RYAN McMENAMIN may well be poised to become the latest of the Tyrone old guard to part ways with Mickey Harte’s football panel. However, the combative Dromore defender has made it clear the management will have to push him. Unlike fellow three-time All-Ireland winners Brian Dooher, Brian McGuigan, Philip Jordan and Ciarán Gourley, the 33-year-old does not intend to retire just yet.
“I’ll have to sit back and think about it, for I’m going away on my honeymoon for the whole of January, which means I’ll miss as lot of the pre-season,” said McMenamin. “In the meantime, I’ll take a good rest, and I’ll see what the body’s like come January, and if they don’t think I’m up to it, I’m not up to it, and I can accept that.”
The 2005 All Star lost his place in the Tyrone starting line-up this season and seemed like the next man to make way as Harte is clearly forced into major corrective surgery to a team that was well beaten by Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final.
McMenamin is due to meet Harte and selector Tony Donnelly this week to ascertain whether he remains in their plans for 2012. “I have to speak to Mickey and Tony about that. I’ll sit down at the end of the week and chat to them, and see what’s the best way forward for me and for Tyrone,” he added.
Should the Dromore man commit to another campaign, he will be the most senior member of the squad. Regardless, he will play no part in the pre-season Dr McKenna Cup as he is getting married and will be on honeymoon until February. If he does return for the National League campaign, that could mean a return to Croke Park as Tyrone’s opening Division Two game against Kildare may be part of a double header with the Dublin versus Kerry tie on February 4th.
Harte is also expected to meet Conor Gormley and Stephen O’Neill in the coming weeks.
Although still only 31 and 30 respectively, both players have been part of the panel for over 10 years.
Meanwhile, reports yesterday suggested former Tyrone star Peter Canavan is in the running to be the next manager of Fermanagh.
And the Tyrone competitions control committee met last night to study the referee’s report and view the video of last weekend’s Division One league final between Dromore and Carrickmore, which ended in violence.
Elsewhere, the Roscommon County Board will ratify Des Newton as the new senior football manager tonight. Newton is the principal of a school in Abbotstown, west Dublin, and had recently served as part of Paddy Carr’s Kilmacud Crokes backroom team.
The need to seek a replacement for Fergal O’Donnell was initially a surprise as he was expected to stay on for another term, having guided Roscommon to successive Connacht finals, winning in 2010. O’Donnell stepped down after a three-year term, citing family and work commitments.
A decision on Newton’s management team is expected tonight with new under-21 manager Nigel Dineen to be included in discussions with county board officials.
