NOMINEES: Mens Football Manager of the Year

Below are the nominees for the 2023 Mens Football Manager of the Year sponsored by Cavanagh Kelly. Find out more about this year’s shortlisted nominees below.

Malachy O’Rourke – Glen

Kilcoo after extra time, and Kilmacud Crokes in last year’s final are the only teams to have beaten Glen in championship football in O’Rourke’s three-year term. A mere 364 days after their All-Ireland final heartbreak, he had his side primed to take the biggest prize possible. Aside from his outlook on the game and calm demeanour, it was his man management that perhaps tipped the scales even more. He trusted Jack Doherty, Ryan Dougan and Tiarnan Flanagan to go travelling and be back in time for when football really mattered.

Stephen Reel – Cullyhanna

Stephen Reel has coached many of the Cullyhanna players to u-21 titles and had the pain of watching on as they suffered relegation. With everyone back on board this season, he challenged the lads to see if they could win the Armagh, Ulster and All-Ireland intermediate treble. Why not? Those two words at their first meeting set the tone. Reel then assembled a management team with native Cullyhanna men – including Ciaran McKeever – to steer his side along the bumpy road to glory in Croke Park.

Finbar O’Reilly – Arva

They could only look on as Ryan Connolly’s late, late free sunk Arva in the 2022 Cavan junior final. Drumlane went on to an Ulster final they should’ve won. For O’Reilly, the message he left at the Arva players’ door was simple this year. Take it a game at a time and believe. Many of his players have spoken very highly of what they have achieved under him. He built a team around Ciarán ‘Holla’ Brady at midfield, playing some excellent football before overseeing over an inspirational comeback to lift silver in Croke Park.

Voting opens at 10am on Thursday 1st February and will close at 10am on Monday 5th February. Votes do not determine the final winners but help create awareness of the nominee’s shortlisting. The winner of this category will be announced at our Gala Awards Night at the Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan on Friday 1st March 2024.