O'Rourke to take early retirement to fully focus on Meath

Colm O'Rourke has said he will take early retirement from his role as school principal in order to concentrate fully on the Meath senior football management position.

Having applied for managerial role unsuccessfully on three previous occasions and earlier this year ruling out the possibility of throwing his hat into the inter-county ring, the 64-year-old was a surprise appointment in the summer.

Having given up his long-standing punditry role with the Sunday Game, O’Rourke has also decided to retire as principal of St Patrick's Classical School in Navan in December.

"I’m taking time out from everything, my only focus next year is the Meath team," he told the Irish Times.

"I think the demands of this job are too great to try and hold down some of the employment I have had in the past, so I will be giving up everything to concentrate on this. I have always felt when you are in for something you are in fully or not at all.

"When you are fully immersed in it, then the chances are you are going to do it better. I’m really looking forward to it. I’m really saddened leaving St Pat’s after 42 years in it, I’d love to stay for another 42, but I don’t think it’s possible to run a county team."

After Kevin McStay's decision to fully commit to Mayo and Jack O'Connor's revelation that he only took on Kerry for a third time after retiring from his job as a teacher, O'Rourke is the latest manager to throw their lot fully into managerial role.

O’Rourke also revealed that as well as having Stephen Bray, Barry Callaghan, Paul Garrigan and Eugene Eivers in his backroom team, there would also be a role for Sean Boylan, the man who managed the Royals to Sam Maguire glory in 1987, 1988, 1996 and 1999.

O’Rourke is hoping to revive the fortunes of a