New blood on the sideline

A number of counties will have new football managers in place for 2026. Niall McCoy has a look at the new blood

ULSTER

Antrim – Mark Doran

AFTER coaching with a number of counties, including Clare and Wicklow, the county Down man takes on his first inter-county manager’s gig. Saffron great Mick McCann is in with him, and the Longstone native is hoping to convince a few Dunloy lads to look towards the big ball in 2026 at county level.

Cavan – Dermot McCabe

DERMOT McCabe spent a season as Westmeath boss but the allure of his native county was too strong. Had a distinguished career in the blue and white, winning an Anglo Celt in 1997, and was part of Mickey Graham’s management team when they won Ulster in 2020.

Derry – Ciarán Meenagh

FOCUS has been on Loughmacrory in recent weeks following their historic run to a first-ever Tyrone title, but it’s Oakleaf duties now with the McKenna Cup coming into view. Former Donegal coach Luke Barrett is understood to be part of his coaching set-up and there’s a real feel that the Oakleafers can make hay in 2026.

Fermanagh – Declan Bonner

LIKE Ciarán Meenagh, Declan Bonner has had Ulster Club duties to contend with, but they’re not finished yet with Erne Gaels edging Kingscourt in a thriller last weekend. Once his name was linked with the Erne County, it felt inevitable that he would get the position and in the end, he was the only person interview after Maurice McLaughlin withdrew from the process.

CONNACHT

Mayo – Andy Moran

ANOTHER manager who just couldn’t resist the call of his home county. Andy Moran had spent 2025 in Monaghan with Gabriel Bannigan, but returns to Mayo for the new season and has talked a number of players back into the group, most noticeably Cillian O’Connor. Paddy Tally is in his backroom team.

Roscommon – Mark Dowd

MARK Dowd has been there for some of Roscommon’s greatest days, including being in the management team when they won the 2006 All-Ireland Minor title. He guided the county to Connacht U-21 glory in 2015 too while he has enjoyed success at club level in Mayo and Roscommon. Jason Sherlock is a notable name in his backroom team.

SLIGO – EAMONN O’HARA & DESSIE SLOYAN

WITH Tony McEntee moving on, there was a space to fill in Sligo and Eamonn O’Hara and Dessie Sloyan have come in as joint-managers. There’s an Ulster influence there too with Donegal’s Eamonn McGee acting as a coach and selector.

MUNSTER

Tipperary – Niall Fitzgerald

NIALL Fitzgerald takes over the Tipperary job, but not in the circumstances he would have wished for following the untimely passing of manager Philly Ryan last month. The Moyle Rovers clubman has experience having acted as the Premier County u-20 manager for three seasons.

Clare – Paul Madden

PETER Keane’s stop off in the Banner County was a short one with Paul Madden taking over on a three-year term. A three-time Clare SFC winning manager with Éire Óg, he had been linked with the post in the past but now the time is right. Éire Óg remain in Munster contention, so he’s in the middle of a busy schedule.

Waterford – Ephie Fitzgerald

IGNORING the old saying of not going back, Ephie Fitzgerald is back for a second term with the Déise. The Cork native, who led his county to the All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championshp in 2016, was previously in charge of the county in 2022 and 2023, before opting against a third year in charge.

LEINSTER

CARLOW – Joe Murphy

JOE Murphy is preparing for his first season as manager, but he’s already had a bedding-in period. The former Carlow footballer was appointed as interim boss in March after Shane ‘Cake’ Curran quit the post. He now has the gig on a three-year term.

DUBLIN – Ger Brennan

AFTER Dessie Farrell’s departure, Ger Brennan quickly emerged as a leading candidate after guiding Louth to a first Leinster title since 1957 last term. A number of his former Dublin teammates are in his backroom, including Dean Rock, Denis Bastick and Stephen Cluxton, all but confirming a second retirement for the latter.

LOUTH – Gavin Devlin

GER Brennan will be a hard act to follow in Louth, but Gavin Devlin will try and do so. ‘Horse’ knows the county well having worked there under Mickey Harte and with the county’s underage squads, and he has recruited another Tyrone man to be his coach, Omagh’s Ronan O’Neill.

WESTMEATH

AS well as Gavin Devlin (Louth), Oisín McConville (Wicklow) and Justin McNulty (Laois), Ulster will be represented in the Leinster Championship by Donegal’s Mark McHugh. The Kilcar man had been involved last year under Dermot McCabe – who is off to Cavan – and he includes Emmett McDonnell, Jamie Gonoud, Ryan Daly, Stephen Beattie, and Tom Gribbin in his coaching ticket.