The GAA are expecting a crowd of "at least 60,000" to Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final between Kerry and Tyrone. What is unusual about the anticipated crowd is that the interest is being driven as much by counties not involved in the match.

Croke Park Information Officer Fergal McGill said yesterday there had been a phenomenal level of interest from other northern counties.

"There has been a massive interest among other counties in Ulster," he said. "Tyrone have only requested the same number of tickets as Kerry - about 16,000 - but the counties bordering Tyrone have been looking for far more tickets than usual."

With a Tyrone victory guaranteeing an all-Ulster final, interest is obviously running very high in the northern province. Tickets will be on sale today from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Croke Park at the rear of the Cusack Stand.

Meanwhile it has been confirmed in Meath that the new sub-committee established to interview candidates for the job of managing the senior footballers will have a purely advisory role. It had originally been thought the sub-committee would decide the issue with the county board rubber-stamping that decision.

"Nominations used to go straight to the county board meeting," according to county secretary Barney Allen.

"Now a committee will interview candidates and recommend a nomination after vetting but delegates will still be entitled to propose other candidates."

Allen said the process was not under way and the issue won't be decided until the October county board meeting. Yesterday Dunshaughlin manager Eamonn Barry announced his intention to seek the appointment and if necessary run against Seán Boylan - as he did last year.

Boylan hasn't made his intentions clear yet but the feeling in the county is that he will again make himself available.

Barry has been the most successful club coach in Meath in recent years and last year led Dunshaughlin to the Leinster club title.

However, his candidacy may suffer from the involvement of his brother Martin, manager of the Meath juniors, in a controversy with the county board over the selection of Drogheda United soccer goalkeeper Gary Rogers on the county team.