Brian Dooher and Feargal Logan have stepped down as joint managers of Tyrone, leaving the Red Hand County Board with a big headache as to who will take over.
Winning the All Ireland senior football title three years ago was undoubtedly the highlight for the duo who were due to continue for another two years of their second three-year term to complete.
However, after two indifferent seasons which saw the county stagnate and fall behind the likes of Derry, Donegal and Armagh in terms of major trophies won, the Dooher-Logan pairing have decided they had little left to offer.
They have overseen a huge turnover in playing personnel during their tenure and it will be up to the new man to see if he can blend the older faces with new ones that will be required to make Tyrone competitive again at Ulster and All Ireland level.
Widely tipped to be one of the top managers considered is Malachy O’Rourke, the former Fermanagh and Monaghan supremo.
Said Tyrone County GAA Chair Martin Sludden: "They’ve simply made wonderful history for us, time and again, in place after place, and in so many ways. Always with style, class, dignity and honor. And, very remarkably in the world we’re now in, always as total volunteers to the Tyrone GAA cause.
Meanwhile, Galway and indeed Micheál Donoghue himself will hope that his second coming will inspire the Galway senior hurling squad to greater things than they achieved under the watch of Henry Shefflin, who stepped down after three disappointing years in charge.
Donoghue tried his luck with Dublin over the past few years but just didn’t have sufficient talent at his disposal to make a breakthrough in Leinster.
The Galway Co Board will now hope that his re-appointment on a four-year term will kickstart the side into becoming real MacCarthy Cup contenders and even emulate his exploits in 2017 when they brought the cherished vessel west of the Shannon.
A statement from Galway GAA read: "We look forward to working closely with Micheál and his management team and wish them all the very best in the years ahead.”
In other managerial news, former All-Ireland U21 winning manager with Mayo Mike Solan is the surprise choice to take over at the helm of Longford senior football; ex-Tipperary goalkeeper Philly Ryan has been confirmed as the county's new senior football manager; John Griffin is Kerry senior hurling’s new manager on a two-year term, replacing Waterford’s Stephen Molumphy in the hot seat.The former Kerry hurling captain from Lixnaw is the first Kerryman to take charge since 2007.
Sean Creedon adds on the managerial go-around in GAA
There is a lot of movement in the inter-county managerial merry go round, with 10 football managers quitting in recent weeks. Last week Colm O’Rourke left after two years as Meath manager; he had at least another year to serve, but he was unable to confirm his new selectors in time for a Meath County Board meeting last week and decided to walk away. Already Robbie Brennan, the current manager of Dublin club Kilmacud Crokes, has emerged as favorite to take over for the Royals. Brennan lives in Dunboyne and if he is appointed, it’s expected that former Meath star Bernard Flynn will be in his backroom team.
In Tyrone current under-20 manager Paul Devlin and Malachy O’Rourke, who has managed Fermanagh and Monaghan and most recently Glen to win the All-Ireland club final, are being mentioned are replacements for Brian Dooher and Feargal Logan. In Kerry former star Tomás O Sé is staying with the county’s under 20 team and that would seem to rule him of being added to Jack O’Connor’s backroom team where Mike Quirke and Diarmuid O’Sullivan have departed.
Shane Curran seems certain to be appointed Carlow senior footballer manager. The colorful former Roscommon goalkeeper will succeed Niall Carew in the position after spells in charge of Padraig Pearses (Roscommon), Durrow (Offaly) and Caulry (Westmeath), as well as the Roscommon under 20 team. In Tipperary former goalkeeper Philly Ryan has been confirmed as their new senior manager, replacing Paul Kelly, while in Longford former Mayo under 21 manager Mike Solan replaces Paddy Christie as senior football manager.
Tipperary-born Darren Gleeson, who quit as Antrim manager earlier this year, is now set to be ratified as the new Laois senior hurling manager.
