Kelly tipped to take over as Carlow boss

PAUL KELLY yesterday emerged as the likely successor to Luke Dempsey as manager of County Carlow’s senior footballers.

Kelly, who was controversially sacked as Offaly boss last year, is set to be ratified by the Carlow board within the next week.

It’s expected that Kelly will be joined by Tom Foley, a former Wexford footballer, who was part of Luke Dempsey’s backroom team, while Fenagh’s manager, John Drewett, could also be invited on board.

Meanwhile in Wexford, there is still uncertainty as to Pat Roe’s future with the county football side.

Roe enjoyed a remarkable season at the helm, taking the county to their first provincial semi-final since 1956, while also retaining their Division 1 status after their first-ever league campaign in the top flight.

But the Laois native and former Carlow boss must wait until tonight’s county board meeting to learn his managerial fate.

Roe has met with county chairman Sean Quirke at his own request. It was outlined at the meeting that the county board would probably be running with the same arrangements as the previous year.

But now the county management committee has been informed that subsequent to this meeting, Pat Roe sent in a letter with revised figures for the coming year.

Following this request the county management committee decided that Quirke, secretary Michael Kinsella and Peter Creane, a third member of the committee, should arrange a further meeting with Roe to discuss terms.

While the management committee was informed that the amount of a bonus payment agreed at the outset of last season was sanctioned for payment, it is now clear that there is a widening financial gap between the respective parties.

The number of team sessions conducted by Roe from his appointment on December 2 last year to July 17 this year was made up of 66 training sessions and 22 games. It was felt that with an earlier appointment this time round the amount would increase considerably.