Monaghan chairman says Malachy O'Rourke will be staying on as Farney manager
September 01, 2018
Monaghan manager Malachy O'Rourke speaks to his players.
INPHO/Ryan Byrne.
by Paddy Hickey
Monaghan chairman Michael McMahon says Malachy O'Rourke will be staying on as Farney County manager for another year despite his bitter disappointment at the one point All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Tyrone.
In the aftermath of the last-four stage loss to the Red Hands, considerable speculation has surrounded the future of the Fermanagh native, who has been at the Monaghan helm since September 2012.
And 12 months ago, O'Rourke admitted that he had been strongly tempted to step down in the wake of the 10 point defeat by Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
But Monaghan chief McMahon said: "Malachy O'Rourke will definitely be managing Monaghan again in 2019.
"Two years ago, Malachy was given an additional three year term, and so he has another year to serve as team manager.
"Despite the defeat by Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi-final, we were never in any doubt about whether Malachy was going to stay on with us for another year.
"Admittedly, after beating Tyrone in the Ulster Championship, it was disappointing that we didn't repeat that victory in the All-Ireland semi-final, but there's a very small margin between a lot of Ulster teams and we just came out on the wrong side of the scoreboard the last day."
And McMahon went on to say that he feels that O'Rourke will be assisted by the same backroom team for next year's League and Championship campaign.
"Leo McBride, Ryan Porter, Owen Lennon and Colin McAree have been part of Malachy's set-up for a few years now, and we don't expect any changes in the backroom team for 2019," he remarked.
In addition, McMahon is optimistic that all the players, who soldiered through this year's campaign, such as veterans Vinnie Corey and Dessie Mone, will make themselves available to O'Rourke for the next campaign.
"We're certainly not envisaging any retirements of players and I'd be very optimistic that Malachy will be able to call on all the lads again for next year," he predicted.
"Some of the lads have given 10-12-13 years of service to Monaghan and they've been super ambassadors for Monaghan football.
"But I feel that the longer-serving lads will still have the appetite and commitment to give it a go for another year," added McMahon.
On the All-Ireland final, the Monaghan chairman feels that Tyrone have a chance of thwarting Dublin's ambitions of a four-in-a-row of title wins.
"Of course, Dublin are a serious outfit, but I wouldn't rule out Tyrone's chances of causing a huge upset," he remarked.
"Every team that gets to an All-Ireland final has a chance and Tyrone are definitely there to merely make up the numbers.
"And the fact that Dublin are such overwhelming favourites takes a considerable amount of the pressure off Tyrone."
