O'Rourke to retire from St Patrick's to focus on Meath job

New Regional Competition unveiled

Colm O'Rourke has revealed that he is to take early retirement from his job as principal of St Patrick's CS Navan to concentrate on his new role as manager of the Meath senior football team.

O'Rourke also confirmed that Sean Boylan will be part of his management set-up for the coming season.

At tonight's launch of the Regional Football Competitions O'Rourke told the Meath Chronicle that he intends to retired from the Navan schools at Christmas after 42 years service to give the Meath job his full attention.

I’m retiring from my job to concentrate on Meath. I’m taking time out from everything, my only focus next year is the Meath team. I’m retiring from St Pat’s at Christmas to give my full attention to this job," O'Rourke confirmed at tonight's launch at Pairc Tailteann.

“I think the demands of this job are too great to try and hold down some of the employment I have had in the past, so I’ll be giving up everything to try and concentrate on this.

“I always felt when you are in for something you’re in fully or not at all. When you are fully immersed in it, then the chances are you are going to do it better.

"It’s no big sacrifice for me, I’m really looking forward to it. I’m really saddened leaving St Pat’s after 42 years in it, I’d love to stay for another 42 but I don’t think it’s possible to run a county team.

“I'd have stayed for a while more, but I want to give it full attention. If you are not going to do it right don’t bother doing it at all. I don’t want it to appear as if I’m making a huge sacrifice, for me it’s not a sacrifice. I don’t like players or managers using the word sacrifice for football,” he said.

The two-time All-Ireland winner also confirmed that he when he contacted Sean Boylan to ask him to be part of his management the legendary former Meath boss was delighted to accept the invite.

"I went to Seán straight away and said ‘Seán I’d like you to be involved in some shape or form, whatever way you want to be, whatever you like. If you want to come down once a week or once a month or if you want to chat to the fellas or come in and give the team-talk before the first game in the league that will be fine by me.’

"He is the person who still has the most respect, even with current players. He’s a wonderful asset so I always thought it was foolish people didn’t have him around the place and he has his whole positive nature too rubs off on players, insisted the manager.

O'Rourke was speaking at the launch of the new regional competition which will involve players from intermediate and junior clubs.

The county will be split into eight regions and at tonight's launch the draws for the first round of games were made with the games to start on 25th October and will be played on Tuesday and Wednesday nights in Dunganny.

The eight teams were divided into two groups of four and at the end of the group stage the top two will play in semi-finals with a final in November.

After the competition is completed there will be an All-star selection made and that team will provide the opposition for O'Rourke's first game in charge of Meath.

Group A will see Bru na Boinne (Duleek/Bellewstown, St Patrick's, St Vincent's and St Mary's) managed by Niall Flynn and Kieran Rohan take on Loughcrew (Oldcastle, Ballinlough, Moylagh and St Brigid's) who will be managed by new Meath Ladies manager Davy Nelson in round one while the other game in the group will see Brian Farrell's An Tuascairt (Syddan, Meath Hill, Nobber, Castletown, Drumconrath and Kilmainhamwood) take on the Anthony Malone and Eoin Carroll managed Darnley team (Dunderry, Clann na nGael, St Ultan's, and Cortown).

In Group B Ger Robinson's Tara ( Dunshaughlin, Blackhall Gaels, Dunsany, Kilbride and St Paul's) will open their campaign against Moyfenragh (Ballivor, Longwood, Boardsmill and Clonard) who will be managed by Brendan Murphy. The second game in the Group will see Cathal O Bric's Boyne Valley selection (Rathkenny, Walterstown, Bective and Slane) take on David Nolan's Blackwater outfit (St Michael's, Drumbaragh, Kilmainham, Carnaross and Moynalty.