McCarthy, O'Grady and Fenton front-runners to lead Cork

GERALD McCARTHY, Donal O'Grady and John Fenton have emerged as front-runners to replace Bertie Óg Murphy as Cork hurling coach.

Behind-the-scenes talks are underway amid suggestions that GAA chiefs in the county will be able to announce a new coach within a week.

Though the seven-man committee to appoint the coach has not met since the county board voted to allow the new coach hand-pick his own selectors, it has been learned that lengthy discussions have taken place with at least one leading candidate.