13 nominated for manager

The elimination process to find Meath's next senior football manager will begin in earnest this week when the interview committee will start their deliberations. Thirteen nominations were revealed at Monday night's Co Committee meeting in Navan with Leinster SFC-winning manager Eamonn O'Brien topping the list. O'Brien failed to get support from the majority of delegates at the September meeting, but has been nominated for the position again. Joining O'Brien are Liam Harnan, Colm O'Rourke, Paddy Carr, Eamonn Barry, Jody Devine, Gerry McEntee, Gerry Cooney, Damien Sheridan, Sean Kelly, Pat Coyle, Tony Kearney and former Monaghan manager Seamus McEnaney. The chairman, Barney Allen, is a member of a three-man selection committee appointed by the Meath Management Committee to select the manager of the senior team. A manager for the u-21 team will also be finalised. Former player and 1988 All-Ireland-winning captain Joe Cassells and GAA Central Hearings Committee member Liam Keane from the Cortown club complete the three-man interview panel. "We expect to have a decision in about three weeks and if we need to convene a meeting in the meantime, clubs will be informed," stated the chairman. "We can also look for a manager outside the list of nominations if we feel that it's necessary, but we should have a recommendation for the next scheduled meeting in November," he added. The nominees for the u-21 manager's position are: Colm O'Rourke, Liam Harnan, Pat Coyle and Darren Fay. The chairman also confirmed that Davy Dalton had been appointed as minor manager with three selectors also ratified, Dermot Rooney, Padraig Coyle and PJ Gillic. Killian Farrell from Edenderry was confirmed as senior hurling manager in place of TJ Reilly who was at the helm for two years. Co Committee secretary Cyril Creavin requested club delegates to inform team officials who are involved in finals to be aware of their responsibilities in relation to behaviour and abuse to Co Committee officers and stewards. "The level of abuse from some team officials is unacceptable, it's appalling," he added. SFC champions Skryne had a fine of €300 imposed arising out of an incident at the quarter-final against Donaghmore / Ashbourne. Club official Cyril Carty was suspended for 12 weeks as was Donaghmore / Ashbourne's James Howley. However, another Donaghmore/Ashbourne official, Tony Morgan was banned for 24 weeks.