Tyrone have their man, and Malachy O’Rourke was announced tonight as their new manager as the GAA’s worst kept secret was confirmed.
The former Monaghan and Fermanagh boss has agreed a three-year term which will take him up to the end of the 2027 season.
A brief statement from Tyrone GAA said: “At this evening’s meeting of Coiste Chontae Thír Eoghain, Malachy O’Rourke was ratified as the Tyrone Senior Football Manager for a three year term.
“We look forward to working closely with Malachy and his backroom team, and wish them well in their role.”
O’Rourke is currently manager of Co Derry club Glen, and it is unclear whether he would be in a position to continue with that role.
He has been in charge of the Mahera-based club since late 2020 and has led them to three county titles, two Ulster Club Championships and an All-Ireland triumph earlier this year. The club had never won a county title prior to the arrival of their current manager.
Glen have already begun their 2024 championship campaign in Derry, and will be hoping to defend their Ulster and All-Ireland titles in another extended campaign which could run until January of next year, when the All-Ireland final is scheduled to take place.
O’Rourke has not been involved in the inter-county scene since he stepped down as Monaghan boss in June 2019, after leading the Farney county to two Ulster SFC titles.
Tyrone have a tradition of appointing natives of the county as managers of their inter-county teams, and while O’Rourke is a Fermanagh man, he has been living in Ballygawley since the 1990s and won Tyrone titles with Errigal Ciaran as both a player and manager.
There is one precedent, dating back to the 1980s, when John Donnelly, also a Fermanagh native, managed the Tyrone senior team. He too lived in the county, and played his club football with Trillick.
O’Rourke has also manged his native county, leading Fermanagh to the Ulster final in 2008, and previously managed club teams Tyholland, The Loup and Cavan Gaels.
The Red Hands have been searching for a new manager since Brian Dooher and Feargal Logan stepped down last month.
The pair still had two years to run on a three -year term, but decided to leave their jointly held positions following a disappointing season, allied with a change in personal circumstances.
In the past few months, Dooher has been appointed as the Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland, while Logan, who heads up a busy legal practice, has suffered a health scare, factors which fuelled speculation that they may decide to end their reign after four seasons in charge.
After winning an All-Ireland title at the first attempt in 2021, their team has struggled over the past three seasons, exiting the current series in a Healy Park upset as Roscommon triumphed in the preliminary quarter-final.
O’Rourke’s appointment coincides with height of the Tyrone club championship, giving the new man an opportunity to attend a myriad of games and take a good look at potential recruits to his squad and to monitor the form of current team members.
