Padraig Horan has been appointed as the new manager of the Laois hurlers in succession to Michael 'Babs' Keating. Horan, captain of Offaly when they won All-Ireland titles in 1981 and 1985, managed his own county when they won a League title in 1991.
Keating had two years with the Laois hurlers and although he brought them to a League semi final in 1996, he failed to achieve any championship success. They were also relegated from division One of the League this year.
The Laois county board last night also gave Michael Dempsey another season in charge of the county's footballers. Under Dempsey's management last season, the county won promotion from Division Two and were only beaten by eventual winners Kerry in the League semi-final. They were beaten by Kildare in the Leinster Championship.
Meanwhile, one of the high-profile list of candidates for the position of Galway senior football manager has announced his withdrawal. Tony Regan, former Roscommon player, Galway manager and driving force behind a few generations of UCG Sigerson Cup sides, said that he had not been approached by anyone with a view to going forward for the job.
"All I know is that I was nominated," he said last night. "I was hit for six when I heard after my family had been listening to the radio on Friday evening. No-one made any approach and I am flummoxed by it all.
"I was approached by clubs 12 months ago before Val (Daly, outgoing manager) was appointed but not this time. If one is approached officially and in the proper manner, that's different but I wasn't and can't consider it."
Did that mean he was withdrawing rather than looking for a formal invitation to make himself available?
"Absolutely."
The short list, apart from Regan, is: Mattie Kerrigan, Meath All-Ireland winner and former Westmeath manager; John O'Mahony, who brought both Mayo and Leitrim to Connacht success; Eamonn Coleman, former Derry All-Ireland winning manager; Brian Talty, Dublinbased former Galway player, who has been involved with Dublin's minors and took Malahide club St Sylvester's to a county title last year, and finally, Val Daly whose one-year appointment expired with the first-round championship defeat by Mayo.
It comes as a surprise that Daly has been put under such pressure, given that the championship outing, although ending in the first home defeat in Tuam for 46 years, was creditable enough. The young side, missing their most influential player, Jarlath Fallon, through injury, gave a good account of themselves.
John Power, secretary of the Galway Football Board, outlined the position. "We have taken a decision to appoint a panel of five - two nominated by the clubs and three by the executive - to interview applicants for the position. The outgoing manager was only elected for a year, not for two or three years."
When asked whether all on the shortlist had indicated their willingness to be considered, he was uncertain.
"That I don't know, but clubs were asked to make sure their nominations were available to take the post and were supposed to have checked with the candidates."
