Offaly SH

Michael Bond has stepped down as manager of the Offaly hurling team after a year back at the helm. It was his second tour of duty with the county and his first in 1998 and '99 brought the county an All- Ireland title. A surprise appointment after the unscheduled departure of Babs Keating in July 1998 Bond, from Galway, took over a fairly demoralised team and managed to rebuild their confidence to the stage at which Offaly became the only county to date to win an All-Ireland after losing their provincial final.

His second stint wasn't as successful. Coming in last autumn after the county's heavy defeat by Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final, Bond's season finished on much the same note, with a big beating from the champions in the Leinster semi-final.

Offaly SF

Bond's football counterpart Padraig Nolan is staying on with Offaly for another year. Nolan, from Kildare, has served two years to date. In June of last year he led Offaly to a sensational defeat of the All- Ireland champions Meath before succumbing to Kildare after a replay. This summer his team lost narrowly to Dublin a match they should have won.

International Rules

Kildare captain Glenn Ryan has announced that he will not be available to travel to Australia for next month's International Rules. Ryan has been troubled with injury this year but his loss is a blow in a week when former vice-captain Peter Canavan also opted not to travel, as he has a one-match suspension hanging over him from last year's series.

Cork Under-21 F

(v Tyrone): K Murphy; G Canty, S O'Brien, D Duggan; N O'Leary, A O'Connor, L Collins; D Kavanagh, D Niblock; C McCarthy, J Olden, P Hurley; J Masters, C Murphy, W Morgan. Subs: P O'Shea, C Twomey, T Kenny, G Spillane, D Meeghan, B Healy, D O'Sullivan, J O'Connell, C Brosnan.