Joe Kernan has stepped down as Armagh football manager after six seasons which will be remembered as the most successful in the county's history. On a different spectrum was news that Páidí Ó Sé ended his ill-fated return to management with the Clare footballers after just nine months at the helm.
Kernan, after leading his home town club Crossmaglen Rangers to three All-Ireland club titles in four years, eventually became the county manager in 2002 and immediately delivered Armagh's first ever All-Ireland title with a 1-12 to 0-14 victory over Kerry in the final. It was their first trip to Croke Park in September since Kernan was a player on the team that lost to Dublin in 1977.
The 2002 triumph was followed by a return to the All-Ireland final the following year when they lost to neighbours Tyrone. There followed a historic three Ulster titles in succession and national league success in 2005 but the much sought after second All-Ireland never materialised.
"I'd like to think we were successful - people would maybe say we underachieved and if we did then so be it," he said recently.
The Kernan era came to an end after being knocked out of the Ulster championship by Donegal before the surprise defeat to Derry in the qualifiers on July 8th.
Kernan's Armagh transcended Gaelic football by introducing a physicality, enacted by hugely talented footballers that proved unstoppable when in full flow.
In recent years, Armagh received regular criticism for containing too many aging players but Kernan did bring through underage talent in the county including his sons, Aaron and Stephen, who were both part of the 2004 under-21 All-Ireland winning side.
One of Kernan's chief lieutenants since 2002 Enda McNulty commented on his departure last night: "I'm shocked to be honest. I didn't expect it to happen at least without a longer review period but what Joe has given to the game no one can take away from him and very few can come close to matching it.
"He has always had the respect of the players, the people of Armagh and over time all GAA people around the country.
"His legacy will have to be that he won four All-Ireland titles with a county and club that had never won anything before. Now that's not a bad legacy."
Ó Sé, on the other hand, resigned in the wake of a disappointing season that saw Clare lose to Waterford in the Munster championship, a defeat that denied him the opportunity to play against his native county Kerry.
After a poor National League campaign, when they were demoted to the newly formed Division Four, Clare went directly into the Tommy Murphy Cup.
They beat Tipperary in the quarter-finals but were denied a place in the final by Antrim.
"Because of personal reasons, Páidí is unable to continue as Clare manager," said county board chairman Michael McDonagh.
"Páidí will be sorely missed in Clare; he is one of the finest individuals we have ever encountered."
