WITH COLM O’ROURKE’S DEPARTURE as Meath manager now confirmed, we look at the names in the frame most likely to succeed him in the Royals hot seat.
1. Robbie Brennan
Should Brennan become the new Meath manager, it will provoke a minor shockwave for reasons that are long outdated in the vast majority of counties.
Leaving aside the few years that Seamus McEnaney spent as Meath manager, the county have had a policy of only appointing their native sons.
Brennan is very much a Dublin man, but he has been living in Dunboyne for a long time and has strong Meath connections.
He managed Kilmacud Crokes to the 2023 All Ireland club title with that victory that was shrouded in controversy against Glen, of Derry, and may decide that the time is right to move into the intercounty game.
2. Bernard Flynn
A much-loved and admired former player will always be starting from a favourable position with the fanbase, but that alone didn’t count for much when it came to Colm O’Rourke.
There is a difference though with Flynn. He has been at the coalface of coaching alongside Robbie Brennan at Kilmacud, as well as doing the Meath U-20s. It would come as no surprise to see both men in a ticket together, no matter what way it is presented.
Flynn also is in tune with modern requirements. When he wanted the job before, he met with the respected strength and conditioning coach Barry Horgan who has since gone to the Brumbies rugby organisation in Australia.
3. Cathal O’Bric
It has been reported that Colm O’Rourke had been keen on getting the Navan O’Mahony’s man O’Bric on board as a selector, with a view to eventually succeeding him in the senior role.
O’Bric went another way, and decided to stay as the county U-20s manager. This is instructive. He evidently felt that if he was part of O’Rourke’s set-up, it wouldn’t be in his best interests. That could be a lack of faith in that set-up, or else he wanted the senior role quicker.
Either way, his stock is high right now, when he brought that group to the Leinster title earlier this year, their first win at that level in 23 years.
4. Micheál McDermott
To many the name might not be particularly familiar, but he is a Cavan man who has spread his coaching tentacles wide and enjoyed plenty of success.
Was manager of Clare for a spell almost 20 years ago and has won county titles with Kilmurry-Ibrickane (Clare) in 2008 and 2009, Monaleen in Limerick in 2011, his own native Ramor United in Cavan in 2016 and as recently as 2021, he brought Wolfe Tones to Meath glory.
Lives in Ennis, but he has already shown that travel is no barrier to his desire. Has went for the job in Fermanagh before, as well as with Meath when O’Rourke was appointed.
5. Lar Wall
Played his football in Arles-Kilcruise in Laois, but no stranger to Meath, having brought Gaeil Colmcille of Kells to a county final in 2020. He also spent some time in charge of the ladies’ team.
Since then he has shown he has serious managerial pipes, by bringing The Downs of Westmeath to a county title and all the way to a Leinster club final.
That was enough to convince Roscommon manager Davy Burke to bring Wall along with him in the Rossies backroom. With a taste for county action, he might be tempted to go all-in.
One other candidate whose name has been linked on the Bush Telegram is Paul Curran. The former Dublin wing-back has been helping with Dunshaughlin in Meath. His own father, Noel, was full-forward for Meath when they beat Cork in the 1967 All Ireland final.
