Irish Sports Desk Bohemians drop double-winner Collins as manager

By Sean Creedon

Roddy Collins, who led Bohemians to the League Cup double in the season just finished, is no longer manager of the club. On Friday, Bohemians announced that they would be looking for a new manager after Collins failed to meet club officials to discuss a contract.

Collins, who heard the news while on holiday in Florida, had been working without a contract. One of the problems Collins had to deal in his two and a half year with the club was the Management Committee. Unlike most other clubs, Bohemians FC is still run by a committee — 17 members in all.

Immediately after beating Kilkenny to clinch their first League title in 23 years, Collins said they were "still in the Stone Age."

Pete Mahon, who was Collins’s assistant at Dalymount Park, is now favorite to take over with former Irish international Liam O’Brien as his assistant.

Limerick favored

Limerick, who surprised Cork in the first round of the Munster hurling championship, meet Waterford in the semifinal at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday.

And having already won at the Cork venue, Limerick will be favorites to advance to the final for the first time since 1996. With Cork out of the way, Waterford supporters will be hoping that this could be their year.

But Waterford’s Cork-born coach, Gerald McCarthy, is well aware of the challenge that awaits his side. "We face an enormous task against a team that showed a great hunger against Cork in the first round," he said. "That win will have done wonders for morale in the Limerick camp."

Good news for The Decies is that team captain Ken McGrath has recovered from a hand injury and will be fit.

But experienced defender Stephen Frampton is not expected to ready in time for this one.

Meanwhile, D.J. Carey is doubtful for Kilkenny’s Leinster semifinal against Offaly at Croke Park on Sunday. Carey, who injured his ribs playing football, recently injured his ankle in training. He has been cycling from his home in Gowran to Kilkenny every day in a effort to be fit in time for The Cats’ first defense of their All-Ireland title.

Phil Larkin is also doubtful. The defender is still in a cast after breaking a bone in his hand in the League against Wexford.

Cork bide time

The Cork County Board will not rush into appointing a replacement for Tom Cashman, who quit after the loss to Limerick. Cork are unlikely to go outside the county to fill the vacancy and the current favorites are Bertie Og Murphy, Justin McCarthy, Bernie O’Connor and Seanie O’Leary. And Gerald McCarthy could come into the equation if Waterford are beaten on Sunday.

Under 21 manager Murphy is the favorite, but he has recently been appointed vice principal of his school in Cork City and may not be able to devote the necessary time to the job. McCarthy, a former Cork star, had a spell with Clare and has coached various club sides. O’Connor led Newtownshandrum to the Cork championship last year and former Cork corner forward O’Leary has had success with divisional side Imokilly.

Seve Cup for Druid’s

Next year’s Seve Ballesteros golf tournament will be played at the Druid’s Glen course in County Wicklow. The Seve Cup is a biennial match between the Continent of Europe and Britain and Ireland. Last year, Ballesteros helped Europe win at Sunningdale. Next year’s event, which is being supported by Bord Failte, will be held from 19-21 April.

Houston quits

Michael Houston has stepped down as a selector with the Donegal senior footballers following their first round defeat by Fermanagh. Houston, from the St. Eunan’s club in Letterkenny, was not happy with the substitutions made in the replay against Fermanagh.

"I was expected to share the responsibility for defeat even though I had neither hand, act or part in any of the decisions which were made against Fermanagh in the replay," he said. "Under those circumstances I felt I could not continue."

Houston said he felt that Donegal’s substitutions were "unnecessary and baffling."

North dreams dashed

The Republic’s World Cup hopes are still alive, but for Northern Ireland, the dream is well and truly over.

On Saturday, the North went down 1-0 to Bulgaria at Windsor Park, their fifth successive defeat. They have only one win in the current campaign and have now won only once in 12 games in Belfast.

And it gets worse. On Wednesday Sammy McIlroy will have to try to lift his team when they travel to the Czech Republic without Neil Lennon and Keith Gillespie. Both picked up second yellow cards against Bulgaria on Saturday.

McIlroy was not impressed. "I was missing eight players through injury and suspension and now this," he said. "No wonder they say an international manager’s job is a nightmare."

Kit-Kat Keane

Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane is to feature in a new ad for Kit-Kat chocolate. The ads will feature celebrities doing something entirely out of character as they "enjoy a break, a Kit-Kat." In the ads the no-nonsense Cork midfielder will be seen doing a bit of knitting.

Loughnane tell-all

Former Clare manager Ger Loughnane is to reveal all in a new biography.

In the book, which will be published in November, in time for the Christmas market, Loughnane will reveal some of the secrets that made Clare All-Ireland hurling champions in 1995 after a lapse of 81 years.

The publishers say that Loughnane will reveal official documentation relating to the Colin Lynch suspension in 1998.

Dungannon signings

British and Irish Lion Jeremy Davidson will play for Dungannon next season. And the newly crowned All-Ireland champions have also signed London-Irish out-half Kieran Campbell.