GList: The state of play on the management front

Niall Gartland takes a look at who’ll be in charge across the province in 2025

Antrim – Andy McEntee

MEATH native Andy McEntee is set to manage Antrim for a third year in 2025 and the general feeling is that he’s doing a good job at the Saffrons. If you take this year, they finished a reasonably respectable fifth in Division Three at a time in the season where many players were unavailable due to knocks and niggles. They had a better hand to pick from in the Tailteann Cup and for the second year running made it to the semi-finals.

Armagh – Kieran McGeeney

IT’S a safe bet that no-one will be looking to get rid of Kieran McGeeney this coming winter. Already a made man in the Orchard County for his exploits as player, he’s now managed the team to a second All-Ireland title and there’s no suggestion that he’ll sign off. He’s the longest serving intercounty manager having spent a full decade at the helm, but perhaps the more interesting question is whether the backroom will remain in situ. Kieran Donaghy lives at the far end of the country and it’d be a big enough shock if he doesn’t come on board at the Kingdom at some stage or another. Whether it’ll be next year or not is another matter.

Cavan – Raymond Galligan

A PROMISING debut season that petered out. There was considerable surprise when Galligan threw his hat in for the management job following Mickey Graham’s departure but he recruited an extensive backroom team with a number of established names and said all the right things when formally appointed to the role. The season started well with a respectable showing in Division Two and Ulster but it seemed to go belly up thereafter, with a cruciate injury to Paddy Lynch not helping matters.

Derry – TBC

WHERE to start. Mickey Harte’s gone after a brief if eventful year in charge, and the question on everyone’s lips is whether they’ll bring back Rory Gallagher. Gallagher stepped aside on the eve of the Ulster final in 2022 after allegations of domestic abuse by his estranged wife Nicola, and there’s been all sorts of talk in recent weeks about the possibility of him making a return to the helm. It’s fair to say it’s a hugely controversial subject matter. Glen boss Malachy O’Rourke has also been linked to the role, but he keeps his cards close to his chest and it’s hard to know whether he fancies a return to intercounty management.

Donegal – Jim McGuinness

JIM McGuinness returned to the fold for a second stint in charge of Donegal last year and while they missed out on a place in the All-Ireland final, it was a very respectable campaign, especially considering Donegal were at a particularly low ebb when he was appointed. They won the Division Two title, claimed a penalty shootout win over Armagh in the Ulster final – and if the trajectory of his first stint is any indication, they could be even better next year.

Down – Conor Laverty

WINNING the Tailteann Cup was a big deal for Down, especially as it marked redemption for losing out at the same stage in the 2023 season. Conor Laverty was the man who led both campaigns and he’ll be back for another year at the coalface next season. He has a formidable backroom – Ciarán Meenagh, Marty Clarke, Mickey Donnelly and John Devine are well-known names – and it’ll be interesting to see whether they’ll all be back next year. It’ll be educational to see how they get on in their first year back in the race for Sam, for it’s a considerable jump in standard.

Fermanagh – Kieran Donnelly

IT was confirmed just last week that Kieran Donnelly has thrown his lot in for 2025 and in an interview he highlighted the importance of continuity, citing the example of Kieran McGeeney. He’s set to retain the same backroom team, including former Tyrone forward Ronan O’Neill and former Fermanagh goalkeeper Ronan Gallagher, and he said that the hope is that first and foremost they drag themselves out of Division Three after suffering relegation earlier in the year. He expects to retain the same panel of players and they’ll hope that Ultan Kelm won’t have fared too well in his recent AFL trial.

Monaghan – TBC

IT was somewhat surprising, but no more than that, when Vinny Corey stepped down the other week after two years at the helm. His first season exceeded expectations, but it was always going to be difficult to replicate in 2023 and they suffered relegation and a bad enough championship. As for who will step into the breach, it remains to be seen but John McEntee and Oisín McConville, two men with plenty of experience managing in the county, have been mooted as a possible joint-ticket, while Jason Sherlock and Seamus McEnaney have also mentioned.

Tyrone – TBC

YES, Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher have two years left on their contract and there’s no suggestion they’ll be given the boot, but it’s widely understood that they’ve taken time to mull over their future in the wake of their early championship exit at the hands of Roscommon. Rumours have flown this way and that about their intentions but we’ll find out this week whether they’ll return for a fifth season at the helm.