Tipp no closer to finding new boss

The likely successor to Declan Ryan as Tipperary senior hurling manager has yet to emerge, with a number of high profile targets dropping out of the race.

Liam Sheedy, who managed Tipp to a prized All-Ireland SHC title in 2010, and Eamon O'Shea, the coach who worked alongside Sheedy between 2008 and 2010, are both out of the running now.

The pair ruled themselves out due to 'work commitments', joining former Tipp boss Nicky English on the list of non-runners for the Premier County hot seat.

Although Tipperary County Board chairman Sean Nugent does not want to publicly rule out any possible candidate at this stage, it seems unlikely that anyone's name will be put before next Tuesday's County Board meeting.

In a newspaper interview, Nugent explained: "We had an executive meeting on Tuesday night. Naturally enough we discussed it, but in terms of a candidate, there is nothing to report.

"None of those leaders in the field have put their hands up and said that they will do it. They'd love to do it but because of work commitments, it's not possible at the moment.

"If somebody came back to me and said he was after reconsidering, we'd be in a different place and could talk to that person then. But that hasn't happened."

Ryan stepped down from the position, along with coach Tommy Dunne and selector Michael Gleeson, following Tipperary's All-Ireland SHC semi-final hammering by Kilkenny last month.