Boylan looks set to retain Meath hot-seat

SEAN BOYLAN’S position as Meath manager was strengthened last night when he received a vote of confidence from the county board.

Clubs within the county will now have a month to decide whether to vote for Boylan or Dunshaughlin boss Eamon Barry before the ballot is counted at the next county board meeting on Monday, November 3.

Meanwhile, it will be some time before a successor to Cyril Lyons is found in Clare, as clubs have until the end of the week to submit possible candidates for the hot-seat. Although, the position has been the subject of a lot of speculation in recent weeks, PRO Des Crowe dismissed those that have been presented as favourites for the post.

“We have seen and heard all the reports that these people are front-runners. There are no front-runners yet, the clubs have until the end of the week to put names forward.

“Any names submitted will be put before the county board next Monday, and the county board will meet to address the issue the following night (October 14),” said Crowe.

Depending on developments, there could then be an interview process.

“If there are a number of names suggested, then the chairman of the county board will be authorised to speak to each of the candidates on an individual basis,” said Crowe.

In Limerick, interviews are still on-going in the search to find a replacement for Dave Keane. Although, there have been no solid developments, the Limerick hurling board hope to unveil a new manager within the next fortnight.

The vacancy in Donegal was discussed at their county board meeting in Ballybofey last night. Brian McEniff is still expected to return to the post, giving up his chairmanship, although his All-Ireland winning-captain Anthony Molloy hasn’t been ruled out.

The failure to name a manager has caused some disquiet among the players, with captain Adrian Sweeney expressing disappointment last week that a manager has not yet been named.

Meanwhile, a Clare priest has called a Bank of Ireland billboard advertisement for the football championship “offensive and disrespectful.”

Fr Kevin McNamara, was critical of the advert, which portrays a girl in a Holy Communion dress in the Armagh colours, with a church in the background. The girl in question is smiling while four other girls in regular communion dresses look unhappy. The ad is part of the banks ‘Ask not what you can do for you, but what can you do for your county’ campaign.

“It beggars belief that the Bank of Ireland would use religion in an advertisement considering it is such an emotive topic in these two counties,” Fr McNamara said.

“What is the connection between Gaelic football and Holy Communion? Is the football meant to depict the host and are the county colours meant to portray vestments? I find the advertisement very offensive and disrespectful to Mass and Holy Communion.”

The bank said that the advertisements were meant to be humorous and were not intended to be offensive.