Westmeath football selector Tomás Ó Flatharta has received a three-match championship ban for 2005.

He might have faced an outright suspension under Rule 140, but the punishment was for breaching match regulations during the All-Ireland quarter-final against Derry at Croke Park. The penalty for this is exclusion from the pitch enclosure.

However, the GAC (Games Administration Committee) has exonerated Laois footballer Donie Brennan of any involvement in the now notorious brawl that erupted between Cork and Laois players in the minor quarter-final on July 31st.

Brennan, who made his senior debut in the Leinster final replay against Westmeath, was cleared due to inconclusive evidence on the video of the incident. Why the cases of Brennan and Cork dual player Kevin Canty have been drawn out is unclear as the other players and officials involved were reprimanded within a fortnight. The investigation is still ongoing.

The Laois minor manager for the last two campaigns, Seán Dempsey, has been named as under-21 manager for next year. Dempsey, whose brother Michael trains the Kilkenny under-21 hurlers, has been guiding the group since under-14 and won a minor All-Ireland in 2003.

The under-21 All-Ireland football final between Armagh and Mayo will take place next Saturday in Breffni Park (4 p.m.), with the Masters All-Ireland final replay between Dublin and Leitrim on the undercard. Mayo were hoping to get the match put back a week due to their involvement in Sunday's senior decider, but - as selector George Golden explained - it's not going to disrupt preparations.

"We did request that the game be put back a week because we have eight or nine players involved in both panels and it's the same management team but the GAC and Croke Park couldn't go with that. They have their own timetables to contend with. It will not be an issue for us."

A row has broken out in Galway over a decision to go ahead with the county football final on Sunday week even though the Galway women's team are contesting the All-Ireland final against Dublin in Croke Park on the same day.

Salthill-Knocknacarra and Killererin are due to play in the senior final at Pearse Stadium on Sunday week. Mary Hernon of the Galway Ladies Football Board urged GAA fans to vote with their feet and support the women's team in Croke Park instead of heading to the county final.

Finally, Len Gaynor, is returning to the management scene in Tipperary. The Kilruane man, who won senior All-Irelands as a player with Tipperary in 1965 and '71, and subsequently managed the Tipperary and Clare senior sides, has been appointed manager of the Tipperary intermediate hurling team for next year. He will be joined at the helm by another former senior manager, Fr Tom Fogarty, who had spells in charge of both Tipperary and Offaly.

Another former senior player, Liam Sheedy, will take charge of the Tipperary minor hurlers next year.