Monaghan appointment hits stumbling block

MASSIVE uncertainty surrounds the appointment of a successor to Monaghan manager Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney.

The Irish News reported yesterday that former Dublin player Jason Sherlock and current Ballymun Kickham’s manager Brendan Hackett have withdrawn from the process while Mark Counihan, another leading contender, was informed recently that he hasn’t been given the job.

It is understood that Counihan was interviewed a number of weeks ago, while Jason Sherlock’s interest in the role has oscillated in recent weeks before withdrawing from the race entirely.

It remains to be seen how the Monaghan County Board will proceed but their chairman Declan Flanagan has gone on the record of saying they were in no rush to find a successor for ‘Banty’.

Even with that, the process is now taking longer than anticipated and there are no obvious names in line for the job at this stage.