Donegal GAA refuse to comment on backroom team make-up

Donegal GAA officials were remaining tight-lipped following reports that two of the three-person selection committee who interviewed candidates for the job are now part of Paddy Carr’s backroom team.

When Declan Bonner resigned in July in the wake of Donegal’s 3-17 to 0-16 defeat to Armagh in the All-Ireland qualifiers, Donegal set up a three-person committee to oversee the process, which it has since been learned was made up of then Donegal County Board chairman Mick McGrath, coaching officer Michael McGeehin and Atlantic Technological University Donegal lecturer Dr Ken van Someren.

Following a lengthy, drawn-up process, Carr was officially ratified as Donegal manager in October, with former Armagh player Aidan O’Rourke as head coach. McGrath asked the media that night to respect the process of the formation of a backroom team and the only confirmed addition was Paddy Bradley’s last month.

It had been speculated in The Irish News this week that McGeehin and van Someren have been joined by Vice President of Finance and Shared Services at ATU Donegal, Henry McGarvey.

Newly-elected Donegal GAA county board chairman Fergus McGee did not wish to comment on any reports that McGeehin and van Someren were part of the senior set-up.

It is understood that McGeehin will be a Liasion Officer with the panel, who open their Dr McKenna Cup campaign against Down in Newry on Sunday, January 8.

“Everyone is getting used to everyone else, and I have to be honest with you, the nicest part of my day and my week is when I am together with the players and the backroom team,” Carr said speaking earlier this month at the launch of the Dr McKenna Cup in Cookstown. “There is a freshness and what is encouraging is that the drive forward is coming from the players.

“They know that everyone is going to be watching Donegal in the post Michael Murphy era to see what happens and I am excited about that. I am excited about that as I am not sure that these lads really know just how good they can be”.

“The reality is that there is change with new management and new voices. There is change and people can sometimes be a little un-nerved by change or it puts people off. Any change involves being outside your comfort zone. The squad is open-ended and people are asking me who is in and who is out, but I can’t talk about any individual until the panel is actually set out”.