‘We’ve a first-class team that will bring the Sam Maguire back to Kerry I think in the not too distant future’

A NEW MANAGEMENT team in place and already the talk of the ultimate target in Gaelic football crops up.

Kerry chairman Tim Murphy is delighted with the new team.

Source: INPHO

Kerry installed Peter Keane as their new senior boss last night on a three-year term with Donie Buckley, Maurice Fitzgerald, Tommy Griffin and James Foley set to work alongside him.

And county board chairman Tim Murphy is confident that the new management group can deliver Sam Maguire to Kerry.

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“I’m delighted to say in our view certainly, and I think would be reflected by the delegates here tonight, we’ve a first-class team that will bring the Sam Maguire back to Kerry I think in the not too distant future,” Murphy told RTÉ News after last night’s county board meeting.

“I think he (Peter Keane) brings a new level of freshness. He won three minor All-Ireland (titles). I think he’s an ability to assemble a really good team around him and has proven that in the past and as evidenced by the management team he has assembled around himself going forward.

“We’re delighted and we wish Peter and his management team all the very best.”

Kerry GAA county chairman Tim Murphy has said he hopes the appointment of Peter Keane tonight helps bring Sam Maguire back to the Kingdom next year. https://t.co/nj1evJVlR3 pic.twitter.com/jYkdFxui0g

— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) October 8, 2018

Murphy revealed that the sub-committee sought not to be sidetracked by speculation over contenders, as they searched for Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s replacement.

“There was a lot of contenders out there. Some of them were contenders and others weren’t but as a selection group we focused on the task at hand.

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“There was numerous names mentioned in the media and we went about our business in a quiet efficient manner and came up with the name of Peter Keane and his management team.”

Murphy described the addition of Donie Buckley, the Mayo coach for the last six seasons, as ‘very important’ and believes the introduction of the county’s successful underage players as ‘the biggest challenge’ facing the new management side.

“I would definitely see Donie’s role as very important. He’s proven himself to be one of the best football coaches, offensively and defensively in the country. We’re absolutely thrilled that he’s on board with Peter’s management team. I think he’ll bring a new dimension, new freshness, a new level of expertise which can only be welcome.

“I think the biggest challenge the management team will have really is to integrate the younger players into the senior setup as quickly as possible without compromising their physical development or otherwise.

“That process commenced under Eamonn Fitzmaurice this year, we’d seven new debutants in the Munster championship this year and by extension the new management team will continue that.

“I think we have a fantastic pool of talent coming through and that is the challenge the management will have to integrate them into the senior setup as quickly as possible but I have no doubt that they’re well capable of doing so and will do so very quickly.”

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Galway boss Glennon steps down after two years in charge and two Connacht titles

GALWAY SENIOR LADIES are on the lookout for a new manager after Stephen Glennon stepped down from his position following two years in charge.

The news was confirmed in a lengthy statement this morning, in which he cited family, work and college commitments as some reasoning.

Glennon has brought the Tribeswomen on a huge amount during his tenure, delivering back-to-back Connacht titles since his appointment on a three-year term in November 2016.

This year, Galway were the only team to beat 2017 and 2018 TG4 All-Ireland champions Dublin in competitive action, overcoming Mick Bohan’s charges in their round robin fixture in Division 1 of the Lidl Ladies National Football League.

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Dublin edged them out by a single point after a late, late goal in the league semi-final and beat them convincingly at the same stage in the championship.

2018 Connacht champions Galway.

That said, it was a successful run under the watchful eye of Glennon as the Connacht Tribune sports journalist steered them to a first TG4 All-Ireland semi-final since 2014.

He also oversaw Galway to All-Ireland U21 glory last November.

Glennon, an experienced hurling manager most recently involved with Craughwell, penned a heartfelt parting statement, thanking all those who have supported him throughout the stint.

He had glowing words for players, management, family and others who helped him through the two years.

🗞️ *NEWS*

🇱🇻 Stephen Glennon (@s_glennon) steps down as @GalwayLgfa senior team manager@ConnachtLGFA

🔗 Read Stephen's statement here: https://t.co/ABrj5wJOwG

— Ladies Football (@LadiesFootball) October 9, 2018

“After a great deal of consideration, it is with regret that I have decided not to continue for a third year as Galway senior ladies football manager,” it begins.

