All change as clubs confirm managers for 2022 season

GAA news

Gowna are the only one of last year’s four Senior Championship semi-finalists to retain the same management for the 2022 season.

Fintan Reilly and Dermot McCabe (pictured), who led Gowna to the championship final and won the league, will be in charge again. Champions Ramor United, meanwhile, have appointed clubman and former Cavan minor manager John Brady to replace Ray Cole, who stepped down.

Brady, whose sons Jack and James are leading players for the Virginia men, will be assisted by Aodhagan Fox, Tommy Connolly and former Derry star Gerard O’Kane, now residing in Cavan.

Kingscourt Stars will be managed by Latton’s Owen Lennon, former Monaghan midfielder, and Brendan Lennon while the other of the semi-finalists, Cavan Gaels, have appointed Cavan goal king Jason O’Reilly.

Killygarry, who survived in a relegation play-off last year, will be managed by former Meath attacker Jody Devine again, with Keelan Melaniff as trainer and Jimmy Galligan selector. Laragh United retain the services of Darren Greenan, who is assisted by Aidan Little.

Ramor United clubman Kevin McDonnell returns to Lavey, whom he managed to the latter stages of the Senior Championship on a few occasions. Assisting the 1992 SFC-winning captain are former Cavan senior captain Martin Cahill from Denn (coach), with Joey Jordan and Catriona Smith as selectors and John Farrelly looking after S&C.

Lacken will be managed by Abbeylara man Mickey O’Connor. Neighbours Ballinagh, meanwhile, will be led by clubman Adrian Maguire, who guided them to the intermediate title in 2020. Daragh McCarthy remains in charge of Butlersbridge, who will make the leap to senior football.

Elsewhere, Castlerahan, who reached five senior finals in succession between 2015 and 2019, find themselves back in intermediate ranks and will be hoping to get their hands on the Gilroy Cup for the first time since 2001. They have appointed Brian Donohoe as manager, with Mark Smith (Mountnugent) and former long-serving player John Clarke as selectors.

Belturbet will be managed by Mark Monaghan, with Cormac Rudden, Gareth Fitzpatrick and Aaron Donohoe making up his back-room team.

Bailieborough Shamrocks, who were one of the most improved teams at intermediate level in the past two years, have handed the bainisteoir bib to Michael Tynan, with Paul Cooney as coach and Niall Kelly and Declan O’Reilly selectors.

Damien Keaney takes over Ballyhaise, having been part of a four-man management team last year as they reached the intermediate final. With Seanie Johnston having joined Mickey Graham’s Cavan senior backroom team, his number two from last year, Micheál Lyng, takes over Cuchulainns, with Paddy McKenna, Seamus Clarke and Niall Lynch also on board.

After their fantastic run to the All-Ireland semi-final at junior level, Denn step up to intermediate but it is understood they are on the look-out for a new manager, with Ballymachugh clubman Stephen Baxter having recently stepped down.

Nobber clubman Dudley Farrell, who managed Kingscourt to the senior title in 2010, takes over from Paddy Bates as Killinkere manager; his selectors are John Smith and Stephen Smith, who were also involved last year.

Raymond O’Reilly remains at the helm at Ballymachugh while Killeshandra Leaguers, who reached the intermediate semi-final last year and the ACFL Division 3 final, will be managed by Swanlinbar clubman John Cunningham, a former county player, whose selectors are Gerry Sheridan and Patrick King.

Templeport, who won the delayed 2020 Junior Championship and recorded some eye-catching results in the Intermediate Championship including a win over eventual champions Butlersbridge, will be managed by their former player Declan Farrell, assisted by Colm Heery and Ciaran Heery.

At junior level, last year’s finalists Drung have appointed Michael O’Rourke, who was with Lacken last year, while former Cavan county board coach Aidan McCabe takes over the Knockbride reins from Larry Reilly, with former Cavan player John Tierney filling a selectorial role.

Recently-demoted Drumlane have appointed former Cavan forward Martin Dunne, with Gowna’s Ciaran Brady also assisting. The Cavan Gaels man’s former county team-mate Rory Dunne, meanwhile, will take over home club Redhills in a player-manager capacity, with Kevin Reilly assisting.

Swanlinbar will be managed by Lisnaskea man Kevin O’Rourke, assisted by his clubmat Sean McManus.

Mullahoran man Paul Lynch takes charge of Munterconnaught, where the selectors are former players Declan Hetherton and Darragh Carroll.

Drumgoon man Bryan Bates is the new Shannon Gaels manager; selectors are Anthony Murray and Ciaran Fitzpatrick.

Managers for 2022

Arva: Gabriel Keogan

Belturbet: Mark Monaghan

Ballyhaise: Damien Keaney

Bailieborough Shamrocks: Michael Tynan

Ballinagh: Adrian Maguire

Ballymachugh: Raymond O’Reilly

Butlersbridge: Daragh McCarthy

Castlerahan: Brian Donohoe

Cavan Gaels: Jason O’Reilly

Cuchulainns: Micheál Lyng

Cootehill Celtic: Adrian Delaney

Corlough: Adrian McGovern/Padraig Dolan

Cornafean: Declan Beard

Crosserlough: Jimmy Higgins

Denn: n/a

Drumalee: Ciaran O’Malley

Drumgoon: Stephen McGovern

Drumlane: Martin Dunne

Drung: Michael O’Rourke

Gowna: Fintan Reilly/Dermot McCabe

Kildallan: Daithi Neary

Kill Shamrocks: Barry Crowe

Killinkere: Dudley Farrell

Killeshandra: John Cunningham

Killygarry: Jody Devine

Kingscourt Stars: Owen Lennon/Brendan Lennon

Knockbride: Aidan McCabe

Lacken: Mickey O’Connor

Laragh United: Darren Greenan

Lavey: Kevin McDonnell

Maghera MacFinns: Joe Lynch

Mullahoran: Shane McCabe

Mountnugent: John Henry

Munterconnaught: Paul Lynch

Ramor United: John Brady

Redhills: Rory Dunne

Shannon Gaels: Bryan Bates

Shercock: Andy McGovern

Swanlinbar: Kevin O’Rourke

Templeport: Declan Farrell