Kilpatrick takes the reins at Killeeshil

FORMER Tyrone player Enda Kilpatrick will manage promising Junior outfit Killeeshil in the 2021 season.

Kilpatrick has been involved with his native Pomeroy in the last few years, but there’s been a change of management there with Brian

McGuckin going to Coalisland and he’s decided to take on a fresh challenge at Killeeshil.

With the final rounds of Division Three still left to play ahead of the new calendar season, Killeeshil can actually achieve promotion before the new season begins properly.

They’re top of their respective group in the bottom flight and will reach the league final if they win their final game.

Another Division Three outfit, Urney, have appointed Monaghan native Dougie Corbett, who has spent the last few years managing in Donegal. He’ll have a tough task on his hands as Urney have fallen down the pecking order in the last couple of years in Tyrone.

Elsewhere, most of the top teams have kept faith with their incumbent management teams for the 2021 season.
There had been some speculation that Carrickmore were set for a change at the top but Ryan Daly and Noel Hurson will remain in situ for the 2021 season.

The Carmen chiefs have a youthful team at their disposal and will be hoping for better next year after crashing out of the first-round of the championship to an in-form Killyclogher side.

Unsurprisingly, Chris Rafferty (manager) and Collie Holmes (trainer) have decided to give it another lash with the champions Dungannon Clarke’s next year.

Mark Henry is set to remain at the helm of Killyclogher for a second year, which isn’t entirely surprising either. They set aside the disappointment of a penalty shoot-out defeat to Trillick in the quarter-finals of the championship to claim the Division One title with a dramatic victory over Dromore.

And speaking of Trillick, Nigel Seaney and Liam Donnelly will be back at the helm in 2021. They came agonisingly close to winning their third O’Neill Cup in six years, and the hurt of losing to Dungannon should be a major motivating factor next year.

Clonoe are sticking with Armagh legend Stevie McDonnell, who has enlisted top trainer Mike McGurn. While they were knocked out of the championship by fierce rivals Coalisland, it’s worth remembering that they actually had an excellent league campaign, and had the best attacking rate in the entire Division.

John Moylan will be back in charge of 2018 Intermediate champions Galbally for a third year, while another recently promoted side, Loughmacrory, are also keeping faith with their management team as Martin McConnell returns as manager, assisted by Ryan Keenan, Ciaran Meenagh and Conal Curran.

There have been some changes, however. Larry Strain is back for a second stint in charge of Omagh after leading the team to championship glory in 2014. He’s stepped into the breach after Carl McCabe decided to call it quits in the wake of their narrow first-round defeat to Dromore in the championship.

Mark Harte and Adrian O’Donnell have taken the reins at their native Errigal Ciaran after Johnny McBride stood down in the wake of their disappointing semi-final defeat to Dungannon, while Gary O’Neill, brother of Tyrone legend Stephen, will manage Pomeroy.

Mickey Donnelly, meanwhile, has taken over at Ardboe. He’s had a wealth of managerial experience down the years, and his recent achievements include leading St Ronan’s, Lurgan to a historic Hogan Cup success two years ago alongside his co-manager David Wilson.

Brian McGuckin is in his second stint at Coalisland after previously leading the team in 2013.

The Edendork man replaces Damian O’Hagan, who stepped down in the wake of their senior championship semi-final defeat to Trillick. Barry Tracey, who did an excellent job for four years at Owen Roes, will manage a Donaghmore team with some excellent young players.

In Division Two, Brendan Trainor will manager Augher next season after recently leaving an assistant management role at Antrim.
Trainor worked alongside Lenny Harbinson for three years at Antrim before they resigned from their positions in November and he’s now set to take the reins at his native club, Augher. The club have had a difficult few seasons but performed reasonably well in their first-round defeat to Beragh back in the Autumn.

Elsewhere in the Intermediate ranks, Sean Teague will remain in charge of Greencastle. They’ve been ferociously competitive in the Intermediate Championship in the last few years but they’ll want to push on and reach a final after losing narrowly to Gortin a few months back.

Gortin boss Colm McGarvey was disappointed by his side’s performance as they fell well short of Edendork in the decider, but he obviously sees room for improvement and is back in charge next year.

Unsurprisingly. Lorcan Martin will stay in charge of Edendork for a second year. They stormed to the league and championship double, but at the same time will have watched on somewhat enviously as neighbours Dungannon claimed O’Neill Cup honours.

Tattyreagh will have Marty McNulty in charge again, which isn’t particularly surprising either as they showed well in their first year back at Intermediate level after being relegated from the top flight.

Former Fermanagh player Ryan McCluskey is also remaining at the helm of Beragh, another side which is making good progress, while Owen Roes appointed former Donegal defender Paddy Campbell as their manager for the upcoming season.
Campbell, who won a National League title with Donegal in 2007, has built up a considerable amount of managerial experience in the last decade.