“It is a decision I have not come to lightly but, unfortunately, I am unable to give the role – and these magnificent bunch of players – the 100% commitment and dedication they deserve in 2019.

“This decision I cannot subscribe to any one reason but to many – family, work and college, among them.”

You can read the statement in full here.

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‘One-punch fatality’ a prospect with the current run of GAA club match violence

THE POSSIBILITY OF a ‘one-punch fatality’ is a logical progression with the current run of on-pitch violence throughout the club game, insists former Tyrone All-Ireland winner, Enda McGinley

He has significant experience with such events in working as a Clinical Specialist Physio in the Trauma and Orthopaedics ward in Craigavon Hospital and has warned where the current trend may lead to.

“Everyone has heard of the one-punch fatalities and there are shocking incidences. But all you have to do is catch one person correctly and you can do massive damage,” stated McGinley.

“Nowadays with boys having eight, nine or ten years of strength training behind themselves, the power in those punches is much greater than before, if they are being thrown with intent. And the one area that never gets any stronger is your face and bones, your skull and brains. A weight programme has no impact on those structures and yet you are hitting them with greater force than ever before.”

For the last three years, McGinley served on the GAA’s Medical, Scientific Welfare Committee and the majority of their work centred around the area of concussion. While he is keen to point out that he himself had been involved in the odd skirmish on the pitch, the nature of such combat is evolving from self-defence to physical attack and urges caution.

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Enda McGinley lifts the Sam Maguire in 2008.

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

“People just need to catch themselves on, when that rush of blood is in. I have no doubt that none of them want to do serious damage, but they are caught up in the moment and you are just waiting for the first major, real bad story to come out of this,” he said.

“As much as it is bad PR, bad PR goes away. Serious damage doesn’t. I work in the health sector so you are aware that these things that change lives happen in split seconds and there is plenty of regret afterwards. There needs to be a big dose of common sense entering the discussion.”

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While pointing out that a one-punch fatality would almost seem an inevitability, he asked the question, “Not only that, but what if you put somebody into a coma? Leave somebody brain-damaged? Take somebody’s sight?

“You see plenty of people worse off in hospital who are left… I have seen them with head injuries up in hospital and these are normal people, same as you and me and you see them then in the hospital with a bad brain injury. What a sentence for family and everything.”

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Kerry find their next group of leaders, now the challenge starts as they seek to get back to the top

65 DAYS AFTER a vacancy arose in the Kerry football hotseat, it was filled last night in Tralee.

Fitzgerald, Griffin, Keane and Buckley will all be involved with Kerry.

Source: INPHO

Word had filtered out last week that Peter Keane was to be the new boss and speculation flared over his backroom team before it was all neatly rubber-stamped at a county board meeting last night.

Keane will succeed Éamonn Fitzmaurice with Donie Buckley steering the team from a coaching perspective and selector roles to be filled by Maurice Fitzgerald, Tommy Griffin and James Foley. The S&C issue is still to be resolved but the bulk of the business is done and the approach will now switch to 2019.

The selection in Kerry embodies two characteristics of inter-county appointment processes that now receive greater attention. The identity of those that will work alongside the new man and whether succession planning has come into the equation with an aspiring manager stepping up from underage grades. 

The latter box has been ticked with Keane’s coaching CV bolstered by the steady stream of silver he delivered during his three-year reign as Kerry minor manager. Six championships entered and six trophies secured is a record that is beyond reproach.

The first issue surrounding Keane’s sideline team was always going to be a critical one as Kerry sought to overhaul and manage a time of transition. Donie Buckley’s progressive and innovative work during spells with Mayo and Limerick did not go unnoticed in Kerry. He had a role with their squad in 2011, his input this time is likely to be greater and satisfies a desire amongst Kerry supporters to have the 1985 All-Ireland club winning goalscorer with Castleisland Desmonds, back involved in his native county.

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Maurice Fitzgerald provides a strong link to the squad from the past two seasons, provides an amount of stardust from his playing exploits and a relationship with Keane as club-mates – they have both taken St Mary’s Cahersiveen to All-Ireland club glory in Croke Park since 2011.

