COLM OโROURKE HAS stepped down from his post as manager of two-in-a-row Meath senior football champions Simonstown Gaels.
In October 2016, the RTร pundit guided his side to a first-ever Meath SFC title, comfortably beating Donaghmore-Ashbourne in Navan.
He enjoyed another good championship run last year as they retained the Keegan Cup and recorded their first Leinster club SFC win over Wexfordโs Starlights before exiting at the hand of St Lomanโs of Westmeath.
His son and former Meath star, Shane, was central throughout his fatherโs tenure, lining out in midfield as they ran to glory.
OโRourke announced at last nightโs Annual General Meeting that he would vacate the role, with Simonstown releasing a statement this evening.
It reads:
โColm OโRourke Simonstown Senior Manager has stepped down as manager of the club senior team. OโRourke has decided to take a break from management after the successive Keegan Cups victories of 2016 and 2017.
โOโRourke has been an instrumental figure in Simonstown over the past 20 years helping with juvenile teams and also being the senior manager for three different spells.
โOโRourke will be forever remembered as the first manager to bring the Keegan Cup up Flowerhill. His influence will be missed but he has assured us that he will remain as an interested supporter of the Senior team.
โEveryone in Simonstown would like to thank OโRourke for his endeavor over the past few years.โ
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the yearโs best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Easonโs, or order it here today (โฌ10):
The Celtic tigers
Limerick Layabouts
The Tullow Tanks โ made up entirely of Sean OโBriens offspring
The Flying Columns
The Galway Hookers anyone?
The Leeside Langballs.
Corkonian langers.
The navan numptys
who cares gridiron isnt wanted here
Ignoring the irony of you reading a story about a sport you allegedly donโt care about, itโs worth pointing out that, to a growing number of people, it is very much wanted here.
Exhibit A: The 50k people who turned up in the Aviva last September to watch a college football game.
Exhibit B: The GAA and others extensive moves to get an NFL game played in Croke Park.
Exhibit C: The Irish American Football League has a record number of teams and players taking part this year.
But you donโt like it David, so obviously nobody else in the country does.
Completely agree
The Blarney Bailouts
Newry mighty ducks
The Dingle Dolphins surely.