Mullins expected to take Dublin helm

BRIAN MULLINS is expected to put an end to the “will he, won’t he” Dublin manager saga within the next week by informing GAA chiefs in the capital that he is ready to succeed Tommy Lyons.

The Dublin executive confirmed yesterday that: “the preferred candidate has been offered the position and will communicate his final decision to the county committee next week.”

County chairman John Bailey has refused to name names, but it is common knowledge that Mullins is the only man to have been interviewed for the job in the past two months and anything other than confirmation of his elevation to the position would be a bombshell.

It had been reported some weeks ago that Mullins would appoint former Dublin players Tommy Drumm and Mick Galvin as his selectors if he himself were appointed, though that remains to be seen.

There was speculation over the weekend that the new manager’s name would be put before club delegates at last night’s county board meeting, but yesterday’s release put paid to that in no uncertain terms, adding that the meeting would be held in-camera just for good measure.

Mullins made his interest in the job known as far back as September, although the road in reaching this advanced juncture has been far longer and far less straightforward than anyone could have imagined.

At one point, it was feared that Mullins would walk away from the chance to manage the county he served with such distinction as a player in the 1970s, such was the uncertainty and rumour surrounding the position.

The county board also felt obliged to release a statement last week denying allegations that Mullins had stormed out of his interview after facing a succession of questions from county chairman John Bailey.

While the i’s still need dotting and the t’s crossing, the county board undoubtedly saved themselves from an intense grilling at the hands of delegates at last night’s meeting thanks to yesterday’s announcement.

The four-man committee of Bailey, county secretary John Costello, vice-chairman Gerry Harrington and John McNicholas were under increasing pressure after such a delay in finding a new manager, especially with more and more counties having already returned to training in preparation for the season ahead.

Prior to yesterday, there had been very real fears that the new manager wouldn’t be announced until early next month.

Meanwhile, claims that three Dublin-born players were winging their way to join up with Mick O’Dwyer in Laois have been discounted by O’Moore selector Declan O’Loughlin.

It was suggested over the weekend that Kilmacud Crokes pair Nicky and Brian McGrath had both been offered the chance to throw in their lot with their parents’ home county. Brian is currently wing-back on a Crokes team hotly-tipped to win the Leinster club title, while younger sibling Nicky was full-back on Dublin’s 2002 minor side and a member of last year’s U21 panel. Denis Bastick, a member of last year’s Dublin junior side, was the third name mentioned.

“I don’t know where this story came from,” said O’Loughlin yesterday.

“I only started checking these lads out when I heard the story myself. Even Micko was asking me what it was all about.

“The Kilmacud lads certainly haven’t been down here and I understand that the Bastick lad played for Dublin against the Australians last month.” Laois have welcomed one outsider onto the panel for training this year, however, with former Kerry U21 Billy Sheehan transferring his club allegiance from UCD to Emo, who were beaten finalists in this year’s Laois county championship.

Former Monaghan Harps star Owen Connell, was ratified at last night’s November county committee meeting as the new manager of the Monaghan senior and U21 hurling teams for next season.