Offaly set to appoint McNamara

GAELIC GAMES: Offaly are expected to name the new county hurling manager within the next few days and it is expected to be Michael McNamara, the former Clare and Galway trainer. Neither McNamara nor the Offaly County Board wished to comment in advance of the announcement but sources indicate that the only matter to be resolved is the identity of the selectors.

The new manager will be the county's seventh in eight years and will have a major rebuidling task ahead of him as the great team of the 1990s is in the final stages of breaking up.

Tyrone's new football manager Mickey Harte will name his selectors at a press conference today. There now appears to be some uncertainty as to whether Harte will rejoin forces with Fr Gerald McAleer who was part of the management team that delivered great success to the county at underage level in recent years.

Two selectors likely to be announced are Tony Donnelly from Augher and Paddy Tally from Galbally.

The Ulster Council's fixtures for next year's championship have been released. All-Ireland champions Armagh will open the championship and their defence on May 11th with a trip to the familiar environs of Clones where the county has played all its provincial fixtures for the past two years.

The teams for next Sunday's women's football All-Ireland club senior final have been announced. Carnacon from Mayo will be captained by county player Cora Staunton and their opponents are Tyrone's Carrickmore.

TG4's live broadcast next Sunday will cover the Ulster club football championship semi-final between All-Ireland champions Ballinderry and Errigal Ciarán.

CARNACON (Mayo): C Brennan; S McGing, M Higgins, A Higgins; N Lally, C McGing, C Egan; M Staunton, M McGing; M Carter, S Mahon, J O'Hara; C Staunton (capt), F McHale, N Gibbons. Subs: L O'Brien, F Feeney, S Murphy, A Geraghty, N Tierney, U McGing, L Reilly, A Coleman. N Heneghan, K Cawley, L Cannon.

CARRICKMORE (Tyrone): C Nugent; Y Fox, E O'Kane, A O'Loughlin; C Hughes, C Fox (capt), C O'Kane; P McGurk, L Hughes; M Grogan, S McElroy, S McAteer; E Coyle, E Gormley, G Begley. Subs: C McCullagh, C McElroy, J McGurk, C Fox, C McAleer, C Gallagher, S McCallan, R McCartan, M Coban, D Dobbs, AM McGurk, N Fox, Cliodhna McCallan, Catherine McCallan, J Dobbs.