GAA managers: Fewer counties looking for new boss than a year ago but they’re no easier to find

Whereas there aren’t as many vacancies in the ranks of intercounty management as there were last year, the process hasn’t become any easier for counties in search of candidates.

By the end of the championship, little more than 12 months ago, half of the Division One counties had no manager. Even if Mayo appointed in August, Donegal, Monaghan and Roscommon took a lot longer.

If the year ended unhappily for Donegal after the resignation of Paddy Carr before the league had ended, and relegation under caretaker-manager Aidan O’Rourke, the other three counties had something to take from 2023: Mayo as league winners, Monaghan as All-Ireland semi-finalists for only the second time in 35 years and Roscommon finishing third in Division One.

This time around, the biggest vacancy is in Derry where outgoing acting manager, Ciarán Meenagh, is considered unlikely to want to continue in the lead role. The county will be addressing that issue in the weeks to come.

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All-Ireland champions Dublin are subject to plenty of speculation about player retirements and also whether Dessie Farrell might decide to call it a day – even though he has a year to run on his current appointment.

Jim McGuinness in Donegal has been the biggest appointment of the off season so far but there are other vacancies down the divisions.

The departure of Colm Collins from Clare removes the longest-serving senior manager in the country and the county is still conducting a search for his successor. This has been complicated by the withdrawal of county under-20 manager Michael Neylon from consideration.

If it is challenging to find a new manager for a team in Division Three, things get harder a division lower, which is where three of the five vacancies exist; Laois missed out on promotion and manager Billy Sheehan stepped down after the Tailteann Cup drubbing by Down.

David Power, having taken Tipperary to a senior provincial title just three years ago, walked away “for now” after a disappointing season, exacerbated by injuries and other absences, which saw them relegated back to Division Four.

Waterford lost manager Ephie Fitzgerald just last week and have to begin the daunting task of finding his replacement.

In fact, all four of the traditionally less successful Munster counties had vacancies this off season but Limerick have appointed Jimmy Lee, brother of former manager Billy, to take charge for next year in succession to acting incumbent Mark Fitzgerald.

Coincidentally, the other county besides Tipp to have shocked the winter championship in 2020, Cavan, also had to appoint a new manager when Mickey Graham called a halt after five eventful years, including that Ulster title three seasons ago. Current goalkeeper Raymond Galligan got the nod last week and is expected to be ratified by the county board.

All told there were seven football positions to be filled. Offaly went for Declan Kelly, who led the county to the All-Ireland under-20 title in 2021, and will go for ratification.

Hurling featured the biggest departure last year when Brian Cody retired from Kilkenny after 24 years – and 11 All-Irelands – and this time around, only Wexford had a vacancy with former player Keith Rossiter being appointed to the helm recently.

Carlow are due to discuss an extension of their outgoing manager Tom Mullally’s appointment into a fourth year – at least. The county’s situation has changed significantly, having won the Joe McDonagh to return to the Liam MacCarthy schedules next year.

Otherwise, there are no movements in the senior counties, unsurprisingly given that five appointed new managers last year. Galway’s next county board meeting is due to consider a recommendation to extend Henry Shefflin’s appointment until 2025.

It is expected to pass without difficulty.