It’s six years since Dingle’s Tommy Griffin hung up his inter-county senior boots. He’s enough knowledge of a senior environment, and along with James Foley has forged a strong relationship with Keane during that run of minor triumphs.

The 2019 season will begin the process of discovering whether that managerial mix produces the right results on the pitch. They take over a squad that has already been stripped of experience since this year’s campaign concluded with Kieran Donaghy, Donnchadh Walsh and Anthony Maher all retiring over the past month.

The theme of change can be expressed in the fact that Griffin’s last championship involvement as a Kerry player was the 2011 All-Ireland final with Killian Young, Darran O’Sullivan and Barry John Keane the only playing survivors from those that featured that day against Dublin.

Five minor crowns in the spin since 2014 have inevitably ratcheted up the anticipation levels in Kerry of the talent that is coming down the tracks. Keane can be grateful that Fitzmaurice’s last summer at the helm was marked by the gametime he gave to that emerging crew.

Of the All-Ireland minor victors over the past five Septembers, there were five footballers – Jason Foley, Gavin White, Micheál Burns, Seán O’Shea and David Clifford – in action during Fitzmaurice’s last game against Kildare in early August. Brian Ó Beaglaoich had started the Munster final and Keane has a better take than anyone of the underage raw materials that exist.

If the sideline group he has assembled looks strong and the youngsters with potential are plentiful, the challenge still remains a considerable one. Chairman Tim Murphy offered a reminder of the target  that always exists in Kerry by mentioning his confidence they can bring Sam Maguire back to the county. 

Kerry have not contested the last three All-Ireland finals. They have lost in championship encounters to Mayo and Galway over the last 14 months, and but for a piece of David Clifford magic, Monaghan would have defeated them in July.

There is a different dynamic at play for Kerry and not least because of the era of remarkable dominance Dublin are enjoying. Keane will not need reminding of the expectation that governs the tenure of every Kerry senior manager. There will be patience at the start of his time in charge but there is plenty work to be done.

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‘I don’t think James would come back if he didn’t think there was potential for us to win an All-Ireland’

AIDAN O’SHEA IS more than pleased to have James Horan back on board as Mayo senior football manager.

Aidan O’Shea (file pic).

Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO

After previously being in charge between 2011 and 2014, Horan was re-appointed as manager last Thursday night and handed a four-year term.

He succeeds Stephen Rochford, who departed in late August citing a lack of support from the county board executive after a summer that saw the Westerners exit the All-Ireland SFC after loss to Kildare in the qualifiers.

And three-time All-Star O’Shea is delighted to see him back at the helm.

“There’s a positive reaction to him coming back,” the versatile 28-year-old told The42 at the launch of the Heinz Sports Club today.

“Even publicly, the supporters have been quite keen on him coming back. Just really looking forward to seeing how things go really, to be honest.

“It’s going to be new, it’s going to be different. I think he always kind of mentioned that he’d like to do it again. He’s 47 or 48 years of age, he was young when he took the job on.

“When he left, I always thought that he might come back. I was hoping that my career would still be intact, or somewhat intact anyway, by the time he came back. I’m not surprised that he’s come back, but I maybe didn’t think he’d be back as quick as this.”

O’Shea added, when asked if there was any concern of a second coming not working out:

Horan with O’Shea in 2014.

Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO

“Look, some people say you should never go back and you see that in professional sport or whatever. It’s not something I’m too worried about.

“I know the set-up he instilled the first time round and the reaction and drive he put through the players, the environment that he set up for guys.

“He was there for us to perform, he challenged us. It was a really good set-up. I think if that comes back again (there’ll be no issue) — which I’m sure it will, he’s gone away and done a Masters in coaching I think and is talking about being on the pitch even more this time.

“Look, it’s not going to be the same. We’re safe in the knowledge that he’s not just going to come in and do the same thing as he did before. I’m sure he’s gone away and learned as much as we’ve learned in the intervening years.”

During Horan’s first tenure, he delivered four Connacht titles in-a-row and steered the county to back-to-back All-Ireland final appearances in 2012 and 2013.

