Donegal GAA manager post to be advertised in next few days

The post of Donegal manager, which became vacant after Aidan O’Rourke stepped away after the Tyrone defeat at the weekend, is to be advertised in the next few days.

That was confirmed by Donegal GAA chairman, Fergus McGee, who is putting the utmost urgency on filling the post as quickly as possible.

“It is the most important task for the GAA in the county. Hopefully, we will have quality candidates to interview and after we receive applications, we will then put in place an interview panel. 

“I would like that panel to be a five-person panel with a strong football pedigree and it would be my wish that one of the panel would be from outside the county.

“The matter will be up for discussion at our next Co Committee meeting, which is set for Monday, July 10th,” said McGee.

Donegal bowed out of the All-Ireland championship on Saturday last, losing to Tyrone by 1-18 to 0-13 in MacCumhaill Park. It had been a difficult season for the senior team, starting with the late appointment of Paddy Carr as manager in October and then Aidan O’Rourke taking over after Carr stepped away towards the end of March.

Time to sit down and take stock of where we are at - Hugh McFadden

Donegal vice-captain very frank about Tyrone defeat and made a call for all involved to sit down and take stock of what has been a very fractured season for the GAA in the county

The GAA in the county also have to deal with the findings of a Croke Park review which was presented to the clubs in the county at the beginning of June, which found a number of areas of concern. Croke Park were asked to carry out the review after difficulties arose with the resignation of Karl Lacey as Head of the Donegal Academy, which rumbled on for the first few months of the year.

“We have to take the review and work with it,” said the Donegal chairman, who was elected to the post at the annual Donegal GAA Convention in December of last year. Among the proposals in the report is to appoint an interim Operations Manager in addition to coaching and finance personel. “I would be hopeful that we will have progress in all of these three areas for our July Co Committee meeting,” said McGee.