PETE McGrath has been reappointed as the Down senior football manager.
The one-year post, confirmed following Wednesday night’s county board meeting, will stretch McGrath’s involvement with the senior squad to 11 years since taking over in the 1988/89 season.
It is understood McGrath had been keen for a three-year term, but county secretary Brian McEvoy said yesterday it is Down policy to only make yearly rea-ppointments.
“It’s just for one year, but we will talk to Pete further before the next meeting and see what way things are,” he said.
Down are going through something of a transition period at the moment and McGrath is widely seen in Down circles as the man to see it through.
Three of the All-Ireland winning 1991 panel played this year, but it is unlikely Conor Deegan, Mickey Linden and Ross Carr will all return this autumn, with McGrath successfully integrating several younger players during the season.
McGrath could not be contacted yesterday, but his reappointment marks an unrivalled record in Ulster football. He is the second longest manager in the country behind Meath’s Sean Boylan.
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FORMER 1500 world finalist Gary Lough could yet be added to the Northern Ireland team for the Commonwealth Games.
The Loughborough-based 1500m runner yesterday dubbed the Northern Ireland selection procedure “a joke” after not being among the 12 athletes named for the Kuala Lumper games.
However, Northern Ireland Athletics Federation secretary John Allen said last night Lough could win a place in the team for Kuala Lumper if he shows a significant improvement in form over the next fortnight.
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Down SFC: An Riocht 2-13 Bosco 0-7
TWO second-half goals by corner-forward Jim Clarke put An Riocht into the quarter-finals of the Down Senior Football Championship with 12 points to spare over second division Bosco in a poor game at Pettit Park, Rostrevor last night.
Pre-match suggestions that the second division side might cause an upset were seen to be unfounded from an early stage.
An Riocht scored within 30 seconds when Conrad McAlinden pointed to finish a move straight from the throw in and they were never behind at any stage in the game.
It was due mainly to the efforts of Malachy McMurray and Brendan and Raymond Jackson that Bosco kept up their challenge but they lacked any penetration up front.
Clarke’s first goal came four minutes into the second-half when he flicked a long ball from Declan Reilly past Bosco keeper Darren Cowan into an empty net.
His second came five minutes from time. Gary Cunningham dispossessed a Bosco defender and Clarke volleyed the loose ball to the net.
An Riocht: B McVeigh, M O’Rourke, E O’Rourke, P Ferrin, D O’Reilly (0-1) C Doyle, C Annett, D Flynn (0-2), S Sloan, N Fitzpatrick (0-1), C McAlinden (0-3), G Cunningham (0-2), D Cunningham, M O’Rourke, J Clarke (2- 4)
Sub: C McArdle for D Cunningham
Bosco: D Cowan, G Craven, C Grant, D Doyle, M McMurry, B Jackson, D McNulty, R Jackson, A Quinn (0-2), D Larkin (0-2),B Irwin, M Crimmons, A Larkin (0-1), G McVeigh (0-1), B McIrloy (0-1)
Subs: M Jennings for B Irwin, H Crummey for G McVeigh
Referee: PJ Quinn.
