Aidan O’Rourke to remain as interim Donegal manager for the rest of the season

Donegal interim manager Aidan O'Rourke and coach Paddy Bradley. Photo: Sportsfile

The Donegal county board have confirmed that Aidan O’Rourke will remain as interim manager for the forthcoming championship, with Paddy Bradley also staying on as coach.

The pair oversaw the team’s preparation for their final league game of the year, against Roscommon on Sunday in Hyde Park, following Paddy Carr’s decision to step down.

Speaking after the game, O’Rourke was non-committal about whether he would continue on.

“It’s hard to know where your head would be at,” said the former Armagh defender. “Look, I undertook to coach the team this year and working with Paddy at the outset. There was a backroom team built around it. That dynamic has changed this week and there are a lot of moving parts in all of that.

“I suppose the build-up to today and the game, all of that has to be taken into account. To be straight lads, I don’t know where my head would be at at the minute. I didn’t focus on anything bar trying to get this game played and try get a performance out of them, which didn’t happen.”

There was no member of the Donegal management present at Monday’s launch of the Ulster SFC in Armagh, the only county without managerial representation.

Daire Ó Baoill was there but did not speak to the media.

However, a statement from the county board this evening confirmed that the pair would remain in situ for the Ulster and All-Ireland championships.

Antoin McFadden, a former Donegal footballer and currently part of the Under-20 management team, has also come on board as strength and conditioning coach.