Meath senior football manager Andy McEntee will have to re-jig his backroom team with the news that Finian Murtagh has decided to step down from his role as a selector.
The Navan O’Mahonys clubman, who was a very gifted forward and an integral part of Sean Boylan’s panel during Meath’s most glorious period, has been a selector with Andy since he took over the job, having previously been part of his Meath Minor management crew in 2012.
Murtagh and Donal Curtis have been constants during the Dunboyne man’s tenure. During that time, Gerry McEntee, Cormac Sullivan and Gerry Cooney have also fulfilled roles while in more recent times Colm Nally and Paul Nestor have also become involved.
With managers who have been granted any amount of longevity of tenure, it is not uncommon for selector lineups to change a bit. For instance, when Sean took over, he had the completely unwieldy scenario of having seven lieutenants before sense prevailed and he was allowed to pick his own. Which he did fairly regularly during his 23 years at the helm.
Beglnning with Pat Reynolds and Tony Brennan, Mick Lyons and Joe Cassells followed them, then, Frank Foley and Eamonn O’Brien were by his side for the All Ireland triumphs of 1996 and 1999 while in the latter part of his reign Declan Mullen, David Beggy, Colm Coyle and Colm Brady were among the additions to the backroom staff.
It is my view – and hope would be I am not alone in this – that Meath football is slowly but surely climbing the ladder of status within the game again. Yes, in an ideal world they could do being at the top table in the National League, but that is a wholly attainable goal going forward. The county has always produced decent underage teams but they were often devoid of luck. Such as when a Sean Barry-managed group at U-21 level went into a Leinster Final minus the services of James McEntee and Eamon Wallace – among others – against a Dublin side from whence graduated Jack McCaffery, Ciaran Kilkenny, Cormac Costello, Emmet O’Conghaile and Conor McHugh, all of whom went on to garner multiple Celtic crosses at senior level.
The tide may be turning though. Younger players are breaking through. What is more, there should be plenty more coming on stream behind those who have already made the step up. Keeping those players together and bringing their obvious potential to fruition is now of the utmost importance.
To that end, it is to be wholeheartedly welcomed that structures appear to now by in place which guarantee the necessary continuity to keep these promising young players together. Witness how Cathal O’Bric has brought the group which contest the All Ireland MFC final next Saturday through from U-14 level. Likewise, John McCarthy took over the bunch with whom he won the 2020 Leinster MFC earlier this summer.
Now, as far as can be recalled plans are in place for some of those involved with the above sides to go on and, say, take over at U-20 level. Indeed, I would’ve thought some of those involved with such teams for the preceding few years would’ve been ideally placed to take over the U20s. However, the drafting of Paul Nestor into the senior setup is equally logical for the same reason. Some interesting times ahead methinks.
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