McCartan stays on with Down

IN A week of county manager departures, Down have bucked the trend by confirming that James McCartan will continue in charge of the county’s senior footballers for a third year.

There are changes to his backroom team with confirmation of the much-speculated on departure of former Donegal manager Brian McIver and former Tyrone trainer Paddy Tally, although the official statement from the Down County Board denied a media report that the change had come about in response to a players’ meeting.

McCartan’s backroom team will include outgoing selector Jerome Johnston and Aidan O’Rourke as well as a strength and conditioning coach Amy Davis.

O’Rourke, an All-Ireland winner with Armagh in 2002, stepped down from Kieran McGeeney’s management in Kildare and had been associated with a move to his own county before Paul Grimley’s return was announced.

He and the Down manager, who know each other well through the Queen’s University connection – he was McCartan’s assistant when the college won the 2007 Sigerson and this summer was appointed GAA development officer in the university –  were on opposite sides of the divide just over 12 months ago when Down faced Kildare in the All-Ireland semi-final.

The county’s surprising 2010, saw them maintain their 100 per cent record against Kerry when deposing the champions in the All-Ireland quarter-finals before reaching the final and losing narrowly to Cork.

Meanwhile, Galway delegates reviewing the county hurling management will be taking into account the fate of the under-21s tomorrow. Senior manager John McIntyre is keen to stay on but a good display by the under-21s would advance the case of Anthony Cunningham.

The former Galway All-Ireland winner has broad experience as a manager, having taken charge of club football sides such as St Brigid’s in Roscommon as well as his county’s under-21 hurlers.

David Fitzgerald, who stepped down as manager of Waterford this week and is favoured to take over his own county Clare, has been associated before with the Galway position because of his successful relationship with former All-Ireland winning manager Cyril Farrell and Galway star Joe Canning at Limerick IT.