Gaelic Games News: The worst kept hurling secret of recent times officially became public knowledge last night as Michael "Babs" Keating was ratified as Tipperary manger for a two-year term.

Something that wasn't as widely expected was the appointment of John Leahy and Tom Barry as his selectors.

There had been a delay in announcing the management team reportedly due to a disagreement over who should be involved.

This is Keating's third stint in charge of his native county. He was football manager in the early 1980s as well as hurling manager from autumn 1986 until defeat to Clare in the 1994 Munster championship.

In that eight-year period he delivered two All-Ireland titles, five Munster crowns and two national leagues for Tipperary.

More recently he has been in charge of hurling at UCD, leading them to a county title last year and a Leinster final defeat to eventual All-Ireland champions James Stephens. He has also had stints in intercounty management with Galway, Laois and Offaly.

"There is no great mystery about it," said Keating, who was speaking last night at the launch of the book: Hurling: The Revolution Years by Sunday Times journalist Denis Walsh.

"While I have always regarded my selectors as equal, I'll be sitting down with them as soon as possible and I am interviewing for the job of physical trainer. The county board will be releasing details of a press conference to announce the final details.

"I'm retired now so although the traffic is worse, I've more time on my hands and I am looking forward to the challenge."

As a player, Keating collected three All-Ireland senior medals and five Munster titles, which included an All-Star award at centre forward in 1971, winning the Texaco Hurler of the Year in the same season.

He was also a noted footballer, representing Munster for 11 seasons, winning one Railway Cup medal in 1972 and two hurling in 1968 and 1970.

He guided Galway to the 1979 All-Ireland hurling final before taking on the Tipperary job.

Barry is from the Thurles Sarsfields club were he served as manager in the early 1990s and as selector for three years until 2002, when they lost the county final each time, and also served as club chairman for four years. He played alongside Keating for Tipperary during the 1970s.

Leahy is 36 years old and played under Keating during his first period as manager when he was introduced to the panel as an 18-year-old in 1988. He won two All-Ireland medals in 1989 and 1991 and was initially part of the 2001 panel but was denied a third All-Ireland medal due to a cruciate knee ligament injury.

He was player manager of Mullinahone when they won the county championship in 2002 and was an All-Star in 1991, 1994 and 1997.

After beating Limerick, in a replay, and Clare in this year's championship, Tipperary lost to Cork in the Munster final and then Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final, forcing the end of Ken Hogan's long association with the senior panel as player, selector and manager.

Meanwhile, the Limerick county board are expected to ratify former Kerry footballer Mickey Ned O'Sullivan as their football manager at tonight's meeting.

Liam Lenihan and Ger Cunningham are also expected to be confirmed as senior hurling selectors under Joe McKenna.

Michael Donnellan looks set to captain Galway next year following the county final win by his adopted Salthill/Knocknacarra last Sunday.

It is a long established practice in Galway that the county champions get to nominate the captain for the following season.