Since his second coming was announced, the Ballintubber clubman noted that all involved — himself, the players, the county board — have grown ‘older and wiser’ since his departure in 2014.

Heinz Sports Club ambassador O’Shea.

Source: Robbie Reynolds.

And O’Shea agrees. After all the hurt and heartbreak through the years, he still thinks that the squad has the capacity to go again and try to reach the Holy Grail.

“I don’t think James would be getting involved if he didn’t think there was potential for us to win an All-Ireland,” O’Shea continued.

“He’s got a four-year term, there probably needs to be a little bit of patience and a little bit of transition built into that, to try and unearth and bring through some of the guys that have been successful with the U21s and U20s over the last few years.

“There’s players there. When James came in the last time there was this kind of thought process that Mayo had lost a lot and we’d be in the doldrums for a number of years. He didn’t see that, he saw a group of players that had huge potential and I’m sure that’s the similar vibe he’s got coming back in now.

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“He’s going to pull through the next group of players that are going to be the team for the next six or seven years in Mayo, similar to what happened when he came in the first time round.”

While the Breaffy attacker is pleased with Horan’s return, he also spoke about Rochford’s departure and the disappointment surrounding the manner of his exit.

“When we get knocked out of the championship on the 30 June, to still be in the media the week of the All-Ireland final without being involved is obviously not ideal.

O’Shea with Stephen Rochford.

Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO

“Hopefully that’s the end of needless PR for the team when we should be just focusing on football. Now that James has been ratified, we can move forward and start planning.  

“We’re probably a little bit behind than we should be for a team that was knocked out on the 30 June. We need to get our act together pretty quickly and start getting things in place for next year.”

“It’s been different,” O’Shea said of the longer summer than usual.”Very, very different for me. The first couple of weeks were definitely a little bit weird. I struggled with being out of the kind of bubble of inter-county football, training, having a routine and structure.

“After a few weeks you start to appreciate other things in life. It’s been a mixed bag. Obviously you don’t want to go out of the championship early, I struggled with it initially but I’ve definitely enjoyed the last couple of months as well.

“There’s no point sitting and wallowing about a loss. I really enjoyed getting back to the club scene, it’s been brilliant having a consistency with them over a period of time.”

In other news of interest, former Mayo team coach and selector Donie Buckley has been confirmed in Peter Keane’s backroom team down in Kerry.

Heinz Sports Club ambassadors Stephanie Roche and Aidan O’Shea.

Cahersiveen native Keane’s appointment as manager on a three-year term was rubber-stamped at a county board meeting last night with Buckley announced as a right-hand man.

And O’Shea feels that he’ll be a huge boost to the Kingdom.

“He’s a massive loss to us,” he said. “We’ve had him for six years over three different managers, he was a consistent across all three. He was brilliant.

“He did 99.9% of our training on the pitch with us. He’s a brilliant coach, his knowledge of other teams and tendencies of individual players, their weakness; It’s incredible. He just eats, sleeps and breathes Gaelic football.

“He put his heart and soul into six years with us. I’m happy for him that he gets to go down to Kerry, it’s very strong and he’ll only love that challenge with a serious group of young players coming through there.

“I don’t think he’ll have a bad word said about him from Mayo. Kerry are getting a really good trainer, I expect to see them a little bit more hard edge. You’ll see them defensively stronger next year.”

Donie Buckley.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

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Leinster hurling counties to gain break in new schedule for 2019 senior championship

TEAMS IN NEXT year’s Leinster senior hurling championship will gain a reprieve rather than having to undergo a hectic schedule in the round-robin format, as it is set to be run over six weekends.

This year’s championship, the first to incorporate the new system, unfolded over the course of five weekends, resulting in both Offaly and Wexford undergoing punishing schedules of four games in consecutive weekends.

The Leinster Council have moved to act, just like their Munster counterparts did recently, according to the set of fixtures that have been released by the provincial body.

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Carlow replace Offaly this year after their success in the Joe McDonagh Cup and will compete with last year’s champions Galway, finalists Kilkenny, Dublin and Wexford.

Each team will play four games – two home and two away – along with having two byes. The most consecutive weekends any county will play will be two with only one game scheduled for the weekends of 25/26 May and 1/2 June.

