INSTANT impacts have been Malachy O’Rourke’s speciality, with clubs and counties, and Tyrone will hope their new senior football manager repeats the trick with them.
From his first club role with Tyholland more than 20 years ago up to his current post with Glen in Derry, the Fermanagh native has elevated teams wherever he has gone.
His knack for making significant breakthroughs actually began as a player at university level, part of the St Mary’s team which won the first ever Sigerson Cup for ‘the Ranch’ in 1989. That side also included current GAA President Jarlath Burns and Tyrone icon Peter Canavan.
Starting out in management with Monaghan outfit Tyholland in 2001, O’Rourke led them to promotion to the senior grade for the first time at his first attempt.
Two years later the Derrylin man switched to The Loup in Derry – and immediately ended their 67-year wait for SFC success. For good measure he added the Ulster club crown later in 2003.
Having been a player with his adopted club of Errigal Ciaran, he took over their senior management in 2006 and won the Tyrone SFC that season. Moving on to Cavan Gaels, they regained the county crown in 2007 under his management.
O’Rourke continued to work his magic when he moved onto the inter-county stage.
First up with his home county of Fermanagh, in 2008 he brought them to a first Ulster Final since 1982 with wins over Monaghan and Derry. The Ernemen forced a replay against Armagh, scoring seven of the last nine points in the drawn game, but could not make their long-awaited provincial breakthrough.
O’Rourke’s time in charge of Fermanagh ended on a rare downturn for him, with the Ernemen relegated to Division Four of the National Football League and then beaten in the Ulster semi-final by Monaghan.
Yet he bounced back with Monaghan as his talents came to wider national attention. Appointed on September 10 2012, within a year he had guided them to promotion and the Division 3 title – and, more importantly, to their first Ulster senior triumph in a quarter of a century.
That victory was all the more impressive because it came against Jim McGuinness’s Donegal, who had looked so good in winning the All-Ireland in 2012.
O’Rourke continued to rack up achievements with Monaghan, including taking them to three consecutive Ulster senior deciders, with another victory over Donegal coming in the 2015 final. They also beat Kerry for the first time since 1988 earlier that year, having gained consecutive promotions in 2014 (and won the Division 2 Final by beating Donegal).
Ironically, Tyrone ended his and Monaghan’s All-Ireland hopes on three occasions – in the 2013 and 2015 quarter-finals, then in the 2018 All-Ireland semi-final.
O’Rourke ended his historic time with Monaghan after the 2019 season, but back on the club scene he eventually lifted an All-Ireland title as manager.
Derry outfit Glen of Maghera persuaded him to take them on in October 2020 and – you guessed it – in his first season they won the John McLaughlin Cup for the first time in their history.
It took him one more season to win the Ulster club, defeating reigning All-Ireland champs Kilcoo of Down in the provincial decider, but Glen lost out on taking the national title too after a controversial loss to Kilmacud Croke’s in the All-Ireland Final.
However, All-Ireland glory came for Glen and Malachy O’Rourke earlier this year with a stunning comeback victory over St Brigid’s of Roscommon.
Glen captain and Derry star Conor Glass has publicly confirmed that he had sounded out O’Rourke about taking on the Derry job – but instead he has joined up with their neighbours Tyrone.
