While it was confirmed in October 2022 that Padraic Joyce would remain as Galway manager for another three-year term, these assurances are often worthless.
Word came in early August that Joyce would remain in situ, and it is expected that head coach Cian O’Neill can continue to commit.
Leitrim
Former Footballer of the Year, Andy Moran, will be heading for his third season in charge of Leitrim. Whatever pressure he might have felt after losing to New York has been washed away by the optimism of gaining Mickey Graham in his backroom.
London
Initially appointed as manager in October 2019, London-born Round Towers clubman (he also manages both their ladies’ and men’s teams) Michael Maher was ratified for another year in charge of the Exiles recently.
Mayo
It was hardly a surprise in itself that there was turmoil and turnover in the Mayo management – the drama is a constant bolt-on – but it was surprising that Liam McHale left the set-up given his close friendship and relationship with manager Kevin McStay.
The split: Liam McHale and Kevin McStay have parted ways. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO
Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO
New York
After steering the senior team to their only ever championship win on a never-to-be-forgotten night in the Bronx, Armagh native Johnny McGeeney stepped down after defeat in the Tailteann Cup. New York will name a successor within a fortnight.
Roscommon
Davy Burke will continue in the role after the advances of 2023, but he has been forced to deal with the departure of former Sligo footballer Gerry McGowan. Lar Wall, the St Loman’s club winning boss in Westmeath, has come on board alongside Eddie Lohan and Mark McHugh.
Sligo
In mid-August, former Crossmaglen manager Tony McEntee activated the clause in his arrangement that he would accept a fourth year in charge.
They will be operating in Division 3 in 2024, but have lost the services of former Donegal forward Colm Anthony McFadden, who has gone into Jim McGuinness’ backroom team in Donegal.
*****
Leinster
Carlow
Niall Carew is on for a fifth season in charge of the Barrowsiders as they plot a way out of the basement division. He retains a backroom team of Simon Rea, Ronan Joyce and former Kildare player Eamonn Callaghan. Victor Doyle has stepped away.
Dublin
There is some speculation as to whether Dessie Farrell fancies another year in charge, and it is not uncommon now for managers to step down when they are reigning champions. He has a year to run on his current arrangement and it seems certain he will be around for the title defence.
Kildare
Glenn Ryan heads into his third season now in charge of his county, having produced a mixed bag of performances and results. Dermot Earley has departed to take up a role with the UN, with ex-Louth and Meath coach Colm Nally coming in to replace him. Kildare retain Anthony Rainbow and Johnny Doyle, while Brian Lacey moves up from selector to analyst and Ronan Sweeney comes in as forwards coach.
Kildare's Glenn Ryan. Ken Sutton / INPHO
Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO
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Laois
One of the few vacant positions in intercounty football, Laois have not had a manager in place since Billy Sheehan stepped down after two years in charge. His final game was an 8-16 to 2-12 defeat to Down.
Longford
Paddy Christie continues for his second year in the job after being relegated to Division 4 this season. He has Leitrim coach James Glancy alongside him with Dessie Sloyan, while Rathcline clubman Gareth Johnston has signed up for the season ahead.
Louth
Well now. You might have felt Mickey Harte was looking forward to a season on the sideline doing battle with Kieran McGeeney and Jim McGuinness in the National League. Instead, that task will belong to someone else after his shock move to Derry.
Meath
Winning the Tailteann Cup with a team of young players has bolstered Colm O’Rourke’s reputation just as an uninspiring league campaign threatened to do serious harm.
Since then however, he has lost coaches Paul Garrigan and Eugene Eivers from his backroom team who are pursuing other roles within Meath GAA. It is thought that Shane Supple – the goalkeeping coach – will take a greater hand in things for the coming campaign.
Offaly
After the tragic passing of Liam Kearns this year in mid-season, Martin Murphy took over as an interim manager. Since then, the full-time post has gone to Declan Kelly, having come up through the county underage structures. He brings Vinny Mooney as coach and Ciaran Kilmurray as selector.
Declan Kelly celebrates Offaly's Leinster U20 final victory in 2021. Lorraine O’Sullivan / INPHO
Lorraine O’Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO
Westmeath
Dessie Dolan was ratified to remain in the position for a second year in a recent county board meeting.
