GAELIC GAMES: Kildare have chosen Padraig Nolan to succeed Mick O'Dwyer as senior football manager. Nolan managed Offaly for the past three years but stepped down in July after the county's defeat to Limerick in the All-Ireland qualifiers.
A native of Kilcock and a former Kildare player at minor, under-21 and senior levels, Nolan's appointment follows weeks of speculation on the possible replacement for O'Dwyer, who has moved across the border to Laois to take over from Colm Browne.
Nolan will also work alongside newly appointed Kildare under-21 team manager Peter McConnon as a selector on that team. Details of Nolan's term and the team selectors will be finalised at the next Kildare County Board meeting on November 5th.
Still in his late 30s, Nolan is one of the youngest inter-county managers in the country but he has already gained a range of experience at management level.
Before going to Offaly, where he took over from Tommy Lyons, Nolan coached the St Patrick's, Navan colleges' side that produced a number of the current Meath panel. He teaches at Naas CBS where he also acts in a coaching role.
Brian Talty, the former Galway player and current Dublin under-21 trainer, turned down the position and two other names - former Roscommon player Paul Earley and former Offaly captain Richie Connor - were also known to have been in the running.
It is understood, however, that there was a question mark over Earley's availability while Connor, who managed Laois for three seasons in the 1990s, is understood to be in contention for the vacant Offaly position.
Though Nolan's three-year term with Offaly ultimately proved unsuccessful, it is accepted he did come close to bringing them to the Leinster final. In 2000 his side produced the shock of the summer by toppling then All-Ireland champions Meath, and then came close to beating Kildare only to lose in a replay.
Last year Offaly pushed Dublin hard in the Leinster semi-final, and this summer they came even closer to reaching the Leinster final.
Having slipped past Laois in the quarter-final, they first drew with Kildare in Nowlan Park and then lost the replay by a point after extra-time. From that point of view the Kildare players won't be strangers to Nolan. But Offaly did have problems lifting themselves for the qualifiers and two weeks after the Kildare defeat they fell to Limerick, which ended Nolan's reign in the county.
Several managers have still to be decided on the hurling front but yesterday neither Tipperary nor Cork appeared any closer to filling the vacant positions. According to the Tipperary County Board all interviews have taken place in relation to the successor to Nicky English, but it will be next week before an announcement is likely to be made.
Among the most likely successors is Michael Doyle, the former under-21 manager and son of Tipperary great John Doyle, as well John McIntyre, the former Offaly manager who achieved notable success with Clarinbridge in the Galway club championship last summer.
The Cork County Board also met on Tuesday night but the main discussion was on the Strategic Review Committee's report which goes before special Congress later this month. There is speculation, however, that the board will attempt to bring back manager Bertie Óg Murphy and team trainer Teddy Owens, who both stepped down after this summer's championship.
A meeting last Friday, described as "positive", has already helped clear the air between the hurling team and the county board after the conflicts during the season over the treatment of players.
