WATERFORD boss Davy Fitzgerald had admitted he was left dumbfounded by the margin of Kilkenny's All-Ireland final victory on Sunday. "I believed coming up here today that we were going to win," he said. "If I didn't I would be no good to them boys in the dressingroom.

"Ask me to explain what happened? I can't. One thing I will say, no matter what the story is, there are probably a few guys out there who are waiting for this moment and this occasion to have a go at me, and off they go. They can have it all.

"All I said when I came into this job was that if I can wake up Monday and say that I did everything that |I knew how to do, then I would be happy with myself.

"I did everything that I thought was possible, maybe I will have to look at myself and ask myself questions. Maybe I didn't prepare them right."

Fitzgerald also backed his players to bounce back from their high profile defeat and urged the Waterford public to stand behind their team.

"I'll have to accept some of the blame, I am the manager," Fitzgerald said. "I will not blame the boys one bit whatsoever.

"They are good lads. They have given ten years of unreal hurling, some of them boys and there are a lot of good young lads coming on.

"It's important people give them support. There is nothing worse than the way that they feel inside in that dressing room right now.

"They have worked hard, they have trained hard and trust me that arena out there is the hardest place to be when things aren't going right for you. You know when your back is to the wall, when they get a few scores and they get on top of you, there ain't no place to hide."

Fitzgerald's future as Waterford manager is unknown, as he has not yet committed to another year at the helm.

Browne Undecided

WATERFORD veteran Tony Browne says he hasn't even thought about the future or retirement in the wake of Sunday's defeat to Kilkenny.

"I know that's the farthest thing from all our minds right now but I know the resolve of this group as well as I know myself," Browne told the Irish Examiner.

"They most definitely will bounce back. At the end of the day, it is only a game and yes while it's a game we desperately wanted to win, it is not the end of the world.

"It will be a big challenge to pick ourselves up and returning in the coming year. But then that's where our resolve and fighting spirit will be put to test."

The vastly experienced Kilkenny were in total control against Waterford and Browne added, "Whether it was stage fright or whatever, the fact is that we just froze on the day and Kilkenny didn't waste the opportunity to capitalize on that.

"Give these fellows any kind of advantage and they'll just blow you away. They are awesome. They are the best team I've encountered in 15 years playing senior inter-county hurling."

Tyrone Boost

TYRONE have been handed a massive boost ahead of the All-Ireland final against Kerry with the return to action of inspirational forward Stephen O'Neill.

The 27-year-old, footballer of the year in 2005, returned from inter-county football in January after a two year fight against injury.

A return to form and fitness at club level has prompted the reversal and O'Neill will be available for selection on Sunday week after easing back onto the scene.

Manager Mickey Harte gave the green light for O'Neill's return after he was approached by a third party.

"Stephen realized it was an acute sort of situation to come back at this time and probably felt he couldn't. We said to look at the possibility and that we'd put it before the players and let them consider what they thought about it," said Harte.

"We said that if it was alright with them, 'it's a reality' and if they said otherwise he'd have to put it on hold until next year. The players decided he deserved the right to be there because of his efforts for Tyrone over the years.

"Now, we'll see how his fitness levels are in comparison to the group. If they are good enough anything is possible and if they are not, then we'll know that as well."

O'Neill was delighted when his teammates sanctioned his return. "If they didn't want me back I wouldn't have come back. I'm just delighted to get the chance to go and play again, to give it another rattle," he said.

Players Upset

THE Donegal footballers have issued a statement condemning the county board for their part in Brian McIver's decision to stand down as team manager.

The statement read, "We believe the county board's actions were unfair and the manner of Brian's removal - through a vote of no confidence - left a lot to be desired.

"We would like to thank Brian sincerely for his efforts over the past three years - a period which was marked by the county's first ever National Football League title.

"Following Brian's removal, it is the squad's intention now to seek representation in the selection process for any future managerial appointments. We believe we can make a positive contribution in this regard by bringing our experience to the table."

Kerr Hot Topic

GIOVANNI Trapattoni's competitive reign as Ireland manager began with a comfortable 2-1 win against Georgia on neutral ground in Germany on Saturday as the night ended with a bizarre attack on Brian Kerr.

Kevin Doyle and Glenn Whelan were on the scoresheet for the Irish before a trademark late goal was conceded in the first minute of added time.

That wasn't enough to dampen Irish spirits as they prepared for Wednesday night's more demanding test in Montenegro, but it was Kerr's pre-match criticism that did most to enlighten the post match press conference.

Kerr, like many other pundits, had been critical of the fact that Saturday's Group Eight fixture was the first time Trapattoni had seen any of his players in competitive action.

Bizarrely, his contract with the FAI allows Trapattoni to stay at home in Milan while Marco Tardelli and Liam Brady do the donkey work across England.

Trapattoni claimed afterwards that he doesn't need to watch English football to learn anything new about his players. And his words towards the Kerr criticism were caustic to say the least.

"If it was Jack Charlton criticizing me then I would be happy because he is a winner," blasted Trapattoni as his translator struggled to keep up with his mixture of Italian and pigeon English.

"Everyone can say what they want but it doesn't touch me. I saw many games on DVD but I also have colleagues to see games. They know what I look for, what I want.

"They look at every game. I think about myself, let others talk about each other. I respect everybody as it's a difficult job.

"I only speak about Trapattoni. I never criticize other colleagues. I have seen all the players. I spent two or three months, I saw all the players in England play games and I know all the qualities of the players in this squad.

"I saw at least 30 games over the summer on DVDs of Liverpool, Man City, Celtic. I know my players."

Soccer Shorts

SOCCER: Ireland and Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given has admitted he was stunned by Kevin Keegan's resignation as Geordie manager.

Currently on international duty, Given said, "It was a bit of a shock. He's a great manager and a great bloke and he will be missed, definitely, at the club by the players and the fans." Irish international legend Chris Hughton has been appointed caretaker boss by Newcastle . . .

BOHEMIANS want to extent the contract of Lithuanian midfielder Mindaugas Kalonas, who scored for his country in their World Cup win against Romania on Saturday . . .

BOHS edged ever closer to the eircom League title with a thumping 3-0 win over St. Patrick's Athletic in Monday night's Dublin derby . . .

FORMER Shamrock Rovers and Aberdeen defender Richie Byrne is poised to sign for Oldham . . .

DERRY City duo Gareth McGlynn and Mark Farren have signed new long-term contracts . . .

WOLVES' Irish midfielder Darren Potter has come off the transfer list.

Sports Shorts

RUGBY: The Irish provinces returned to Magners League duty over the weekend when Leinster drew 16-16 at Cardiff, Munster won 20-15 in Edinburgh, Ulster lost 9-16 at home to Llanelli and Connacht lost 3-16 at home to the Ospreys . . .

RACING: Jim Bolger's New Approach returned to the winner's enclosure in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday when Duke of Marmalade missed the showdown due to the heavy ground . . .

GOLF: Down's Rory McIlroy was within one putt of his first European Tour victory at the Omega Masters in Switzerland on Sunday before losing a play-off at the second extra hole to

Frenchman Jean-Francois Lucquin.