The performances of the team were agonisingly close to taking the scalps of Tyrone and Armagh in the group stages of the All-Ireland and Jason Sherlock is set to remain with Dolan.
Wexford
John Hegarty is going into his second year in charge of Wexford, and his first as the Mayor of Wexford Town, being a Fine Gael Councillor and a deputy Principal of Wexford CBS. Had previously trained the county under Jason Ryan after a decade as the county full-forward.
Wicklow
Oisin McConville will be in situ for another season after winning promotion from Division four along with his Crossmaglen club mate Tony McEntee who was in charge of Sligo. Joe Kelly and Paul Kelly will be replaced by new selectors.
*****
Munster
Clare
Mark Fitzgerald, who operated as an interim manager for Limerick last year following the in-season departure of Ray Dempsey, takes over the Banner footballers after they had ten years of Colm Collins in charge. He already knows it will be a difficult act to follow.
Cork
Having been appointed in an ‘interim’ basis during the 2022 season with the withdrawal of Keith Ricken on health grounds, John Cleary was in sole charge last season.
Former Sligo and Galway manager Kevin Walsh came in as coach for last season and is set to remain.
Limerick
Jimmy Lee follows his brother Billy in becoming the Limerick football manager after leading Newcastle West to a couple of county titles and the Munster senior final.
Of all his backroom figures, the most notable is the addition of his clubmate, Stephen Kelly. John Brudair, Patrick Donnelly and Micheal Cahill will form the rest of the management.
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Kerry
Jack O’Connor was given another two-year term in charge of the Kingdom just last week. County chairman Patrick O’Sullivan has claimed O’Connor will be finalising his backroom team in the coming weeks. Indications are that Paddy Tally will remain on board.
Tipperary
Their manager when they won an emotional Munster title in 2020, David Power, stepped down from the role in early June after four years as manager.
Word from the Premier county is that interest to date has been very slow and that the county board will be seeking to stay local.
Waterford
The Deise footballers are currently on the lookout for a new manager, after Corkman Ephie Fitzgerald decided against remaining in the post after two years. Fitzgerald subsequently voiced his concerns for the future of the game in Waterford.
*****
Ulster
Antrim
Former Meath manager Andy McEntee continues in his role for a second year, with Terry McCrudden and Darren O’Neill as coaches, along with John McCloskey.
Armagh
With Colm Collins leaving Clare, Kieran McGeeney becomes the longest-serving manager in the game, heading into his tenth consecutive season in charge of Armagh with one as selector before that. Kerry great Kieran Donaghy is set to remain invovled.
Cavan
If it was a mild surprise that Mickey Graham stepped down, it was a mild shock that his goalkeeper Raymond Galligan succeeded him. Just 36, he has good support from the likes of former Player of the Year Stephen O’Neill, and coach James Burke.
Derry
A sensational few months in Derry. After the stepping back, and then stepping away of Rory Gallagher came the withdrawal of Ciaran Meenavgh from the role after he had acted as caretaker manager. Ulster champions and without a manager, Derry pulled off something remarkable and unusual and unseated Mickey Harte from his role with Louth. Naturally, he takes Gavin Devlin with him.
Donegal
The second biggest surprise over managerial appointments has been the return of Jim McGuinness to the role of Donegal manager, succeeding Declan Bonner. Has appointed his former players Neil McGee and Colm Anthony McFadden along with former minor manager Luke Barrett to his backroom team.
Conor Laverty enters his second year in charge and will have wished for more than staying in Division 3 and a comprehensive loss in the Tailteann Cup final. Has lost the services of Jim McGuinness as a consultant, but there is speculation that Frank Dawson will join the senior set-up.
Fermanagh
Kieran Donnelly enters his third season in charge of his county and up into Division 2 after winning promotion in 2023. He retains former Tyrone player Ronan O’Neill and Ferghal Quinn in a compact backroom along with longstanding conditioning coach Leon Carters.
Monaghan
Getting to an All-Ireland semi-final exceeded anyone’s expectations of Monaghan in 2023, but not first-time manager Vinny Corey and his group of players. He goes again in the top flight, alongside his brother Martin, Dermot McArdle and Gabriel Bannigan.
