Flynn ratified for u-20 role with exciting plans in place

Bernard Flynn was ratified for the role of Meath under-20 football manager at tonight's Co Board meeting, a remote event and the first meeting of the newly elected committee from last month's annual convention.

"It took us a bit longer that we would have wanted to get everything finalised," commented Co Board chairman John Kavanagh as Flynn takes over the role vacated last February by Ger Robinson who was the manager last year.

Flynn will be at the helm for two years and then current minor manager John McCarthy will take over.

Meath GAA will have a u-18/19 Post Academy Panel (PAP) to run parallel with u-20 panel. This panel will facilitate the continued development of those players who come from the minor (u-17) grade and who do not make the u-20 panel in the year after their exit from minor.

In both year one and year two Bernard Flynn will be theu-20 manager and John McCarthy will manage the PAP in year one and will become a selector of the u-20 panel in year two.

McCarthy will be the u-20 manager in year three.

For this year, two-time All-Ireland SFC winner Flynn has assembled a solid medium-term plan for the future and a strong sideline team.

That team includes Graham Geraghty and Graham Reilly as selectors along with head coach Peter Leahy.

Also included as selector / coach is former Dunboyne player and Kilmacud Crokes boss Robbie Brennan while Shane Supple has been announced as the goalkeeping coach.

Supple was a highly-rated goalkeeper who was part of an Ipswich Town team that won the FA Youth Cup in 2005, beating a Southampton side that included Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott.

A decade ago Supple helped St Brigid’s win the Dublin SFC title and he had a stint on the Dublin panel also before a return to League of Ireland football with Bohemian FC.

He was called up to Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland squad in May 2018 for friendlies against France and USA.

However, on that front, similar with what happened to Gary Rogers, a senior international appearance eluded him.

See tomorrow's Meath Chronicle for Fergal Lynch's in-depth interview with Bernard Flynn and a look at the backroom team.