New Armagh boss in place soon, claims Kernan

Armagh defender Aaron Kernan is hopeful that the long-running search for a new senior football manager will be done and dusted within the next fortnight.

The post has remained vacant since Peter McDonnell stepped down – also in controversial circumstances – last July after two seasons in charge.

Paul Grimley had been the clear favourite for the role but his decision to join Seamus McEnaney in Monaghan prompted a statement from the players expressing their disappointment with the process.

A second committee has since been established with clubs again asked to nominate candidates. Crossmaglen manager Donal Murtagh and former Down boss Pete McGrath have both expressed an interest.

"You obviously would have liked to have seen it sorted out," said Kernan yesterday. "You see other counties releasing names of new managers but it is getting there now. The county board have progressed things a bit more. Some of the more senior players have met with county board. They are in the middle of looking at a few more candidates and I would like to think that, within the next two weeks, we’ll have a new name there.

"We can’t train in November and December anyway so we probably aren’t missing out on too much but whoever the manager is would like to get his backroom team in place and set out his stall.

"It will be exciting, someone new to impress."