Offaly All-Ireland winner Stephen Darby is the latest man to withdraw from the race to become the county’s new senior football manager.
Darby, who lifted Sam Maguire in the colours of the Faithful County in 1982, follows Tom Coffey in withdrawing from contention for the role, leaving ex-Dublin player Jack Sheedy as the only declared candidate in the running.
Darby made clear his intentions to quit the race over the weekend, in spite of his managing Carbury in last week's Kildare SFC final. Prior favourite Coffey had previously withdrawn as he felt the situation was dragging on too long without any sign of resolution. Former manager Tom Cribbin left the county post in July and the appointment of his replacement has rarely looked imminent.
Despite the withdrawal of another of his rivals though, the path does not look clear just yet for Sheedy. Peter Brady - who recently led Edenderry to a surprise title in the Offaly SFC – and Pascal Kelleghan, who has left his role at the helm of Ballinabrackey in Meath, are also said to be on Offaly officials’ radar. Kelleghan led Ballinabrackey to Leinster club JFC glory in 2010.
Cribbin left the Offaly post in the summer after a campaign that saw his side mauled by Wexford in the Leinster SFC. They regrouped to surprise Monaghan in the qualifiers, though were ultimately seen off by Limerick in the second round.