Former players Neil Smyth, Justin McNulty and Michael McConville have been nominated to succeed Peter McDonnell as Armagh football manager. Paul Grimley's name was also put forward by the clubs, but he is out of the running after becoming Seamus McEnaney's number two in Monaghan. Of the other three, 2002 All-Ireland winner McNulty is the only one to have publicly expressed an interest in the position. Former Donegal manager Brian McIver, who once managed Dromintee, has also been linked with the post, but recently ruled out a return to inter-county management. The five-man selection committee set up under the chairmanship of the Ulster Council's Dr Eugene Young and comprising county chairman Kevin Brady, secretary Patrick Og Nugent, former county captain Paul McGrane and clubs' representative Gerry Davidson, met last night to sift through the nominations and lay the groundwork for the interview process. It is now expected that the interviews will be conducted next week and chairman Brady is confident that the identity of McDonnell's successor will be known before the end of the month. "We are engaged in the proper process to find a new manager and we have to be seen to be fair to everyone who has been nominated or interested in the post," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "While we know Armagh's thousands of fans are anxious to discover who the new boss is, it is important that things are done right." Tweet

Most Read Stories