Armagh secretary to voice his disgust

Armagh secretary Patrick Óg Nugent will voice his disgust at the county's treatment of former football manager Peter McDonnell and the subsequent appointment of Paddy O'Rourke as his successor.

In his annual report, Nugent is expected to tell next Monday's County Convention at the Armagh City Hotel that the manner in which McDonnell was forced to resign was 'despicable' and 'should be publicly condemned as it has no place in our sport'.

Nugent reveals: 'I firmly believe that the treatment dealt out to Peter McDonnell, a man of the utmost honesty and integrity, was absolutely despicable and should be publicly condemned as it has no place in our sport.

'If that hadn't brought Armagh down to the gutter, what was to follow over the appointment of a new manager certainly did.'

McDonnell quit after Armagh's exit to Monaghan in the Ulster Championship after his position came was undermined by sources outside the County Board.

Former Down captain and manager O'Rourke was eventually unveiled as manager after a protracted process, which came as a surprise to many in the county.

He reveals: 'To say that this caused a few ripples would be the understatement of the decade. The furore soon died down when he addressed the clubs for the first time as Paddy clearly showed the passion and the belief he has for the current set-up in Armagh.'