Tyrone
After winning Sam Maguire in their first year in charge, the two seasons afterwards have been underwhelming for joint-managers Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher. Nevertheless, they have been granted another three-year term by the county board. Some changes to the backroom are expected.
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How is the GAA county football manager scene shaping up for 2024?
Connacht
Galway
While it was confirmed in October 2022 that Padraic Joyce would remain as Galway manager for another three-year term, these assurances are often worthless.
Word came in early August that Joyce would remain in situ, and it is expected that head coach Cian O’Neill can continue to commit.
Leitrim
Former Footballer of the Year, Andy Moran, will be heading for his third season in charge of Leitrim. Whatever pressure he might have felt after losing to New York has been washed away by the optimism of gaining Mickey Graham in his backroom.
London
Initially appointed as manager in October 2019, London-born Round Towers clubman (he also manages both their ladies’ and men’s teams) Michael Maher was ratified for another year in charge of the Exiles recently.
Mayo
It was hardly a surprise in itself that there was turmoil and turnover in the Mayo management – the drama is a constant bolt-on – but it was surprising that Liam McHale left the set-up given his close friendship and relationship with manager Kevin McStay.
New York
After steering the senior team to their only ever championship win on a never-to-be-forgotten night in the Bronx, Armagh native Johnny McGeeney stepped down after defeat in the Tailteann Cup. New York will name a successor within a fortnight.
Roscommon
Davy Burke will continue in the role after the advances of 2023, but he has been forced to deal with the departure of former Sligo footballer Gerry McGowan. Lar Wall, the St Loman’s club winning boss in Westmeath, has come on board alongside Eddie Lohan and Mark McHugh.
Sligo
In mid-August, former Crossmaglen manager Tony McEntee activated the clause in his arrangement that he would accept a fourth year in charge.
They will be operating in Division 3 in 2024, but have lost the services of former Donegal forward Colm Anthony McFadden, who has gone into Jim McGuinness’ backroom team in Donegal.
*****
Leinster
Carlow
Niall Carew is on for a fifth season in charge of the Barrowsiders as they plot a way out of the basement division. He retains a backroom team of Simon Rea, Ronan Joyce and former Kildare player Eamonn Callaghan. Victor Doyle has stepped away.
Dublin
There is some speculation as to whether Dessie Farrell fancies another year in charge, and it is not uncommon now for managers to step down when they are reigning champions. He has a year to run on his current arrangement and it seems certain he will be around for the title defence.
Kildare
Glenn Ryan heads into his third season now in charge of his county, having produced a mixed bag of performances and results. Dermot Earley has departed to take up a role with the UN, with ex-Louth and Meath coach Colm Nally coming in to replace him. Kildare retain Anthony Rainbow and Johnny Doyle, while Brian Lacey moves up from selector to analyst and Ronan Sweeney comes in as forwards coach.
Laois
One of the few vacant positions in intercounty football, Laois have not had a manager in place since Billy Sheehan stepped down after two years in charge. His final game was an 8-16 to 2-12 defeat to Down.
Longford
Paddy Christie continues for his second year in the job after being relegated to Division 4 this season. He has Leitrim coach James Glancy alongside him with Dessie Sloyan, while Rathcline clubman Gareth Johnston has signed up for the season ahead.
Louth
Well now. You might have felt Mickey Harte was looking forward to a season on the sideline doing battle with Kieran McGeeney and Jim McGuinness in the National League. Instead, that task will belong to someone else after his shock move to Derry.
Meath
Winning the Tailteann Cup with a team of young players has bolstered Colm O’Rourke’s reputation just as an uninspiring league campaign threatened to do serious harm.
Since then however, he has lost coaches Paul Garrigan and Eugene Eivers from his backroom team who are pursuing other roles within Meath GAA. It is thought that Shane Supple – the goalkeeping coach – will take a greater hand in things for the coming campaign.
Offaly
After the tragic passing of Liam Kearns this year in mid-season, Martin Murphy took over as an interim manager. Since then, the full-time post has gone to Declan Kelly, having come up through the county underage structures. He brings Vinny Mooney as coach and Ciaran Kilmurray as selector.
Westmeath
Dessie Dolan was ratified to remain in the position for a second year in a recent county board meeting.
The performances of the team were agonisingly close to taking the scalps of Tyrone and Armagh in the group stages of the All-Ireland and Jason Sherlock is set to remain with Dolan.
