Colm O’Rourke is on course to be the new Manager of the Meath GAA men’s senior football team.
In a posting on Facebook today, Meath Cumann Luthchgleas Gael stated, “The Management Committee of Meath GAA have recommended that Colm O’Rourke be put before the County
Committee for ratification as Meath Senior Football manager. Colm has nominated Stephen Bray [Navan O’Mahony’s club] and Barry Callaghan [Dunderry], as his selectors.”
A well-known commentator about Gaelic games on RTE and The Sunday Independent, he will, bar any last-minute disagreements, succeed Andy McEntee who recently stepped down
to take charge of the Antrim senior men’s team.
The news comes after weeks of speculation during which O’Rourke ultimately ruled himself out of holding the position.
When quizzed about the role following Andy McEntee’s departure, O’Rourke said, “This isn’t something new this sort of speculation like I did actually go for the Meath job on three
occasions in the past and even somebody as stupid as I am would give it a hint that when you’re told no on three occasions, I think that should put it to bed.”
“My beautiful wife Patricia has a very negative view towards managing the county team and with good reason when you see the sort of upshot from Andy McEntee going and the social
media abuse that has taken place.
“I think a lot of people would stand back and say is this the sort of trend that we want to go in Gaelic football that people who put in enormous time at their own expense, it’s not like Pep Guardiola getting € 15 million a year, and then being subjected to that sort of thing by un-named people.
“I’m involved in club management. I’m very happy in club management and I have been for quite a while,” he said.
O’Rourke, who holds two All-Ireland winning medals from 1987 and ’88 and three All-Star awards, has already had managerial spells with the Royal County.
The 64-year-old, who is Principal of St. Patrick’s secondary school in Navan, has previously managed the Meath minors and U-21s.
He also managed his own club, Simonstown Gaels, when they won successive Meath titles in 2016 and 2017.
Assuming he accepts the role, Colm O’Rourke is likely to step away from his role as a pundit from RTE’s Sunday Game where he has been a regular fixture since 1991.
O’Rourke’s formal elevation to Manager of the Meath team is likely to be known on Tuesday night July 26th.
A meeting of the Meath County Board will take place at the County’s GAA Centre of Excellence in Dunganny Trim at 7.30 pm where O’Rourke’s nomination will be ratified.
