Colm O'Rourke is set to become the new Meath senior football manager.
In a statement released on Monday morning, Meath GAA said:
"The Management Committee of Meath GAA have recommended that Colm O’Rourke be put before the County Committee for ratification as Meath Senior Football manager.
"Colm has nominated Stephen Bray and Barry Callaghan as his selectors."
The Management Committee of Meath GAA have recommended that Colm O’Rourke be put before the County Committee for ratification as Meath Senior Football manager.
Colm has nominated Stephen Bray and Barry Callaghan as his selectors. #GAA #MeathGAA #MeathFootball pic.twitter.com/8oGoakb9my
— Meath GAA (@MeathGAA) July 25, 2022
About face from Colm O'Rourke
Earlier this summer, after Andy McEntee stepped down as Meath manager, O'Rourke ruled himself out of the running for the role. He said he had put himself forward for the job three times previously, but had been turned down.
"The job is there, but I'm involved in club management," he told RTÉ during their coverage of the All-Ireland football qualifier between Cork and Limerick.
"I'm very happy in club management and I have been for quite a while.
"This sort of speculation isn't something new, like I did actually go for the Meath job on three occasions in the past and even somebody as stupid as I am would get the hint that when you're told no on three occasions, then that should put it to bed.
"And my beautiful wife Patricia has a very negative view on managing the county team, and with good reason, when you see the social media abuse that has taken place since Andy McEntee has left.
"Is this the sort of trend that we want to go with on Gaelic football where people put in enormous amounts of time - and not getting 15 million a year like Pep Guardiola - only to be subjected to that sort of thing from unnamed sort of people?"
O'Rourke won two All-Ireland titles with Meath as a player. He also managed Simonstown Gaels to back-to-back Meath titles 2016 and 2017. He had previously managed the county's minor and U21 teams.
The Meath legend has, of course, been one of the best GAA pundits for decades. His exit from the RTÉ studio, alongside Pat Spillane, will leave a massive hole to be filled.
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