Offaly have moved swiftly to replace Stephen Wallace as the manager of their senior football team with the county board appointing an "interim management team" to be led by Paul Rouse.
Wallace was sacked by the county board on Wednesday evening, following rumours of unrest in the camp after the county's Leinster SFC championship exit at the hands of Wicklow last weekend.
The Kerry native who is under an eight-week suspension from all GAA activity following an incident in a club game, said that the players had trained well on Wednesday and committed to continuing under his management but the county board had made the decision to remove him regardless.
Rouse, 47, is a two-time Offaly County Championship winner with Tullamore and a history lecturer in UCD as well as a columnist with the Irish Examiner.
Stephen Darby, John Rouse and Alan McNamee will all join Rouse as his backroom staff for the duration of the Championship.
A statement from the Offaly county board confirmed the appointment: "Following a recommendation from a Committee comprising of Tommy Byrne (Chairman Offaly County Board), Pauric Pierce (Vice Chairman Offaly County Board) and Vinny Claffey an Interim Management Team has been appointed to take charge of the Offaly Senior Football Team for the remainder of the 2018 Championship.
"The Interim Management Team will be led by Paul Rouse, and will also consist of Stephen Darby, John Rouse and Alan McNamee.
"The Interim Management Team and players will have the full support of the Coiste Bainisti Uibh Fhailí in their preparations for the first round of the All-Ireland Qualifiers on 9 June."