Champions Galway open their campaign at home to Carlow while Kilkenny will take on Dublin on the opening weekend again after the pair clashed in Parnell Park this year in their first clash.

Here’s the full list of fixtures:

2019 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Round 1 – 11/12 May

Galway v Carlow

Kilkenny v Dublin

Wexford bye

Round 2 – 18/19 May

Carlow v Kilkenny

Dublin v Wexford

Galway bye

Round 3 – 25/26 May

Galway v Wexford

Carlow, Dublin, Kilkenny bye

Round 4 – 1/2 June

Carlow v Dublin

Galway, Kilkenny, Wexford bye

Round 5 – 8/9 June

Wexford v Carlow

Kilkenny v Galway

Dublin bye

Round 6 – 15/16 June

Wexford v Kilkenny

Dublin v Galway

Carlow bye

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Carnacon eight cleared to play in Sunday’s semi-final after Central Council ruling

THE MAYO LGFA county board’s appeal against the leniency of the suspensions imposed on the Carnacon eight was rejected last night, meaning the players are available to play in Sunday’s Mayo Ladies SFC semi-final.

The LGFA Central Council heard the county board’s appeal in Tullamore on Tuesday evening, but the two-week suspensions were upheld.

The players were initially hit with four-week bans after their departure from the Mayo squad in the summer, which were ”quashed because of the procedural irregularities” after an appeal to the LGFA’s National Appeals Committee.

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The LGFA’s National Appeals Committee instead imposed two-week suspensions on the players for bringing the Association into disrepute. It related to their actions after leaving the county panel, including the “tone of initial press statements after they withdrew from the Mayo team” which “led to innuendo against Mr (Peter) Leahy (the Mayo manager).”

The Carnacon eight subsequently appealed the two-week bans in an effort to clear their names, but The42 understands they withdrew their appeal earlier this week and accepted the charge of disrepute.

In the meantime, the Mayo county board lodged an appeal against the leniency of the two-week bans, which was rejected by Central Council last night.

The bans are due to expire at midnight on Thursday 11 October, which means the eight players are free to face Moy Davits in the last four clash at the weekend.

Carnacon played two group games over the weekend without their contingent of Cora Staunton, Fiona McHale, Martha Carter, Marie Corbett, Amy Dowling, Doireann Hughes, Sadhbh Larkin and Saoirse Walsh.

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They defeated Castlebar Mitchels on Friday night before losing to Knockmore on Sunday. It was enough to seal their passage into the semi-finals.

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Here’s the draw for the 2019 All-Ireland senior football championship

 BEATEN ALL-IRELAND football finalists Tyrone will begin next year in the Ulster preliminary round against Derry after the 2019 championship draw was made in RTÉ tonight. 

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Mayo and Galway cannot face-off until a possible Connacht final, while Dublin will begin their bid for a fifth All-Ireland in-a-row against either Louth or Wicklow in the Leinster quarter-final.

Connacht SFC 2019

In Connacht, Mayo and Galway have been kept apart in Connacht for the first time in four years and they could potentially meet in the decider if they progress that far.

It was already decided that Mayo will travel to New York, while Galway were drawn against London tonight. If they win, the Tribesmen will face Sligo in the semi-final.

All-Ireland quarter-finalists Roscommon face Terry Hyland’s Leitrim in the quarter-final and will play the winners of New York/Mayo in the last four.

Leinster SFC 2019

All-Ireland champions Dublin will open their 2019 campaign against the winners of Louth and Wexford in the provincial quarter-final. The Dubs could potentially face Kildare or Longford in the semi-final, while Wicklow are also on that side of the draw.

Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Laois and Carlow were all boosted by being placed on the opposite side of the draw to Dublin.

The Royals face John Maughan’s Offaly in the first round with Carlow awaiting the victors in the last eight, while neighbours Westmeath and Laois face-off. 

Munster SFC 2019

In Munster, Cork and Kerry are on separate sides of the semi-final draw.

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The Kingdom will await the winners of the quarter-final clash of Clare v Waterford, while the Rebels will contend with the victors from the Tipperary v Limerick contest.

