McConville 'surprised' by McDonnell appointment

Former All-Ireland winner and All-Star forward Oisin McConville has questioned the decision to add former manager Peter McDonnell to the current Armagh management team.

Newly-appointed Orchard boss Paul Grimley has brought McDonnell and Martin McQuillan on board to assist him for his first season in charge, with Brendan Hughes and Malcolm McCausland also part of the new set-up.

McDonnell managed Armagh to their last Ulster SFC title in 2008 before resigning the following summer after a disappointing season.

Writing in his column in the Newry Democrat, McConville said: “I have to admit I was mightily surprised that Armagh manager Paul Grimley appointed Peter McDonnell and Martin McQuillan to his backroom team.

"My issues with McDonnell are well documented and I am not going to start a witch-hunt or anything. I just think it's strange to appoint a former manager as almost an undercard.

"His first tenure as manager didn't go so well and it seems Armagh are going over old ground.”

Although the Crossmaglen Rangers sharpshooter, who turns 37 next month, will give Grimley and company his full support if they can get Armagh back on the right road.

"That said, if Paul, Peter and Martin can get the best out of the players in Armagh and help improve the county, then of course I will back them 100%.

"I am an Armagh fan and I want to see us compete at the highest level."

McDonnell, who hails from Mullaghbawn, fired a parting shot when he quit four years ago, alleging that certain forces within Armagh were 'sabotaging' efforts to succeed on the pitch.

Since then, there has been a changing of guard at County Board level and that, along with his friendship with Grimley, has prompted him to return to the Orchard fold.

In the interim he has had coaching stints with Belleeks, his own Mullaghbawn and most recently Clontibret, while he also assisted Peter Fitzpatrick.during his tenure as Louth manager.

McDonnell told the Irish News: "Like many people, I naively thought when you take a county team it's all about a burning ambition to play for your county and be the best that you can be.

"Everything that you do is for the good of your county and should not be used as a vehicle for self promotion in other areas of life.

"I was very unhappy about issues which I'll not go into now, but things were not right in our county at County Board level and at support levels within the county. All that undermined what it was we

were trying to do."