Cahill, Nealon not after Tipp job

DINNY CAHILL and Donie Nealon are not in the running for the Tipperary hurling manager's post vacated by Michael Doyle.

Nealon, retiring as secretary of the Munster Council at the end of the year, said it was a job for a younger man.

Cahill, the Antrim coach, said he has given the county a three-year commitment and obviously could not even consider the Tipperary situation.

"While there is no written contract, I am a man of my word," said Cahill. "I have another year to go and will honour that. I know the Tipperary post would be very high-profile, but I have made a lot of friends in Antrim.

"We have done a lot of very good work over the past two years and it is my intention to stay with them."

Former senior player Séamus Power is likely to be considered for the position. He steered the county's U21 team to Munster honours this year and is highly respected by the players.

A prominent Tipperary official, remaining anonymous, felt former manager Nicky English should be asked to return for a year to "steady the ship," and that former stars Declan Ryan, Bobby Ryan, John Leahy and Michael Cleary should make up the selection committee.

An eight-man sub-committee of the Tipperary County Board will meet for the first time next Monday night to discuss the whole issue.

Secretary Michael O'Brien said the normal procedure is to look for nominations and following interviews, decide on a candidate.

"The name will then be put before the county board for ratification. It would be rare for the board to go against the nomination of the sub-committee, but it can happen," he said.

Doyle and his selectors tendered their resignations to Monday night's county board meeting and commented: "I can accept constructive criticism, but not personal attacks. We got many phone calls and anonymous letters attacking us and that's just not on.

"But the main reason for leaving was losing the players' confidence when you don't have that, you have nothing."

Mr O'Brien described the decision and its circumstances as regrettable. "The Doyle, Sheedy and Fox families are steeped in Tipperary hurling and didn't deserve the abuse after we were beaten by Kilkenny.

"The Doyle family owe nothing to Tipperary hurling. John Doyle (Michael's father) is a legend in the county with eight All-Ireland medals and a former central council delegate, while Michael was a top-class player and referee and a very decent guy."

However, officials strongly denied allegations that the Tipperary players effectively "pushed out" Michael Doyle.

"The resignation was not sought by the County Committee, nor by the Tipperary Senior Hurling panel.

"It is a matter of deep regret that since the All-Ireland semi-final, the selection team has been subjected to unwarranted personal criticism from some so-called supporters and elements in the media who should know better."

Tipperary are now the third Munster county without a senior coach, something O'Brien puts down to the pressure of the job and the demands of supporters.

"Everyone wants instant success. Expectations in our county were too high.

"Nicky English was always going to be a very hard act to follow, and patience was needed," said the county secretary.

"If you look back on our game with Kilkenny, we were in front at half-time, went further ahead early in the second half before the team collapsed completely.

"No manager could have legislated for that. Once a team goes out onto the field they are on their own. The manager cannot play the game for them.

"After the defeat there was a lot of talk of unrest in our dressing room at half-time and that a number of former inter-county players were there handing out advice.

"I can assure you that no such thing occurred.

"No one was in our dressing room that wasn't entitled to be there and any talk of unrest is without foundation." Despite Doyle's claim that one of his reasons for resigning was that he had lost the confidence of the players, several players declined to comment yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Gaelic Players Association is to use four leading football stars to front a campaign against the stigmatisation of suicide among young males.

In association with the East Cavan Project, All-Ireland captains Kieran McGeeney and Peter Canavan, Cavan's Dermot McCabe and Dublin's Dessie Farrell are spearheading a campaign to address the challenge of young male suicide, directly endorsing the "Mind Yourself advice on and off the pitch" campaign.

Said GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell: "We are all too aware of the devastating effect depression and more significantly suicide has on all concerned.

"I have no doubt this project will be extremely well received and will successfully communicate a positive message of support.

"By using GAA stars, the stigmatisation commonly associated with mental health intervention will be significantly reduced and individuals will understand that it is not a show of weakness but rather a sign of strength to ask for help in a time of crisis."