Ulster SFC 2019

Derry were handed a tough task against Tyrone in the preliminary round of Ulster, with Antrim facing the side that advances in the last eight. Donegal are on the same side of the draw and take on last year’s provincial finalists Fermanagh for a place in the semi-finals.

Cavan v Monaghan and Armagh v Down complete the quarter-final line-up.

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Offaly begin life in Joe McDonagh Cup with home tie against neighbours Laois

OFFALY WILL BEGIN their journey through the Joe McDonagh Cup with a round-one tie against neighbouring county Laois next year.

They will then travel to take on the 2018 finalists Westmeath in the second round before facing Antrim and Kerry in the final rounds of the competition.

The Faithful county dropped down to the Joe McDonagh for the 2019 season after they finished bottom of the Leinster group at the end of the round-robin series during the summer.

Their relegation to this competition comes two decades after the county last lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 1998. 

The Joe McDonagh Cup was introduced this year as part of a revamped hurling championship structure with Carlow coming out on top in the final against Westmeath, meaning they will take their place in the Liam MacCarthy Cup competition for 2019.

Joe McDonagh Cup

Round 1: Offaly v Laois, Antrim v Kerry
Round 2: Laois v Antrim, Westmeath v Offaly
Round 3A: Westmeath v Kerry
Round 3B: Offaly v Antrim
Round 4: Antrim v Westmeath, Kerry v Laois
Round 5: Laois v Westmeath, Kerry v Offaly

Christy Ring Cup

Christy Ring Cup Draw.

Nicky Rackard Cup

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Nicky Rackard Cup.

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Lory Meagher Cup

Lory Meagher Cup.

Meanwhile, the draws for the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Cups were also made on Thursday.

Both the Christy Ring and Nicky Rackard Cup competitions consist of two groups of teams playing on a round-robin basis. 

The top two teams in each group will contest the semi-finals with the winners of each group playing the runners-up of the other group. The bottom two teams in each group will have a play-off and the losing side will be relegated.

In the case of the Nicky Rackard Cup, the winner of the final will be promoted to the Christy Ring Cup.

The Lory Meagher Cup will have one group of four teams playing on a round-robin basis. The top two teams will contest the final with the winners moving up to the Nicky Rackard Cup competition. 

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‘A fear of sitting in front of the TV every evening – it frightened me!’: Maughan on his inter-county return

NEW OFFALY BOSS John Maughan has confirmed his backroom team for the 2019 campaign. 

Maughan will bring Edenderry man Kevin Guing and Crossmolina native Gerry O’Malley on board as his selectors. Ballyboden St Enda’s club man Mark Fee comes in as football coach, while former Cavan footballer Dermot Sheridan has been appointed as strength and conditioning coach.

“I was very happy with them,” said Maughan at the 2019 championship draw in RTÉ last night. 

“Dermot Sheridan is a Sigerson Cup winner with DCU in 2010, Sigerson Cup winner with Sligo IT in 2005 atvnd involved in coaching in DCU for the last number of years. Played full-back for Cavan.

“Gerry O’Malley, he won an All-Ireland club with my hometown Crossmolina, he lives outside Ferbane for the last 14 years.”

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O’Malley is married to the daughter of Offaly legend Sean Lowry, who won a Connacht medal alongside Maughan while playing with Mayo in 1985.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Maughan has been handed a difficult task in the Leinster SFC with Offaly drawn against Meath in the first round. The winners face Carlow in the quarter-final with Westmeath or Laois awaiting the winners in the last four.

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Maughan admitted on the live coverage that he’s “a little bit scared” by the prospect of taking on the Royals, who brought Tyrone to extra-time in the qualifiers last summer. 

But the Mayo native says he’s excited by the prospect of managing the Faithful as he becomes the first man to manage a senior county side in all four provinces.

“I don’t know, I suppose I had no intention of going back to be quite honest with you. The last number of years I’d been coaching young fellas in Castlebar for five or six years.

“I was with a junior club down the road from me for the last two years, my brother’s the chairman down there and I was giving a dig out. There’s just something about it, I have the energy for it.

“I didn’t think I’d get the opportunity and yeah, it tickled my fancy right now and family-wise, my kids are kind of scattered and yeah, just a fear of sitting in front of the TV every evening. It frightened me!”

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