Mayo GAA clubs appoint managers for 2017

 Mike Finnerty

WITH the new Mayo GAA club football season up and running officially since earlier this month, it’s no surprise to see that the vast majority of senior and intermediate clubs have got their managerial houses in order.
Eight of the 16 teams in the Mayo senior football championship have appointed new managers for the coming season, while there are five new men in new jobs in the Intermediate ranks.
Right now, in theory, everybody has got the same chance of reaching their goals and achieving their targets, so the team talks will be all focussed on late May when the club championships begins and the fun starts in earnest.
Below is a club-by-club account of the managerial status of some of the leading lights on the Mayo GAA scene.

SENIOR

AGHAMORE
THERE’S a new man at the helm this year as former Moy Davitts footballer, TomΡs Mulderrig, takes over from Jimmy Lyons.
Lyons led Aghamore to three successive Mayo SFC quarter-finals during a very successful three years in charge.

BALLINA
THE Stephenites have a new management team for the fifth season in a row as former All-Ireland winning Mayo minor manager, Enda Gilvarry, takes over as joint manager with Robert McLoughlin.

BALLINROBE
FOR the first time in five years, the South Mayo lad will have the same manager in place for two seasons in a row with former Hollymount/Carramore coach, Paul Kane, continuing in the role.

BALLINTUBBER
IT’S a third new management set-up in three years for the Abbeysiders as former Mayo selector Tom Prendergast takes over from John Feeney and Lynden Reilly.
The team will be trained by the experienced Martin Connolly.

BALLAGHADERREEN
IT’S a fourth new manager in four years for Ballagh’ but this time it’s the familiar face of Paul McHugh who’s running the show.
He returns to a job he’s held in the past with Dessie Lynch, James Mitchell and Barry McGuire in his backroom team.

BREAFFY
STABILITY is the name of the game in Breaffy as joint managers Peter Ford and Shane Conway return to try win that elusive first Moclair Cup for the West Mayo club.

CASTLEBAR
IT’S a similar story with Mitchels as joint managers Declan O’Reilly and Declan Shaw staying on. But in their case it’s to try and win an historic three Mayo senior championship titles in a row!  

CHARLESTOWN
KILMOVEE native Paul Jordan is staying on for a second season as manager at Fr O’Hara Park.

CLAREMORRIS
THERE’S a new man at the helm in Canon Gibbons Memorial Park as Johnny Mulkeen, a selector in 2016, takes over from Declan Ronaldson. He is the club’s fourth manager in four years.
Ray Connelly has been named the team’s trainer.

CROSSMOLINA
MAYO under 21 selector Joe Keane has stepped down after three years as the Deel Rovers manager with former Mayo minor coach, Eoin Sweeney from Ballycroy, taking charge.

DAVITTS
THERE will be new faces running the line in Ballindine with Billy Kearns, Alan Roche, Tom Kearns and Kieran Kilkenny forming a local management team.

GARRYMORE
CLAREMORRIS native Kevin Walsh is back for a second season and will be hoping to build on the South Mayo club’s recent record of bowing out at the Mayo SFC quarter-final stage.

HOLLYMOUNT/CARRAMORE
THE 2016 All-Ireland Intermediate club finalists have appointed a new bainisteoir with former Ballintubber manager Tony Duffy taking over from Tom Connelly.

KILTANE
THE 2015 All-Ireland Intermediate club finalists are still searching for a manager for the coming season. Joe Lindsay was in charge last year.

KNOCKMORE
NO CHANGE in terms of team management with Ray McHale and Michael Durkan taking charge for the second year in a row.
But with Michael Moyles having joined the Leitrim set-up, John Brogan steps into the S&C coach role and has been taking training.

WESTPORT
AFTER leading the club into the senior ranks for 2017, Damian Loftus will stay on for a third season with the All-Ireland Intermediate champions.

INTERMEDIATE

ARDNAREE
FORMER Mayo forward Ray Dempsey returns for a second season in charge of the 2015 Mayo junior champions.

BALLYHAUNIS
FORMER Mayo midfielder Fergal Kelly took over midway through last year and is staying on as manager for the coming season.

BELMULLET
AFTER leading the team to a county quarter-final in his second year in charge, Knockmore native Nigel Reape is back for a third season.

BONNICONLON
FORMER Intermediate championship winner David Melvin is the club’s new manager with Anthony Egan, Noel Harrington and Kevin Ginley as his selectors. Alan Dunne is the S&C coach.

BURRISHOOLE
SHANE Hopkins stays on for a third season in Newport with Alan Moran and Tom Mulchrone as his selectors. Seamie King will train the team.

CASTLEBAR’B’
THE Mitchels’ second team are still on the hunt for a manager.

ISLANDEADY
THE West Mayo club have secured the services of Declan Conway as manager for the third year in a row.

KILTIMAGH
LAST year’s beaten county finalists have persuaded club stalwart, Pa McNicholas, to stay on board for a second successive year.

LOUISBURGH
THE 2016 Mayo junior champions are delighted that John Kelly has decided to stay on and have a crack at the Intermediate grade with his adopted club.

MAYO GAELS
THE man calling the shots in the Mayo Abbey dressing-room for a fourth season in succession will be Brian Gallagher from Swinford.

MOY DAVITTS
THERE’S no change at Sraith Garbh either with SeΡn McLoughlin from Knockmore staying on as manager for a second season.

PARKE
WITH Shane McCann stepping down after one season, Anthony Dunne has stapped into the hotseat.

SWINFORD
THE legendary ‘Big’ Tom Byrne from Kiltimagh makes the short journey over the road to take over the neighbours.
Mike Lenihan, Shane Campbell, and Billy McNicholas are all in the backroom team.

THE NEALE
WITH Donal ‘Mossy’ Costello stepping down, Eoin Hughes takes over as manager after being forced to retire due to persistent injuries.

TOURMAKEADY
THE Gaeltacht lads have appointed a local management team with Raymond Prendergast and Tom Heneghan joining forces.
James Joyce is on board as a selector.

SHRULE/GLENCORRIB
HOLLYMOUNT native Jarlath Jennings is not returning for a second season. Instead, former players David Walsh and Liam Garvey have been appointed as joint managers.

JUNIOR
ACHILL
LONG-SERVING manager Paul McNamara has stepped aside with Marty Mangan taking over the hotseat at Davitt Park.

BALLA
LAST year’s beaten county finalists are delighted that former Mayo midfielder Pat Fallon has stayed on as manager for the second season in a row.

KILMAINE
THERE’S no change as Norman O’Brien stays on for a second year in succession and will be bidding to lead the South Mayo club back up to Intermediate.