Manager"s race is on again

Nine candidates have been nominated for the Meath senior football manager"s position vacated by Colm Coyle following the All-Ireland SFC qualifier defeat by Limerick on Saturday, 19th July. This latest round of nominations is a second attempt to source a manager and nominations closed last week on Wednesday, 22nd October. However, by Tuesday morning of this week a number of the candidates confirmed to the Meath Chronicle that they had not received any contact from the Co Committee regarding another interview, six days after nominations closed. Seven of the candidates were put forward for the role when nominations were initially sought last August. They will be joined by a two new candidates, former Meath midfielder Liam Hayes and Longford man Tom Smyth. Smyth, who is currently manager of Dublin club Fingallians and was in the running for the Longford job, will be joined in the race by Hayes who was last involved in inter-county management with Carlow. Add the names of Eamonn O"Brien, Eamonn Barry, Sean Kelly, Andy McEntee, Colm O"Rourke, Damien Sheridan and Dudley Farrell and the new field of runners is complete. The new selection sub-committee of Co Committee chairman Barney Allen, fixtures secretary Francis Flynn and Hurling chairman T J Reilly will have to interview the candidates who allow their names go forward for the process. Navan O"Mahonys coach Kelly had earlier indicated that he could still be interested in the position, but would not be prepared to attend another interview. 'I don"t see the point in having to go in again,' commented Kelly when contacted by the Meath Chronicle on Tuesday morning. 'I understand that it is a new interview committee, but they should have had their candidates from the first round of interviews. 'They should have had a first choice, second choice and third choice so that when the first choice was rejected they could have turned to the next man,' said the Navan O"Mahonys manager. Another contender, Eamonn Barry has indicated that he is willing to allow his name go forward again, but he has yet to hear from the Co Committee. Another issue regarding possible conflicts of interest have also arisen. Two members of the new selection sub-committee have close connections with a couple of the candidates. Eamonn O"Brien is manager of chairman Barney Allen"s club, Rathkenny club, while Francis Flynn is associated with Damien Sheridan"s Seneschalstown club.