Cregan gets Limerick job

Eamonn Cregan has been appointed manager of the Limerick hurling team in succession to incumbent manager Tom Ryan, who was also an applicant for the job. Cregan's appointment was recommended to the county board at their meeting last night and was ratified without opposition. Cregan, who won an All-Ireland medal with Limerick in 1973, the last occasion the county won the title, has already had one previous stint as manager with Limerick. He also managed Offaly when they beat Limerick in the All-Ireland final of 1994 and when they were beaten by Clare in 1995.

Cregan's appointment is for two years and the county board, in consultation with him, will appoint two other selectors within the next week. Former Limerick players such as Joe McKenna, Pat Hartigan and Eamon Grimes are believed to be among the main candidates.

The decision to ratify the recommendation of the executive committee of the board took less than five minutes and there was no dissenting voices at the meeting. Cregan takes charge of the team straight away.

The name of outgoing manager Tom Ryan was mentioned at the meeting when county board chairman Brendan Danagher thanked him for his services to the county during the last four years and wished him well in the future.

Ryan led Limerick to two Munster titles and two unsuccessful All-Ireland appearances, as well as a National League title just a week ago.

Neither Ryan nor Cregan were available for comment last night. It is understood than Canon Willie Fitzmaurice, a former county player and the other applicant for the position, withdrew his name before the meeting, but this could not be confirmed. Earlier in the day, Ryan made it clear that he would not be withdrawing from the contest. Attitudes to Ryan's regime as Limerick manager have been mixed for some time and it appears that there has been two factions among the players up to and including Limerick's victory over Galway in the National League final.

A number of players, apparently, objected when the team captain Gary Kirby pledged the support of the players to Ryan in a speech following the National League final victory.

In other managerial developments yesterday, Clare's Ger Loughnane and Tipperary's Len Gaynor were banned from the sideline for the next championship match of their respective counties. That means that both men will have to watch next summer's Munster semi-finals from the stand.

The bans were handed out by the GAA's Games Administration Committee (GAC) yesterday. The GAC also fined all four counties involved in the All-Ireland minor and senior hurling finals.

The heaviest punishment has been imposed on the Clare county board which has been fined £1,000 arising out of pitch incursions during the senior match. Team manager Loughnane has been banned from the sideline for one championship match - next summer's Munster semi-final against Limerick or Cork. Loughnane was also cautioned about remarks made to reporters after the game. In addition, Clare officials Colm Flynn and Tony Considine have been disciplined. Flynn has been banned from the sideline for one match and Considine has been cautioned.

The Tipperary county board has been fined £600 for pitch incursions and team manager Gaynor has been excluded from the sideline for one championship match - next summer's Munster semi-final against Waterford or Kerry.

As a result of incursions during the minor final, both Clare and Galway have been fined £600. Clare's Colm Honan has been cautioned, while Galway's John Fahy has been banned from the sideline for one match and Joe Hayes has been cautioned. The GAC has also recommended a revamp of the National Hurling League. The new proposals will see the league starting on the second Sunday in March and finishing on May 24th, before the championship begins. The proposal has been circulated to the 33 counties involved in the league for consideration, but it is understood that it will be endorsed by Central Council.

It is proposed that Division One will consist of two sections of six teams. The top two teams in each section will progress to the semi-finals. Score averages will decide placings in the event of teams finishing on the same number of points. Only one team will be relegated.

There will also be two sections in Division Two. With seven teams in each, the top two teams from each section will play in semi-finals and finals. The overall winners will gain promotion to the top flight. Division Three will consist of seven teams.

The composition of Division One will be as follows: Section A - Clare, Galway, Offaly, Dublin, Limerick and Antrim; Section B - Waterford, Tipperary, Laois, Wexford, Kilkenny and Cork.