Cavan suffer again as McCorry resigns

There has been further fall-out from last week's departure of Cavan's football manager Liam Austin

There has been further fall-out from last week's departure of Cavan's football manager Liam Austin. Jim McCorry, a senior official within the county executive, has resigned from all the positions he holds at county level.

As well as being on the executive, McCorry was very influential as chairman of the Breffni Park Development Committee and also served as Safety Officer for the county board. He said he was resigning "in line with my clearly-stated position" at the county meeting of January 8th.

"It is my earnest wish," he continued, "that all concerned would channel their energies into winning matches on the field." McCorry had been critical of the role played by county chairman Brendan Keaney in the recent controversy.

The move will come as a blow to Cavan just as a successor to Austin is being sought. Tonight is the deadline for nominations to fill the vacant post.

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One of the perceived front-runners, Matt Kerrigan, ruled himself out. The Meath All-Ireland medallist and former Westmeath manager had been offered the job before Austin's appointment a year ago but had declined for personal reasons.

"I have been approached by clubs in Cavan," he said yesterday, "but amn't in a position to accept a nomination. Although I hope to get involved again in inter-county management in the future, it wouldn't be possible this year."

Former player Stephen King, who captained the Ulster championship-winning team of two years ago, has emerged as one of the favourites although business commitments (he has just opened a pub in Killeshandra) would make it difficult for him to take on so demanding a role.

Meanwhile in Mayo, the ambiguity over Kieran McDonald's intercounty future appears to have been resolved with a public statement that he will be resuming training in a few weeks. The player had failed to appear at training for two recent matches and speculation was mounting that he was permanently leaving the county panel and emigrating to Australia.

It is now believed that McDonald will shortly take up a new job in Dublin and resume his inter-county career in time for either Mayo's first NFL match of the year against Clare - co-incidentally a week before the county's champions Ballina and Doonbeg meet in the All-Ireland club semi-final - or the final home fixture scheduled for the player's home pitch in Crossmolina.

P J Hughes, PRO of the Crossmolina club, released a statement on behalf of the player explaining that McDonald was taking a rest rather than a lengthier absence. "Kieran has been playing right through the system from underage, minor, under-21 and through to senior. He has devoted 10 years of his life to Mayo football and served his club loyally. All he wants now is a break from the scene for a few weeks."

Mayo manager John Maughan said that he was happy that McDonald take a few weeks off and that he expected him back in time for the resumption of the NFL campaign. "I've said to Kieran I don't want him back for a few weeks, to let him rest and I won't be contacting him until next month when the League starts up again."

Further good news for Maughan is that another of Mayo's better forwards Kevin O'Neill will be back in action in four weeks.

O'Neill sustained a knee injury in the recent Connacht League match against Leitrim but it is not as serious as initially feared.

In Ulster, provincial council secretary Danny Murphy has denied suggestions that there is any uncertainty over the availability of venues for the coming championship season. The Irish News yesterday reported that redevelopment work had fallen behind at Pairc an Iuir in Newry where Down are due to play Antrim and Ballybofey where Donegal are scheduled to play Armagh.

"Venues haven't been decided upon," said Murphy. "Several grounds are currently under development and we will inspect them before making a decision in the not-too-distant future. We are anxious to give counties enough time to get on with their work and won't take any firm decisions probably until after Easter. But Ballybofey is working to deadline as is Newry."

Casement Park in Belfast is ahead of schedule with its redevelopment programme but this isn't relevant to the first round matches as Antrim are drawn away to Down. Depending on the identity of the Ulster semi-finalists, Casement could, however, come into the reckoning as a venue for one of the semi-finals.

Since the Belfast venue last featured a semi-final in 1993 when Derry defeated Monaghan, St Tiernach's Park in Clones - permanent venue for the Ulster final - has been used for all the penultimate-round fixtures.

It has occasionally been a cause of resentment for cross-border teams and their supporters that Clones attracts so many big matches as access and egress to the town is difficult compared to Casement which is just off the motorway. Murphy was sceptical about the ground's prospects of hosting a provincial final even after the redevelopment.

"I'm not sure about finals but certainly semi-finals are a possibility.