Mattie Kerrigan has stepped down as manager of the Cavan senior football team after two years in charge.
He handed in his resignation to county board chairman, George Cartwright, at a meeting last night where he informed the board he did not wish his name to go forward for appointment next year.
Kerrigan - an All-Ireland winner with Meath in 1967 - cited a number of injuries to key players this year as a factor in his decision.
"Despite good performances in league matches. . .injuries to several players in the run-up to the championship proved to be a major handicap resulting in a disappointing and frustrating campaign," he said.
His biggest setback came against Louth in round one of the All-Ireland qualifiers (Cavan had earlier lost to Antrim in Ulster) when captain Peter Reilly sustained a cruciate injury which would rule him out for months.
Cavan struggled to overcome the Wee county in that game before bowing out to provincial rivals Fermanagh a fortnight later.
Kerrigan was a former manager of Westmeath and took the Cavan job following Val Andrews' resignation in September, 2001.
Cartwright, the county chairman, thanked the outgoing manager and his backroom team for their "marvelous" contribution to Cavan football and highlighted Cavan's 2002 NFL final appearance as the highlight of Kerrigan's tenure.