By Niall Gartland

MALACHY O’Rourke was formally appointed as manager of the Tyrone senior intercounty team following a meeting of the county committee on Tuesday evening in Garvaghey.

O’Rourke’s appointment was viewed as a matter of formality after it emerged in the middle of last week that he was the only candidate nominated for the role.

But processes need to be followed and he still had to be given the seal of approval by club representatives on Tuesday night, and he was appointed on a three-year term, as has become customary in the Red Hand County.

Needless to say it’s a heavyweight appointment and there is evidently a great deal of goodwill towards the Fermanagh native, who has been living in Ballygawley since the nineties.

Welcoming the appointment, Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan expressed his excitement while emphasising that the players themselves also need to step up to the plate in the years ahead.

“Firstly we are ever so grateful for the journey that Brian [Dooher] and Feargal [Logan] brought us on and it cannot be understated the achievements of the last four years. Remaining in Division One, an Ulster title and an All-Ireland title is not to be sniffed at.

“With Malachy coming in there is a renewed excitement throughout the players and county again. We are eager to get going and see what he brings. Obviously he has had major success in the past and we hope he can bring that to us in the future as well.”

He continued: “I’ve only briefly met Malachy a number of years ago and I was in awe of him so I’d say intrigued is a good word to describe how I feel. But let’s make no mistake – the players will need to seriously step up as the last three years there would be a massive feeling of underperformance.

“It is up to us to put that right and give our support something to make them want to come back out in numbers.

Following the resignation of the previous management team on August 26 after four years in charge, it soon emerged that O’Rourke was the frontrunner for the vacant position, and by the middle of last week, his appointment was already viewed as fait accompli.

O’Rourke has accrued a vast amount of managerial experience across various clubs and counties over the last quarter of a century, and his already lofty reputation has soared ever higher since assuming the reins at Derry club Glen, whom he has led to three Senior Championship titles and two Ulster Championships culminating in a quite remarkable All-Ireland SFC final victory over St Brigid’s at the turn of the year.

O’Rourke has been a man in high demand and his appointment as Tyrone manager comes as a source of considerable excitement for supporters, who will hope for a restoration of fortunes after the premature championship exits of recent years in the wake of the 2021 All-Ireland triumph.