrary.

Leinster manager Val Andrews and former Kildare player Séamus Dowling have been mentioned in relation to the role along with another former Wexford player, Jason Ryan, who recently managed Clongeen to a first football championship title.

Meanwhile, the Gaelic Players Association executive have extended the closure date for the receipt of members' ballot papers (in relation to the proposed strike by intercounty players from all intercounty competitions) from yesterday to November 7th at 5.30pm. This is due to members living in Northern Ireland experiencing delays in receiving their ballot papers as a result of the recent postal strike.

The television audience for last Saturday's interprovincial finals at Croke Park peaked at an impressive 245,000. A disappointing crowd of 10,127 attended the two matches that were promoted on a far lesser scale to the International Rules series that usually take place around this time of year.

The suspension of the International Rules ensured RTÉ were able to broadcast the meeting of the country's best footballers and hurlers.

Former All Star Declan Browne and three of his Moyle Rovers club-mates are chasing history in next Sunday's Tipperary senior football final against Fethard. Browne, Liam Cronin, Robbie Boland and team captain James Williams are each chasing their sixth winners' medal after previous successes (1995, '96, '98, '99, 2000). Browne was goalkeeper in 1995 when Rovers captured their first senior crown and Cronin was captain for the last success in 2000.

The nominees for the camogie manager and young player of the year awards were announced yesterday. Stellah Sinnott (Wexford), Paul Lyng (Waterford) and Ciarán Carey ( Limerick) are the manager nominees while Jessica Gill (Galway), Leanne Fennelly (Kilkenny), Niamh Mulcahy (Limerick) and Racquel McCarry (Antrim) are in line for the young player award. Both will be announced at the All Star night on November 10th.