Grimley staying put as Armagh players slam appointment process
Sources within Monaghan last night revealed that Grimley will not abandon his role as part of Seamus McEnaney’s management team, a position he only assumed last week, in favour of returning to crisis-stricken Armagh.
There had been speculation yesterday that Grimley was on the cusp of doing a U-turn and throwing his hat into the ring for an Armagh job, as he is believed to have received the overwhelming backing from Armagh clubs to succeed Peter McDonnell. But those reports were firmly quashed last night, and Grimley will now stay with the Farney County.
The committee appointed to search for an Armagh successor to McDonnell stepped down this week, saying its position was “untenable”.
Paul McGrane, Eugene Young and the other members of the selection team are believed to have become frustrated with the process of finding a new manager.
Armagh GAA officials will now meet next Monday to discuss the ongoing crisis with the latest twist coming after a hard-hitting players’ statement demanded that discussion on the “flawed” process of appointing a new senior football manager.
The statement called for a forum which would allow the county’s clubs and players’ representatives to voice their opinions on the managerial process and raise any issues they had with it.
“It is with growing disillusionment that we have watched the unfolding search for Armagh’s new management,” the statement read.
“Despite the diligent and fruitful work of certain members of the sub-committee appointed to source the best candidate, it has become obvious that this process has been undermined and derailed at the most critical junctures.
“The latest development, which saw the sub-committee tasked with identifying the best candidate dissolve, is a particularly disturbing turn.
“That this committee felt that it could not fulfil its remit raises serious questions regarding the support it has been given at county executive level.
“We are of one belief that this appointment should be made with the greater good of Armagh football as the sole driver.
“The clubs, via their nominations, identified a primary candidate to whom the players remain supportive but, due to what we see as a flawed process, their voices have been overlooked.
“We also believe that those entrusted with safeguarding this ideal are not acting accordingly and thus no longer retain our confidence.
“It is with this in mind that we call on our sitting executive to immediately convene a county board meeting to allow our clubs and players’ representatives to discuss this gravest of situations and allow their voices to be heard.
“In conclusion, although we accept that there may be an unsatisfactory outcome of this process, we are issuing this statement to ensure the same mistakes of the past will not be repeated.”
Meanwhile, James McCartan was last night appointed as the new Down senior football manager, succeeding Ross Carr in the Mourne County.
McCartan’s appointment, for a three-year term, was ratified at a meeting of the Down county committee yesterday evening. McCartan has assembled an impressive backroom team with former Tyrone trainer Paddy Tally and former Donegal manager Brian McIver set to come on board as selectors.
McCartan guided Queen’s University to the 2007 Sigerson Cup title and his own club Burren to a Down county league title in 2005.
Elsewhere, Tyrone midfielder Kevin Hughes has been named footballer of the year at the Ulster All Star Awards.
Tyrone and Antrim dominated Ulster’s football ‘Oscars’ last night, the Saffrons enjoying their most successful awards since the scheme was inaugurated in 1995.
Liam Bradley’s outfit won five All Stars, their first out-field awards since Kevin Brady nine years ago, with a family double for McCann brothers Michael and Tomas.
Irish News Ulster GAA All Stars: B Gillis (Derry); C Brady (Antrim), Justin McMahon (Tyrone), K Lacey (Donegal); G O’Kane (Derry), C Gormley (Tyrone), J Loughrey (Antrim); M McCann (Antrim), K Hughes (Tyrone); T McCann (Antrim), O Mulligan (Tyrone), Joe McMahon (Tyrone); P Cunningham (Antrim), M Murphy (Donegal), S O’Neill (Tyrone).
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