Clare manager Mike McNamara insisted at a county board meeting tonight that he will not be resigning, despite the near unanimous disapproval from the current senior panel following his re-appointment last month.
At a lengthy and dramatic meeting in Ennis, that was briefly adjourned, he delivered a stirring address on why he would be staying on.
He first insisted all media should leave the meeting before he made his address, but a couple of reporters declined, stating this would set a dangerous precedent.
County board chairman Michael O’Neill then agreed a compromise whereby McNamara would address the county delegates first, and then the media – at which point it was still unclear whether he was intending to stay on or not.
However, with no motion of confidence tabled at the meeting, he was effectively left to decide his own fate, having been reappointed last month for the second of his two-year term, after a successful first season in charge in 2008.
Although the fallout with the players, on top of last season’s disappointing result, has not been resolved McNamara is intent to hold his position, for now at least.
Afterwards, O'Neill reiterated McNamara and his selectors had the full backing of the county executive.
The Clare county board did at least agree on a new football manager, appointing Micheal McDermott as successor to Frank Doherty, who stepped down after the qualifier defeat to Donegal last July.
Significantly, McDermott’s new backroom team will include former footballer Liam McHale, along with James Foran, and one further selector to be agreed at a later date.