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