NEWS:EAMONN O'BRIEN was announced as the new Meath football manager last night after several months of mishaps and disagreements surrounding the appointment process.
A selector during the Seán Boylan era, O'Brien - who has been given a one-year term - was the initial front-runner only for the initial five-man selection committee to overlook him for former Westmeath and Longford manager Luke Dempsey.
However, the 16-man management committee rejected Dempsey last month forcing them to choose a new three-man committee under county chairman Barney Allen along with Francis Flynn and TJ Kelly. Dempsey subsequently took up the position of Carlow football manager.
This is not the first time controversy has surrounded the appointment of a Meath manager in the wake of Boylan's uninterupted 22-year reign. His immediate successor Eamonn Barry had a number of restrictions placed upon him by the board and was replaced despite a decent first year in charge.
After six interviewees, the management committee, minus secretary Cyril Creavin and central council delegate Brendan Demspey, finally got to put OBrien's name before the county delegates last night.
Former players during the golden period of Meath football in the 1980s and '90s, Colm O'Rourke, Gerry McEntee and, most recently, Liam Hayes all ruled themselves out of the running to succeed Colm Coyle, whose promising tenure came to an abrupt halt after defeats to Wexford and Limerick last summer.
Meanwhile, Brian Cody was last night ratified for an 11th season as Kilkenny's senior hurling manager. The James Stephens clubman led the Cats to an historic three-in-a-row of All-Ireland senior titles last September and will attempt to mastermind a fourth successive crown in 2009. Cody's reappointment was rubberstamped at a county board meeting last night.
Kilkenny's all-conquering players dashed from Dublin's Citywest Hotel last Friday night back to the Marble City for a medals presentation.
County board secretary Ned Quinn revealed that officials worked closely with Gaelic Players Association CEO Dessie Farrell to ensure that the players could be present at both events.
Quinn said: "It was organised between Dessie and ourselves. The lads left Kilkenny at 2pm and after the GPA awards, they were back in Kilkenny for the presentation of medals at 10.30pm."
Micheál O'Muircheartaigh was MC for the evening as GAA president and Kilkenny native Nickey Brennan presented the players with their 2008 medals at a packed Langton's.
Wing back Tommy Walsh was one of the last players up to receive his medal and the Tullaroan player expressed his hope that he can some day add a county medal with his club to the glut of awards collected at intercounty level.
