Continuity, but at what cost?

No, I am still not about to go into the issue of filling the vacancy which shouldn’t exist other than to opine that it would appear the individual who was undoubtedly best placed to take the role appears to have either ruled himself out or been ruled out of the running by others. Now read on…

Reference is of course being to the fact that Cathal O’Bric will remain in charge of the Meath U-20 footballers for the 2025 season. Which is of course exactly as it should be, with the Wolfe Tones clubman having guided the county to a first provincial title in the grade in 23 years. Plus, besides that, given the profile of the players who will be available to the Royal County as they attempt to retain the Seamus Flood Cup it makes sense to maintain the status quo with team management – Cathal, Eoin Joyce, ‘Lar’ Callaghan and Marky Brennan.

Cathal O’Bric

No doubt there will be smart asses who will try to label the composition of the team of mentors as three people from the same club, but that kite won’t fly. Because firstly for nigh on two decades Cathal has been associated with the Wolfe Tones club in Kilberry. More fundamentally, though, when a management team work together as well as those lads do, I couldn’t care less if they were all from Craggy Island!

However, you’d have to wonder whether the continuity sustained at U-20 level could come at the cost of operations elsewhere. With no reason to doubt the voracity of the story keyboarded by my colleague Sean Wall, lf his retention of the U-20 role precluded Cathal from taking up a position within the senior management setup, it recalls those lines from Charles Dickens’ Oliver, “If that’s the law, sir, then the law’s an ass”!

Would it not have made perfect sense to either have the U-20 manager in charge of the Senior side (or the other way around if you wish) or at the very least as part of the senior management. Yes, I know, a hybrid arrangement, which is exactly what Colm wanted to do, but sure that wasn’t acceptable at all. Jesus wept!

Indeed, at the Co Board meeting earlier in the week, continuity was the name of  game everywhere bar where it should have most obviously been.

Mind you, what continuity in other places means is that Seneschalstown’s Joe Cowley will continue to guide the fortunes of the county’s Minor footballers in 2025.

The former centre half back – who previously worked as a coach with Oisin McConville, in Wicklow – will have Finbarr Clarke of Trim, Skryne’s Nicky Hamill and Pat O’Sullivan from Bective as selectors with him.

What I am not sure is whether (m)any of the 2024 panel will be eligible again in ’25. If such was the case, Cowley’s continuation naturally makes sense. As does O’Bric’s also, for the reasons previously outlined. However, it does seem unfortunate that John McCarthy and Stephen Morgan are currently out of the loop.

With both men having been former Meath Minor managers and John also having managed the U-20s within the last few years. But then, if the last while has taught us anything it is that the obvious outcomes often are the last option some people will look to.