FOOTBALL QUALIFIER:KILDARE MANAGER Kieran McGeeney and his assistant, Paul Grimley, are the obvious candidates to return to their native Armagh next season after Peter McDonnell decided to step aside after a two-year managerial term.

McDonnell was tasked with maintaining the highest possible standards, not to mention expectations, despite the 2002 All-Ireland winning team crumbling around him.

The captain of that side, McGeeney, retired in 2007 and was favoured to succeed Joe Kernan in some quarters but opted to begin his managerial career in the midlands job where he also enticed Grimley away from a similar role in Cavan.

Grimley had previously served as Kernan’s assistant in Armagh.

McDonnell guided Armagh to a 14th Ulster title last season, a remarkable sixth this century, last summer but the untimely and surprising defeat to a Matty Forde-inspired Wexford proved yet another failure by the Orchard County in the All-Ireland series since 2002.

Wexford were easily defeated by Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Paul McGrane, Francie Bellew and Paddy McKeever were the next trio from their greatest ever panel to step away from inter-county football.

Despite some decent talent coming through from the 2004 under-21 All-Ireland winners, Armagh struggled this season losing to old rivals Tyrone before Monaghan killed them off in a predictably dour qualifier match.

“Peter showed tremendous conviction in accepting the role, given the challenge of the team’s success in recent years, and the fact that a number of high profile and extremely talented players had also left the intercounty scene,” said Armagh chairman Kevin Brady.

“This was a test that he met head-on, and a number of new faces from his highly-successful under-21 squad and from the county club scene were integrated comfortably to the panel.

“The winning of an Ulster provincial championship in his first year could not be underestimated, and Peter was disappointed not to build on this and reach the closing stages of the All-Ireland series.”

Any approach for McGeeney, the county’s most decorated captain as the only man to lift Sam Maguire, is not expected to take place until after the championship.

His Kildare charges face Wicklow in the fourth round qualifier this Saturday in Portlaoise.

John Considine was last night named as the new Cork minor hurling coach following a County Board meeting. He steps down from the same position with the under-21 side, with a decision on who takes that post deferred until a later date. Rebel legend Jimmy Barry-Murphy has been tipped to succeed him.