Blow for Meath as Kelly quits position

Meath football suffered a major setback this week with the announcement that coach and selector Sean Kelly no longer wants to be considered for the role next year. The former Dunderry player's decision will come as a major blow to manager Eamonn O'Brien who will have his own future discussed at the next Co Committee meeting in September. O'Brien hopes to be returned for a third year at the helm, but Kelly's decision to step down from his role as trainer and selector is a blow. Kelly, a teacher in Drogheda, has decided to concentrate on further studies and is no longer in a position to devote the time needed to train an inter-county side. "There is no big story behind my decision not to take up the role again for next year. I am doing a bit of studying at night and I have to focus on that, but I'd like to thank everyone involved for all the help they gave me. It was an enjoyable experience," Kelly told the Meath Chronicle. "It is a very demanding role and I probably didn't realise how demanding it could be when I took it on. When I was in the role I gave it my all, but it is a lot of work and I couldn't give that commitment again unfortunately. "It was an enjoyable experience, the actual training and being involved was great. It was not like a club where you sometimes have to go looking for lads for games. Everyone wants to play with Meath and you are dealing with elite players, so from that point of view it was very enjoyable. "My experience of the training role certainly whet my appetite for the future, but at the moment I am concentrating on my studies. I haven't given any thought about getting back into the club scene yet, but we'll see what happens," concluded Kelly. Kelly's decision leaves Meath looking for a third trainer in three years. The former Meath player under Sean Boylan, took over the physical training of the senior team in late 2009 following Colm Brady's decision to step down. Brady also lasted just one year before he left to concentrate on other work projects. An SFC winner as a player with Dunderry in 1995 and a manager with Navan O'Mahonys in 2008, Kelly had made a significant impression on the Meath set-up and he played a key role in developing the side sufficiently to claim provincial honours for the first time in nine years. Following last Saturday night's SFC sideline melee at Pairc Tailteann, Meath Co Committee chairman Barney Allen confirmed to the Meath Chronicle that there will be a full investigation into the scenes that marred the end of the quarter-final clash between Skryne and Donaghmore/Ashbourne, which Skryne won. Tempers boiled over near the end following an incident which involving Eoin Reilly and James Hegarty, then moments later when Donaghmore / Ashbourne manager Andy McEntee was dismissed from the sideline along with Skryne's Cyril Carty following a further altercation. Skryne manager Liam Harnan ended up as a peacekeeper, but stewards quickly intervened and restored enough order for the game to finish. Skryne were ahead by 2-10 to 1-7 with about two minutes remaining when the trouble started. "There will be a full investigation into this matter, we have to wait for the referee's report, but we also saw what happened," commented Allen.