Luke Dempsey could still be approached to resume as Westmeath football manager. But whereas county chairman Seamus Whelan says that the county football board executive have the authority to recommend Dempsey to the county board, he is pessimistic about such an outcome.

Dempsey announced earlier this week that he would not submit to a selection process.

"That would be up to the football board executive who pick the manager but I haven't heard anyone suggest that they are considering that and I would say that Luke's decision is probably final. I regret his going but the process was democratically decided and has to be gone through."

Delegates to the county football board rejected a motion to reappoint Dempsey and voted to conduct an interview process. Whelan said the interview process would continue until the executive come up with a name for recommendation. Dempsey was angry after nine years' involvement with the county at minor and under-21, at which levels he won All-Ireland titles, as well as at senior level for the past three years, that he should have to be interviewed.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte will be keeping an anxious eye on the weekend's club activity in the county. Twenty six members of his panel will be involved in action. Tonight 16 players will feature in the senior quarter-finals and on Sunday, while nine others are due to play in league ties and one in a junior semi-final.

Harte will be hoping that none of them joins skipper Peter Canavan on the injured list. Canavan misses Errigal Ciaran's senior championship clash with Donaghmore on Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, the GAA expects Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final between Armagh and Donegal to be a sell-out, with over 79,000 people in the ground. A small number of tickets were on sale yesterday and a statement on what would be very limited availability will be issued this morning.

Ahead of the All-Ireland hurling final Cork hurlers will have an open day for their younger supporters tomorrow at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Players will be available for autographs and pictures for an hour from midday. A similar open day before the 1999 hurling final attracted 8,000. According to Cork county chairman Jim Forbes: "The level of interest in this year's final is unprecedented."