It emerged yesterday that Sligo football manager Mickey Moran and Wexford's hurling manager Joachim Kelly both tendered their resignations to their respective county boards on Tuesday night.

Moran's departure, after four progressive years with the county, comes in the wake of a surprising championship collapse against Galway. Wexford's hurlers also exited the championship ignominiously, falling heavily against Offaly.

Kelly's decision to step down follows some controversial remarks concerning his stewardship made at a recent county board meeting. "We are waiting to receive a formal letter from Joachim but he indicated that the distance involved was the main reason," said Wexford PRO Pat Murphy yesterday.

"The man was leaving his house at half five and not getting back home until one in the morning. That takes a savage toll and it is hard on his family also. Given that he felt that Wexford needs a three- to four-year plan, he didn't believe there was a point in him committing himself for a shorter duration. Naturally, we are very thankful for his efforts. I can say that he certainly put in an awful lot of work over the year."

Kelly's suitability was openly discussed at a county board meeting last week, during which it became known that the former Offaly star had been approached only after a long list of other possible candidates had all declined invitations. Although the remark that Kelly's appointment had been "a last resort" was misconstrued - intended to emphasise the length of time it took to find anyone willing to manage the county - it was none too subtle.

"Well, it can't have helped. I don't think it was said in a manner designed to criticise Joachim but it probably appeared so," said Murphy when asked if he felt the discussions at that meeting might have prompted Kelly's decision.

His absence presents the county board with another potential headache, given that they exhausted all suitable candidates within the county last year in their search for a successor to Rory Kinsella.

"Naturally we are hoping that we won't have anything like the same delay this time. I believe we waited 17 weeks before Joachim was appointed, which gave him very little time to work with for the league. It didn't help preparation at all," commented Murphy.

Meanwhile, Mickey Moran ended his time with Sligo through a written statement read before the county board on Tuesday evening. Again, Moran cited the travelling distance involved - he commuted from Derry for Sligo sessions - as the principal reason. He said the sustained effort had left him physically and mentally exhausted and that he felt he owed it to his family to step down.

Moran stressed that the disappointment of the Galway defeat had no real influence on his decision. "I would not he honest if I didn't state that the actual performance hurt me so much. However, if I lived nearer to Sligo I would not walk away as I still believe there is a Connacht title in this team."

Since taking charge, Moran guided Sligo from the lower regions of the league to the first division, and over the past few summers his young team seemed on the threshold of a championship breakthrough. They were beaten by Mayo in the provincial final of 1997 and surprised many people by failing to overcome Roscommon a year later. They took Galway to a replay last summer before collapsing in front of an expectant capacity crowd in Markievicz Park two Sundays ago.

Paying glowing tribute to the general GAA community in the county, Moran urged his former charges not to be overly dispirited by the result.

"To all the players I have come in contact with I thank you for all you have given me and Sligo football. To the present team, I will miss you despite last Sunday. You were and are the best bunch of young fellows I ever had the privilege to work with and be with. Thanks for all the wonderful memories and my dearest wish in football is to see you one day lift the Nestor Cup."

Moran's farewell extends the list of managerial vacancies in the north west of the country. Roscommon's Gay Sheerin also announced the end of his reign on Tuesday evening.

"Gay had been appointed for two years and had taken up the option of another so we were waiting to see how he felt. He believed he had taken the team as far as he could and when you look at his time, it is easy to see the improvements. I suppose his championship years were marked by a bit of bad luck but I think he did a lot to restore Roscommon football," said county chairman Stephen Banahan.

Roscommon and Sligo have appointed subcommittees to find successors while the Wexford county board will discuss the hurling vacancy next week.