Galway football manager John O'Mahony has decided to take up the option of managing the team he guided to the All-Ireland championship last year for a third term.

Although he had spent some weeks pondering his future within the game, his announcement was not unexpected.

"I did spend a lot of time thinking about what way to go and obviously had a number of factors to consider, such as the demands and time one has to devote to the game," he declared yesterday.

"But ultimately I found that my enthusiasm for the post was still there and on that basis decided to take the third term and I am looking forward to helping Galway renew their challenge."

His confirmation will help revive spirits in the county after what had been a glorious run ended abruptly with the loss to Mayo in the Connacht final in July.

At the time, O'Mahony admitted that it had perhaps been difficult for Galway to sustain the hunger which had provided the impetus for their sweep during the previous summer.

During the second half of that final, Galway, a team noted for its flowing scoring style, managed just a single point, having fired 1-9 on the initial 35 minute period.

That crash revitalised Mayo's hopes and John Maughan's quest for an All-Ireland title but their defeat by Cork prompted their talismanic manger to end his four-year association with the county.

Maughan's departure highlighted that the phenomenon of the long-term manager is becoming ever more rare and that escalating pressures combined with public expectation forces a quicker turnover at inter-county level.

John O'Mahony, a native of Ballaghdereen in Mayo, already enjoyed unprecedented success in 1994 when he inspired Leitrim to win the Connacht championship, a feat only achieved once before (in 1927).

He was appointed Galway manager for the 1996/97 season and watched as his team fell to Mayo by four points in the first round of the championship that summer.

A good league run pre-empted their march the following year and the teams attractive game style was widely seen as enhancing the sport.

They were perceived to be genuine contenders again this year and their exit only confirmed the difficulty of engineering championship coups in successive years.

However, they retain a potent blend of experience, speed and raw skill and after a championship which has thus far failed to capture the imagination, will be regarded as a real threat to other aspirants next season.

Two Kilkenny stars will bid to shake off an All-Ireland hangover when they line out in another decider this weekend. Senior players, Henry Shefflin and Michael Kavanagh, will spearhead Kilkenny's drive for victory in Sunday's All-Ireland under-21 final against Galway in Tullamore.

Shefflin, the top scorer all season, will line out in his customary full forward position, while Kavanagh will take on an unusual role for him at corner back.

Kilkenny, however, will be without senior panelist John Hoyne. He injured his back after turning in a star performance in the Leinster final, and he is currently awaiting surgery to repair the damage.

Kilkenny (U-21 H v Galway): J Power; A Walpole, N Hickey, M Kavanagh; A Cummins, S Dowling, R Mullally; J O'Neill, JP Corcoran; M Gordon, J Coogan, K Power; A Geoghegan, H Shefflin, E Brennan.

Galway manager John O'Mahony who has decided to take up the option of managing the team for a third term. - (Photograph: Keith Heneghan/Inpho)