Micheal Donoghue is favoured to return to role as Galway boss

The former manager Micheal Donoghue is favoured to return, having left the position just two years ago.

Donoghue cited family reasons for his departure at the time but it was felt locally that he had concerns over the resourcing of the team and issues subsequently developed with county officers.

But with the terms of some of those officers near completion, the conditions for a return may be more favourable now for the 2017 All-Ireland winning manager.

Galway Hurling Board officials met with club chairmen last week to plot the way forward and a five-person committee, which will have two people from a high performance sports background, will oversee the initial stages of the process. As well as nominations, expressions of interest from other candidates will also be accepted by the board.

Meanwhile, Cavan football manager Mickey Graham is searching for a new coach after the departure of Dermot McCabe from his backroom team. McCabe, an Ulster Championship winner in 1997 as a player, was involved for all three years of Graham’s management, the high point of which was the Ulster Championship win last November.

In Monaghan, Seamus McEnaney will remain on for a further year as manager. McEnaney had initially been appointed for two years.

He will be hoping to retain Donie Buckley as coach for another year, amidst speculation that Buckley could be tempted to run for the Kerry management position which has been thrown open to candidates after Peter Keane’s three-year term elapsed.