Wexford
John Hegarty is going into his second year in charge of Wexford, and his first as the Mayor of Wexford Town, being a Fine Gael Councillor and a deputy Principal of Wexford CBS. Had previously trained the county under Jason Ryan after a decade as the county full-forward.
Wicklow
Oisin McConville will be in situ for another season after winning promotion from Division four along with his Crossmaglen club mate Tony McEntee who was in charge of Sligo. Joe Kelly and Paul Kelly will be replaced by new selectors.
*****
Munster
Clare
Mark Fitzgerald, who operated as an interim manager for Limerick last year following the in-season departure of Ray Dempsey, takes over the Banner footballers after they had ten years of Colm Collins in charge. He already knows it will be a difficult act to follow.
Cork
Having been appointed in an ‘interim’ basis during the 2022 season with the withdrawal of Keith Ricken on health grounds, John Cleary was in sole charge last season.
Former Sligo and Galway manager Kevin Walsh came in as coach for last season and is set to remain.
Limerick
Jimmy Lee follows his brother Billy in becoming the Limerick football manager after leading Newcastle West to a couple of county titles and the Munster senior final.
Of all his backroom figures, the most notable is the addition of his clubmate, Stephen Kelly. John Brudair, Patrick Donnelly and Micheal Cahill will form the rest of the management.
Kerry
Jack O’Connor was given another two-year term in charge of the Kingdom just last week. County chairman Patrick O’Sullivan has claimed O’Connor will be finalising his backroom team in the coming weeks. Indications are that Paddy Tally will remain on board.
Tipperary
Their manager when they won an emotional Munster title in 2020, David Power, stepped down from the role in early June after four years as manager.
Word from the Premier county is that interest to date has been very slow and that the county board will be seeking to stay local.
Waterford
The Deise footballers are currently on the lookout for a new manager, after Corkman Ephie Fitzgerald decided against remaining in the post after two years. Fitzgerald subsequently voiced his concerns for the future of the game in Waterford.
*****
Ulster
Antrim
Former Meath manager Andy McEntee continues in his role for a second year, with Terry McCrudden and Darren O’Neill as coaches, along with John McCloskey.
Armagh
With Colm Collins leaving Clare, Kieran McGeeney becomes the longest-serving manager in the game, heading into his tenth consecutive season in charge of Armagh with one as selector before that. Kerry great Kieran Donaghy is set to remain invovled.
Cavan
If it was a mild surprise that Mickey Graham stepped down, it was a mild shock that his goalkeeper Raymond Galligan succeeded him. Just 36, he has good support from the likes of former Player of the Year Stephen O’Neill, and coach James Burke.
Derry
A sensational few months in Derry. After the stepping back, and then stepping away of Rory Gallagher came the withdrawal of Ciaran Meenavgh from the role after he had acted as caretaker manager. Ulster champions and without a manager, Derry pulled off something remarkable and unusual and unseated Mickey Harte from his role with Louth. Naturally, he takes Gavin Devlin with him.
Donegal
The second biggest surprise over managerial appointments has been the return of Jim McGuinness to the role of Donegal manager, succeeding Declan Bonner. Has appointed his former players Neil McGee and Colm Anthony McFadden along with former minor manager Luke Barrett to his backroom team.
Down
Conor Laverty enters his second year in charge and will have wished for more than staying in Division 3 and a comprehensive loss in the Tailteann Cup final. Has lost the services of Jim McGuinness as a consultant, but there is speculation that Frank Dawson will join the senior set-up.
Fermanagh
Kieran Donnelly enters his third season in charge of his county and up into Division 2 after winning promotion in 2023. He retains former Tyrone player Ronan O’Neill and Ferghal Quinn in a compact backroom along with longstanding conditioning coach Leon Carters.
Monaghan
Getting to an All-Ireland semi-final exceeded anyone’s expectations of Monaghan in 2023, but not first-time manager Vinny Corey and his group of players. He goes again in the top flight, alongside his brother Martin, Dermot McArdle and Gabriel Bannigan.
Tyrone
After winning Sam Maguire in their first year in charge, the two seasons afterwards have been underwhelming for joint-managers Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher. Nevertheless, they have been granted another three-year term by the county board. Some changes to the backroom are expected.
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