Westmeath expected to ratify Kelly as new boss
INTER-COUNTY NEWS
Picture: Aidan Dullaghan COLIN Kelly looks set to be unveiled as Westmeath’s new manager in the coming days.
The Louth native vacated the Louth hotseat after two successive promotions and after helping out with St Kevin’s for a short spell, he was linked to the Wicklow job after Johnny Magee’s departure.
However, it then emerged that he was the front-runner for the Westmeath job as they sought out a successor to Tom Cribben, and his appointment is expected to be ratified at a county board meeting in the Lake County on Wednesday night.
The news comes as Louth continue to seek out a successor for Kelly.
While the search is ongoing the rumour mill has largely gone quiet since Colm Nally made the decision to withdraw from the race just over two weeks ago.
The county board are due to meet on Monday October 9th, but it remains to be seen if the selection committee will be ready to propose a new manager by then.
Meanwhile, it’s a relatively quiet week on the club scene in Louth with the second SFC semi-final between Naomh Mairtin and Dundalk Gaels confirmed for Sunday afternoon at 4pm.
At the time of going to press a venue and referee still had to be confirmed, but it promises to be a poignant and difficult afternoon for the Naomh Mairtin club as they take to the field for the first time since the passing of their teammate Benny Reilly.
Newtown Blues will be intersted spectators afetr they booked their passage to the county showpiece with a workmanlike 1-11 to 0-8 win over SFc surprise packets St Joseph’s at The Grove on Saturday night.
The senior final had already been pushed back to October 14th, and the intermediate decider, originally pencilled in for this Sunday will now go ahead on Sunday week.
Again, a venue has yet to be confirmed, but it will be a repeat of the 2012 final between O’Connell’s and Clan Na Gael.
The Castlebellingham outfit won promotion with a narrow victory in Haggradstown and stayed in the senior ranks until last term. They will now be hoping to follow Kilkerley’s lead and bounce back at the first attempt - a rare enough feat since relegation was introduced to the Championship in the mid-noughties.
Glen Emmets and Naomh Moninne claimed the first major championship honours of the season Sunday.
Moninne lifted the Paddy Kelly Cup for the first team since 2010 with a gutsy win over St Fechin’s, denying the reigning champs a three-in-a-row in the process.
And Glen Emmets upset the bookies’ odds with an equally brave success over Glyde Rangers in the Junior decider, to lift the Christy Bellew Cup and secure intermediate status.