Keating points the finger at players on his way out the door

GAELIC GAMES:Tipperary hurling manager Michael "Babs" Keating has effectively ended his term in charge after two years, realising "that it's not going to happen for me" and announcing plans for a possible move to Dubai.

Keating made this and other revelations during an interview on RTE's Road to Croker last night, and having so far blamed everyone from match referees to fatigue for his team's failure this year - everyone it seems but himself - he's now pointed the finger at his players.

"I felt that less educated guys had a greater ability to retain the bit of advice you gave," said Keating. "Nothing happened in that game against Wexford last Saturday that we didn't work on since last November. You ask yourself, are you wasting your time? Do they listen anymore?

"I played in an All-Ireland minor final 47 years ago. I've a wife and a wonderful family. I've a summer place down in Rosslare that I haven't see for the past two years, thanks to Tipperary hurling. I've a son-in-law in Dubai, and that's threatening for me.

"Being in a Tipperary dressingroom is a wonderful place to be - with a successful team. It's a sad place to be, after Damien Fitzhenry scored that goal. But there is no place like Croke Park on All-Ireland final day. I hope it continues like that. I have to realise that it's not going to happen for me, from now on, But so be it."

The "threat" of Dubai referred to is an offer to link up with son-in-law and successful flat-racing jockey Johnny Murtagh. The Meath native is married to Keating's daughter Orla and has ties with the Jebel Ali stables in Dubai.

"I was walking around in the wind and rain in Thurles," added Keating, "so you would have to ask yourself . . . somebody who played in a minor All-Ireland in 1960, do I want that in 2008?"

Keating also revisited the controversial omission of All Star forward Eoin Kelly from last Saturday's starting line-up, insisting he wasn't fit to play. Limerick-based physio Ger Hartmann - who was treating Kelly - has since confirmed to The Irish Times that he'd given the player the all clear, and in fact rang Keating to relay that news.

However, Keating insisted there was still an injury problem: "In relation to Eoin (Kelly), he received his injury against Dublin three weeks prior to last Sunday's game. He felt himself he was right, but his trainer suggested he wasn't right, his physio suggested he wasn't right. We had to make the call and keep him for as long as we could.

"But I think the great majority of people who saw Eoin playing last week felt that he wasn't fit . . . I gave Eoin a bit of advice last April, that his fitness programme wasn't what we felt it should be."

Finally, Keating also blamed the media for all their criticism of Tipperary: "We're in the worst county, because we're breeding more reporters at the moment than millionaires. Local and national reporters, and some of them wouldn't know how to make a hurl. Or they'd pick up the wrong end . . . You hear this from people who have never played inside in Croke Park."

Meanwhile, the GAA were quick to dismiss as "mischievous" a statement released by the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) yesterday, which they believe had widely misinterpreted comments by GAA president Nickey Brennan concerning the movement of young players to the Australian Football League (AFL).

Brennan was quoted as saying that he "can understand young lads who see an opportunity to play sport professionally. They have to think long and hard . . .", because young GAA stars can "carve out a good career for themselves on the back of their reputations playing Gaelic football and hurling".

In a bold response, the GPA claimed "the GAA has no authority to determine the career choice of any player and we believe that these injudicious remarks only serve to make life more difficult for these young men.

"The GAA is unequivocal about professionalism - if you want professional sport, then the GAA is not for you. However, surely it is stretching it to try and deter a player from pursuing a professional sport in a different code.

"The president also fails to point out the drain of young talent to other codes in Ireland - probably of far more concern to GAA members. The GPA is committed to the amateur ethos of the GAA, but is supportive of any young player who wants to pursue a professional career in any sport."

In a related matter, Tadhg Kennelly has warned the GAA that their ailing relationship with the AFL could lead to the wholesale recruiting of young Irish talent. Kennelly has backed claims by his Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos that the breakdown between the two associations could lead to a growing exodus of young Irish players to Australia.

Kennelly told The Australian newspaper: "The more (Irish) success there is here the more the drive is going to be to get that extra player from Ireland. It could be a big issue. It could become a big, big problem if you had 16 clubs doing it every year. It hasn't come to that yet . . . It's hard to say. It depends if the success rate of players coming out here continues.

"Now the relationship's gone a bit sour over the international rules, it's going to give clubs here open slather (for recruiting in Ireland). It's sad and you just wonder what the GAA can do to stop it."

The dates and venues for the All-Ireland under-21 hurling semi-finals have been set, with Munster champions Cork meeting Galway in Thurles on Saturday, August 18th at 3.30pm and Leinster title holders Dublin taking on surprise package Derry - who defeated hot favourites Antrim in the Ulster decider - on the same day in Newry (6pm).

Finally, tickets for this weekend's games in Croke Park are on sale from the ticket booth at number 526, North Cirular Road in Dublin from 11am to 7pm today - as well as from www.gaa.ie and Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

Tomorrow, in Dublin, Wicklow meet Antrim in the Tommy Murphy Cup final, before the All-Ireland football quarter-finals between Cork and Sligo and between Tyrone and Meath.

The following day, Kildare and Westmeath open proceedings with the Christy Ring Cup final, before Kilkenny meet Wexford in the All-Ireland hurling semi-final, with Cork and Waterford bringing the weekend's action to a close in their All-Ireland hurling quarter-final replay.

Tickets will be on sale in Dublin tomorrow at North Circular Road-Fitzgibbon St Junction (opposite Gills Pub), Ballybough (under the railway bridge), Bishop's Palace, Drumcondra Road and Binn's Bridge (outside Martin Properties).