Back-to-back All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling champions Clare lead the way with 14 nominations for the inaugural Bord Gáis Energy Team of the Year Award ceremony which will be televised live on TG4 on Saturday week (October 12) at 8.30pm.

Mick O'Dwyer has been nominated for the role of Laois senior football manager, a position he took on between 2003 and 2006, despite not yet confirming that he is finished with Wicklow.

THE controversy surrounding the Laois U-21 footballers was finally resolved last night with confirmation that all of the players who travelled to Kerry with the seniors last weekend will, after all, be on the panel for Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final against Cork.

It was confirmed this afternoon that Mick O'Dwyer is to stay on as manager of the Laois footballers for another year.