Hayes at the helm in Carlow

LIAM HAYES was installed as Carlow football manager late last night and immediately warned that everybody in the county would have to stand up and be examined by the end of the year.

Hayes' words at last night's county board meeting come after a rancorous three months for the Barrowsiders in which the board has been severely criticised for their handling of the new man's appointment. The county's annual convention on December 11 should be an interesting affair.

However, the words were also meant for the ears of the senior football panel as the county has continued to be a major underachiever for the past 50 years in Leinster.

The rubber-stamping of the former Meath captain does at least end Carlow's exhaustive and much-publicised 12-week search for a man to fill the post last held by Luke Dempsey, in a temporary capacity, during last summer's championship.

In that time, Tommy Lyons, John O'Mahony, Paul O'Kelly, Michael Dempsey and Rathvilly coach Noel Doyle have seen their names enter the frame but time and again the search seemed to reach no more than a dead end. The county board had been heavily criticised for their handling of the affair and for failing to hold talks with a local business consortium that had reportedly offered to pour 1m into Gaelic games within the county over a five-year period.

In fact, it is almost eight months since Carlow's last permanent manager, Mickser Condon, walked out in the wake of a humiliating NFL loss to London and a heavy defeat to Donegal in Balleybofey. However, the news means that the Tipperary footballers are now the only senior inter-county team in either code without a manager.

This will be Hayes' first crack at inter-county management but he doesn't come to the job totally bereft of sideline experience. During the mid-nineties he managed Dublin club side Lucan Sarsfields to intermediate league and championship titles and, more recently, he has been coaching at underage level.

As well as his two All-Ireland and five Leinster medals and Allstar award from 1988, the Skryne clubman can also point to the fact that his father, Jim, played with Carlow for a dozen seasons prior to moving to Meath.

However, Hayes faces a tough task in re-energising a panel left demotivated by the long search for a new manager. There have already been suggestions that star midfielder Thomas Walsh, among others, would not be making himself available for the forthcoming season.

Meanwhile, a record €610,000 was spent on the preparation of all Limerick hurling and football teams in 2004, an increase of almost €90,000 on the previous year.

Despite this heavy expenditure, board treasurer Paddy Quilligan will report a surplus of €13,000 on the year's workings, compared to a loss of €10,000 over the previous 12 months, at next week's annual convention.

Total income for 2004 was €1,322,432, with outgoings of €1,309,613. There was an increase in gate receipts, €410,000 as against €369,000, with commercial income of €307,000 (up by almost €100,000), and other income of €326,000, compared to €222,000 in 2003.

The cost of coaching and development continues to be a major burden, with outgoings of €372,000, up from €112,000.

Liam Kearns' senior football team, beaten in the Munster final by Kerry after a replay, cost €279,000, while Padjoe Whelehan's hurlers absorbed €185,000.

Upwards of €32,000 was spent on the minor hurlers, and an additional €1,000 on the U21 hurlers.

On the playing front, Oisin McConville will take no part in Armagh's National Football League campaign next season. Plagued by a back injury since mid summer, he will again commit himself to Crossmaglen Rangers for their AIB All-Ireland quarter-final in London next weekend, but early in the New Year he plans to undergo surgery to overcome his problem.

McConville, who played a key role in the county's first All-Ireland success two years ago, said yesterday that he was eagerly looking forward to taking a break from the game.

His club manager, Michael

McConville, has jumped to the defence of full-back Francie Bellew after his shuddering challenge on Mickey Linden led to the Mayobridge player-manager's retirement after 14 minutes of the Ulster club final.

It emerged afterwards that Linden had suffered concussion and two broken teeth following the clash with Bellew. Mayobridge supporters were outraged by the challenge and the general consensus was that Bellew was lucky to avoid being sent off. However, McConville had a very different view on the incident.

"There was nothing vindictive. It wasn't a case of him taking Mickey out of it because he did not even know he was playing," he said.

Mayobridge assistant manager John Murphy was steering clear of controversy, only saying: "I just saw Mickey going for the ball and taking a heavy shoulder charge. I leave these things to the referee to adjudicate."