Derry and Monaghan take patient route in hunt for new boss
THE appointment of a new football boss in both Derry and Monaghan may be deferred now that the Club Championships are to hold the spotlight in each county.
It had been thought initially that the counties might have expedited appointments so that the respective new incumbents would have the maximum time in which to prepare for the 2020 campaign, but now it would appear that the county boards are prepared to show more patience.
It is believed that an interview process will be conducted in Derry, where former Fermanagh manager Rory Gallagher is thought to be the frontrunner to take over from Damian McErlain, but even following this process it is understood that the clubs will be consulted before any appointment is ratified.
A source close to the Derry board revealed that the views of clubs is seen as important in the context of the managerial appointment because of recent developments within the county.
Derry made the move up from Division Four of the Allianz League but because of the presence of teams like Cork in Division Three, their prospects of back-to-back promotions will depend on an encouraging start to 2020.
And with the Oak Leaf County not having won the Ulster Championship title since 1998, there is now a deep yearning for a return to the provincial throne.
One Derry club official said: “You could say that we have been left behind in Ulster and that’s something that is making us all feel uncomfortable. You see other Ulster sides making progress while we seem to be dealing with internal problems. Hopefully we can turn the corner and maybe make a better impact next year.”
The Derry Senior Football Championship is due to start over the course of the weekend of September 6-8 with the quar
In the mix: Seamus McEnaney could take over at Monaghan
ter-finals and semi-finals scheduled before the end of September and the final listed for early October.
And while Derry target McErlain’s successor, the Monaghan county board are also pushing out the boat to find who they feel will be the right man to succeed
Malachy O’Rourke, who brought two Ulster titles to the county in his seven seasons in charge.
He also brought the Oriel County into the closing stages of the All-Ireland series on a regular basis, their most heartbreaking defeat coming in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final when they were just pipped by a point by Tyrone in rather controversial circumstances following what appeared to be a faux pas by referee Anthony Nolan.
The Monaghan Championship is already under way and while former Armagh All-Ireland winner Tony McEntee was spotted at two early games, the fact that his brother John manages the Clontibret club could have explained his presence.
McEntee has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Monaghan post, while former Oriel boss Seamus McEnaney is also thought to be in the reckoning.
Indeed, there is speculation within the county that McEnaney has already approached former Tyrone strength and conditioning coach Peter Donnelly and ex-Kilcoo and Down ace Conor Laverty to be part of his backroom team.
Donnelly has just taken up a new appointment with Ulster Rugby and Tyrone are bidding to replace both him and Stephen O’Neill, who has stepped down as forwards coach.
If McEnaney were to be handed another term as Monaghan boss and assuming that Donnelly and Laverty were to be part of his ticket, then this would certainly create considerable interest within the county where there is a marked desire on the part of fans to see the progress which O’Rourke oversaw built upon.
There were initial fears that veteran county players such as Dessie Mone, Vinny Corey and others might call time on their careers but such misgivings have now been allayed.
Corey, along with other current county players Mone, Conor Boyle and Conor McManus, was in the Clontibret side that beat Carrickmacross in their opening Championship game after a penalty shoot-out.
McManus did not start because he is still recovering from injury but was brought on in the second half to help pull the game out of the fire. THE Antrim Senior Hurling Championship will be stepped up today when Cushendall host Rossa (5.30pm) and St John’s meet St Gall’s at Corrigan Park (1pm).
The winners of these games will join Dunloy and Loughgiel in an open draw from which the semi-final pairings will emerge.
Cushendall are expected to make it through to the last four because of their forward power with ace marksman Neil McManus certain to pose a huge threat to the Rossa defence.
With support from Ryan McCambridge and with Paddy Burke and David Kearney also helping to underpin the side, McManus can pave the way for another appearance in the final by Cushendall.
Stephen Beatty, Michael Armstrong and Gerard Walsh are players who can set the tone for Rossa’s resistance.
St Gall’s, meanwhile, have concerns over CJ McGourty, who has been injured recently but may be able to play some part today.
His brother Kieran and the long-serving Karol Stewart can help to prop up the St Gall’s challenge against a St John’s side that will be backboned by the talented Johnston brothers Ciaran and Conor along with Simon Doherty and Shea Shannon.
The Johnston duo were in fine form for Antrim this year and possess the kind of scoring power that could make life difficult for the St Gall’s defence.
In the Down Hurling Championship semi-finals, Liatroim and Ballygalget (5pm) and Portaferry and Ballycran (6.30pm) will cross swords in a double bill at Carryduff.
Reigning champions Ballycran can look to Conor Woods, Stephen Keith and the Nicholson brothers Scott and Brett for inspiration, while Portaferry possess an outstanding marksman in Ronan Blair.
They can also lean on players like Eoghan Sands, Caolan Taggart and Daithi Sands.
Liatroim, meanwhile, have become a stronger force in Mourne hurling but whether they can stifle the challenge of Ballygalget remains to be seen.