News: Kerry are unlikely to choose a replacement for football manager Jack O'Connor until next month. A series of obstacles have stood in the way since O'Connor suddenly resigned three weeks ago, and it could be the county convention on December 11th before his successor is agreed.

Kerry chairman Seán Walsh, part of the three-man sub-committee charged with finding the replacement, has been involved with the Irish International Rules panel, and county secretary Eamonn O'Sullivan has been out of the country.

Originally it was hoped a candidate would be put to next Tuesday's county board meeting, which had been brought forward a week, and that clearly won't be happening now.

Along with Walsh and O'Sullivan, joint treasurer John Joe Carroll is part of the committee and all three have yet to screen their full list of candidates.

The Dr Crokes manager, Pat O'Shea, has been mooted as heading their shortlist, but he's currently preparing his team for the county final against South Kerry on Sunday week.

O'Shea would also need clearance from the Munster Council, where he works as games manager, to take up the job.

The Kerry minors' manager, John Kennedy, and the former Kerry great Eoin Liston ruled themselves out at an early stage, but could yet be approached by the committee.

In Cork, a similar committee is continuing the search to replace hurling manager John Allen, and with the former county player Gerald McCarthy ruling himself out of contention, selector Ger Cunningham heads their list.

Kilkenny are awaiting word from manager Brian Cody on whether he will continue for another year, which, however, appears a formality.

Cody traditionally waits until after the county final, which takes place this Sunday between Ballyhale Shamrocks and O'Loughlin Gaels, to declare his hand.

Ballyhale were beaten in last year's final but should they win in Nowlan Park on Sunday, Henry Shefflin would probably take over the captaincy of the All-Ireland champions for 2007.

Meanwhile, the nominees for this year's All Stars for the Camogie Young Player of the Year and for the Camogie Manager of the Year were announced.

Those in contention for the Young Player of the Year All Star are Orla Cotter (Cork), Noreen Coen (Galway), Karen Tinnelly (Down) and Marie Dargan (Kilkenny).

The nominees for the Manager of the Year All Star are Cork's John Cronin, Dublin's Peter Lucey and the Kilkenny duo of Liam Dunne and Stephen Dormer.

The winners will be announced at the Camogie All Stars Awards Gala Dinner in the Citywest Hotel on November 11th.

And in Kildare, the Ballymore club have appealed their dismissal from the county intermediate football championship to the Disputes Resolutions Authority (DRA) after a disciplinary wrangle that has been going on for two months.

The championship semi-finals are fixed for this weekend, but the dispute between Ballymore and the county board stems from the scheduling of a play-off game with Grange back in September, which would have seen the Wicklow-border club playing championship football for the fifth week in succession.