Malachy O’Rourke (Glen)

Paddy Crozier and Joe McMahon (Galbally)

Peter Armour & Blake Smyth (Stewartstown)

Malachy O’Rourke (Glen)

When Glen were looking for a set of hands to mould their talented group of players into winners, Malachy O’Rourke was top of their list. Every Glen player interviewed offered the same key ingredient O’Rourke brought to the group – calmness.
The experience from a decorated managerial career that delivered an Ulster title to Loup, was copper fastened by bringing Ryan Porter on board, someone the players deem as the best trainer in Ireland.
Back to back Derry titles, beaten by a whisker Kilcoo on their way to lifting Andy Merrigan and coming close on the biggest day against Kilmacud. This is a testament to the Glen boss.

Paddy Crozier & Joe McMahon (Galbally)

They may have been rivals in the Derry v Tyrone battles of old, but the duo masterminded an excellent season for Galbally that took them to the biggest game possible in Croke Park. Anyone who watched them up close couldn’t have been anything other than impressed with their style of play. Liam Rafferty wore number 11 but sat back in a playmaker role with the pieces coming together to form a swashbuckling attacking unit. Some of the goals they scored were sensational and it’ll be interesting to see the advances they make in the senior ranks in 2023.

Peter Armour & Blake Smyth (Stewartstown)

The Harps bounced back from relegation in style under former players Armour and Smyth.
It took David Clifford, arguably the best player of all time, to end their unbeaten season on All-Ireland final day.
Before that, only Drumragh took a point off them in the league and they continued to stand tall in the big moments.
They showed all their resolve – with 14 men and without star man Gareth Devlin – to claw back un their Ulster final penalty shoot-out win over Drumlane.