GAC defers decision on Tipperary and Kerry

News: The GAA's Games Administration Committee have deferred a decision on the fate of Tipperary and Kerry, the counties that defaulted on their All-Ireland qualifier commitments last month.

Although the matter was discussed at yesterday's GAC meeting, no conclusion was formed and it is believed the matter will be referred to the GAA's Management Committee for judgement. Management will next meet on the weekend after next.

Tipperary withdrew from their football match against Fermanagh after senior players refused to make themselves available because of manager Andy Shortall's resignation in protest at a club match being fixed a few days before the county match. Kerry's hurlers pulled out after a heavy loss to Cork in the Munster championship.

It has also been confirmed that Waterford hurler John Mullane has been suspended for four weeks after being shown a red card in last Sunday's Munster hurling final. Mullane was reported by referee Seán McMahon for dangerous play, which is a category C offence, rather than striking, which is a category B offence and carries a suspension of 12 weeks.

Although the suspension will have been served by next month's All-Ireland semi-final, under Rule 138 2 (ii) Mullane will miss the match, as he has to miss the next match in the competition during which he was sent off.

Offaly face an anxious few days as they wait to see how Brian Whelahan's hamstring injury heals with the All-Ireland qualifier against Clare coming up on Saturday week. The player had to leave the field during Sunday's Leinster final and is a major doubt for next week's match.

"My major concern is that a club match has been scheduled for Friday," said Offaly manager Michael McNamara, who will be facing his native county in the qualifier. "Birr are down to play in a very important, do-or-die match and the last thing we need is Brian having to turn out and stand in the corner for the game."

McNamara is hoping that the match will be re-scheduled. "Brian is very good to look after himself and do whatever exercises he has to. The hamstring is pulled rather than torn so I think he has a fighting chance of recovering providing he doesn't aggravate the injury."

He says that Whelahan's withdrawal was a turning point for Offaly, who lost his influence at the back and sacrificed their influential forward Rory Hanniffy to fill in at centre back. "It was a vital time for us when he had to go off and moving Rory back may not have been the right thing to do, but something had to be done and the call had to be made."

Meanwhile in Meath, there will be no sudden decision by football manager Seán Boylan about his future. Meath slumped to a second successive qualifiers' exit at the hands of Fermanagh and speculation is that Boylan may call it a day after 22 years in charge of the county, which he led to unprecedented success.

The county committee ratify inter-county managers every October so there is no immediate need for a decision. Boylan has been sporadically challenged during his three decades in charge. Should he leave, possible contenders would be former players Colm Coyle, who resigned as Monaghan manager last week, and Colm O'Rourke as well as Eamonn Barry, who stood against Boylan in the past two years and has now stepped down from managing Dunshaughlin.

The Tommy Murphy Cup for weaker football counties is due to be drawn today against a background of uncertainty as to what counties will be contesting it. Open to a list of designated counties who haven't progressed beyond round two of the All-Ireland qualifiers, the competition was established at this year's congress last April.

Of the eligible counties - Leitrim, Sligo, Louth, Wicklow, Carlow, Longford, Wexford, Westmeath, Kilkenny, Waterford, Tipperary, Clare, Antrim, Fermanagh, Monaghan, Cavan and London - Longford, Westmeath and Fermanagh have progressed beyond the stage at which they can enter. Wexford have yet to play their round two match against Offaly and should they win they will be ineligible.

There is further difficulty for Leitrim, whose manager of three years Declan Rowley stepped down at the weekend after the All-Ireland qualifier defeat by Dublin. Monaghan are in a similar position with the departure last week of Colm Coyle.

Tipperary could also be in difficulties, as not alone have they no manager after the resignation of Andy Shortall but the team's withdrawal from the qualifier against Fermanagh may yet land them in trouble with the authorities.

The GAA was unable to say which of the remaining 13 counties will actually be taking part in today's draw. The original idea behind the competition was that it would be inaugurated next year but GAA president Seán Kelly was anxious that it should start as soon as possible and pushed for it to be introduced this year.

There is a body of opinion within the GAA that it would have been better to go ahead with the original start-up date, which would have allowed the competition develop profile and eligible counties to focus on it for longer during preparations.

• Leitrim's Séamus Quinn has retired from inter-county football. A member of the team that won a first Connacht title since 1927 10 years ago, he was also the team's only All Star winner that year, named at full back.

• The death has occurred of Galway under-21 reserve goalkeeper Matthew Berry (20). He died in a motor accident on Sunday night. A member of the Cahirlistrane club, he had played for the county under-21s last week against Limerick.

TIPPERARY (U-21 HC v Limerick): P McCormack; A Morrissey, C O'Mahoney, H Moloney; D Kennedy, D Fitzgerald (Captain), E Hanley; J Caesar, S Sweeney; P Buckley, F Devanney, M Farrell; W Ryan, T Scroope, E Sweeney.