McEnaney’s Meath fate hangs in the balance

Several Meath clubs have decided to back Seamus McEnaney at tonight’s county board meeting — however it still remains unclear whether he will survive the vote.

Meath County Board’s executive committee released a statement last week recommending McEnaney’s management be terminated and the appointment of Sean Boylan to the role.

However ‘Banty’ has stood firm and, following comments by former players Trevor Giles and Colm O’Rourke in newspapers over the past few days, a realisation of the county’s current underage plight has softened clubs’ opinions.

On Monday night, Longwood, Simonstown, Slane, Na Fianna and Dunshaughlin (county secretary Cyril Creavin’s club), voted to oppose the committee’s suggestion, while Skreen (O’Rourke and Giles’ club), narrowly voted to back the county board.

County board chairman Barney Allen needs at least two thirds of the clubs to vote in favour of their executive committee’s recommendation to remove McEnaney from his position.

That would have been almost impossible if the players had come out in support of McEnaney yesterday. They met on Monday night to discuss the possibility of issuing a statement backing their current manager but, following discussions which lasted until 1am yesterday morning, they decided no Meath team had ever needed a public show to support a manager and called off plans to release one.

However former Meath selector Paul Grimley yesterday claimed the prospect of Seán Boylan hanging in the wings could tip the balance in favour of the board.

“The biggest problem hanging over him now is that Seán is sitting ready to go in,” he said.

“Seán is obviously a man with credentials and high integrity and the fact he is a Meath man means Seamus is second favourite. It’s not in Banty’s grain to step down. I’d do the same myself if I felt I could the job and turn things around. There’s no doubt he can improve this team, given the time.

“Meath have had a lot of managers [four] since Seán Boylan quit. When you change things around so much, players get confused.

“It’s become like soccer and this need to do something within two years or you’re out. Supporters can have different agendas but managers have to stick to the plans they make.”