O"Donnell takes over as Roscommon senior manager

Roscommon"s 2006 All-Ireland minor winning manager Fergal O"Donnell has been elevated to the senior post after his appointment was ratified at a special county board meeting last Thursday. The Roscommon Gaels club man becomes his county"s fourth manager this year, replacing Michael Ryan who was in charge for the championship. Ryan had taken over from caretaker Paul Earley, who stepped in briefly to complete the National League programme following John Maughan"s controversial resignation in March. O"Donnell, who captained Roscommon to their last Connacht SFC success in 2001, was the county board and fans" first-choice for the position after leading the Rossies to their first All-Ireland minor title in 51 years two years ago. The Roscommon County Board have also confirmed that O"Donnell"s selectors will be Stephen Bohan, Mark Dowd, Declan Hoare and Ross Shannon. The same backroom team assisted O"Donnell during the historic minor campaign of 2006. O"Donnell has agreed to take the reins for an initial two-year term. O"Donnell"s impending appointment was perhaps one of the worst kept secrets in Gaelic football, however, just last week County Board secretary, Seamus Maher, insisted the board had not been in detailed discussions with Fergal O"Donnell and that any possible appointment would not be made until after the Roscommon SFC final early next month. Speaking this week though, Maher said the county board had been speaking with O"Donnell for 'a couple of weeks' but wanted to keep negotiations low-key. Maher said the board are 'delighted' to finally confirm O"Donnell"s appointment. 'The County Board are delighted to confirm Fergal O"Donnell as senior manager. Fergal is a manager of real quality and great character. Everyone connected with Roscommon football will be hoping for a period of stability following a period of uncertainty and change in recent times. I"m confident Fergal O"Donnell and his backroom team will now proceed to build a good team to get Roscommon back competing at a very competitive level,' said Maher. Roscommon endured a disastrous season last time out, suffering relegation to NFL Division Three and also crashing out of the Connacht SFC at the first hurdle to Galway (2-16 to 0-6). They were later dispatched from the All-Ireland qualifiers by Donegal in Ballybofey (3-11 to 1-9).