O'Brien's tenure at an end?

Eamonn O'Brien's position as Meath senior football manager is in serious doubt following a decision by delegates at Monday night's Co Committee meeting in Navan not to ratify the Walterstown man for a third year in charge of the Leinster SFC champions. O'Brien had been recommended by the Executive of the Meath Co Committee to be returned for a third year at the helm, but following a lenghty debate amongst the delegates and an amendment that was proposed by St Patrick's Johnny Purfield and seconded by Trim's Sean Gilsenan, the ratification went to a vote. Of the 61 delegates present at the meeting O'Brien only managed to garner the support of 29 with 32 votes against him being ratified at the meeting. The announcement of the result of the vote drew audible gasps of surprise from the meeting, but such was the strength of the emotion in the debate from both sides it was clear that the vote was going to be a tight one. In proposing his club's amendment to the Co Committee Executive's recommendation, Purfield suggested that "the current Meath management are not strong enough to bring the team forward and my club are proposing that this current management not be ratified." Trim delegate Gilsenan confirmed that he was acting on the instructions of his club to second the motion and several other delegates also spoke in favour of the amendment. Duleek's Paddy Watters agreed with Purfield's amendment. "Unless there is change for 2011 then we will go no further," said Watters. Blackhall Gaels official Noel Farrell questioned why clubs weren't given the opportunity to nominate a manager to which Co Committee chairman Barney Allen responded saying that all clubs were notified of the Executive's recommendation and the Co Committee meeting was were the matter would be discussed. Several other delegates took the opportunity to question the tactics of the Meath management during the latter stages of the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Kildare. There was also plenty of support for the proposal to return O'Brien as manager with vice-chairman Eugene Comaskey reminding the meeting of O'Brien's record in getting the team to an All-Ireland SFC semi-final in his first year and winning a Leinster SFC title in his second term. Co Committee assistant-secretary Francis Flynn said that when the delegates were told a few years ago that they would have to re-appoint a manager every year there was "a hue and cry". "Before Eamonn O'Brien was initially appointed the view was that a manager should get at least three years in charge. People said that it wasn't fair unless a manager got three years to put his team together. We are not that far away from the top teams," said Flynn. Central Council delegate Brendan Cummins suggested that Meath football would be a "laughing stock if we do not re-appoint a man who got us to an All-Ireland SFC semi-final last year and a Leinster SFC title this year." Cummins also posed the question, "What are the alternatives?" Several other delegates spoke for and against the ratification of O'Brien's appointment for a third term, but after a tight vote the delegates decided to open up the nomination and interview process again. The vote comes as a further blow to O'Brien who last week lost Sean Kelly as trainer and it is now unclear if O'Brien will be willing to allow his name go forward for the position after failing to receive the support of the Co Committee at Monday night's meeting. Already the speculation has begun as to who will be the next Meath manager with names like Damien Sheridan, Tony Kearney, Sean Kelly, Colm O'Rourke, Seamus McEnaney and Mick O'Dwyer already being suggested. Also at Monday night's Co Committee meeting Darragh Smyth finally had his protracted transfer from Bective to Navan O'Mahonys passed. Smyth had brought his case to the Dispute Resolution Authority and they suggested that the Co Committee look at the transfer again. Following a debate and vote, Smyth's transfer was passed by 38 votes to 23.