GAELIC GAMES: Cork unveiled John Allen as their new hurling manager at a meeting of the county board late last night.With Allen secured all that now needs to be organised is the format of the backroom team to assist Donal O'Grady's former lieutenant as the All-Ireland champions set about the defence of their title in 2005.
One thing heavily preached in the county since Donal O'Grady stepped down, after securing the Liam McCarthy Cup following a five-year title drought, has been continuity. And that is exactly what Allen brings to the table.
A highly respected selector amongst the players, Allen was installed as favourite for the top job after another selector, and Allen's former inter-county team-mate, Seanie O'Leary, pulled out of the running early on.
Midleton's Seán O'Brien was also touted as a possible choice but this week Cashman's bookmakers in Cork slashed their odds on Allen from five to one to evens.
Allen was a panel member in the great Cork team that completed a famous three-in-a-row of titles in 1978, replacing Tom Cashman in that final against Kilkenny. He also won an All-Ireland club title with St Finbarr's.
He is of a similar coaching style to O'Grady in that his match preparation is considered meticulous and the panel will be run almost as a professional outfit. Also, as a primary school teacher in Togher, time constraints will not be an issue come the summer.
Tradition in Cork allows an All-Ireland-winning management team the opportunity to continue for another 12 months but, with the departures of O'Grady and O'Leary, the selectors' group of the past two years - who produced a Munster and All-Ireland title in separate campaigns - have already been split up.
The remaining selectors (apart from Allen), Fred Sheedy and Patsy Morrissey will stay on. Morrissey was promoted as a representative of county champions Newtownshandrum and it was thought he may have to step down after this Sunday's county final between Na Piarsaigh and Cloyne.
Two more selectors are to be appointed, one of whom will be Allen's choice.
In the running is Donal Collins, a popular selector in 2002 who had to step down as he was the representative of then county champions Blackrock.
The final selector will be decided after this weekend's county final.
Na Piarsaigh manager Joe O'Leary would be the initial favourite for the honour if the city club is successful, while for Cloyne manager Tomás O'Brien or county board officer Jerry O'Sullivan may be considered.
Cloyne are in their first ever county final but with inter-county stars Diarmuid O'Sullivan, son of Jerry, and Donal Óg Ó Cusack in their line up, experience is not a problem.
Na Piarsaigh, meanwhile, have been buoyed by the return of Setanta Ó hAilpín from Carlton during the AFL off-season but it has been the scoring prowess of his younger brother, Aisake, that has had the biggest impact on their run to the final.
Elsewhere, Wexford hope to announce a replacement for John Conran as hurling manager in the next four weeks. A six-man committee will begin interviewing next week.
