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cunning plan

Former Galway hurling boss Cunningham could be set for the Cavan footballers

Anthony Cunningham and Mattie McGleenan head the race to replace Terry Hyland.

CAVAN ARE POISED to make a move for Anthony Cunningham to become their new senior football team manager.

Cunningham is the former Galway senior hurling boss who vacated the position last year but linked up with the Laois footballers in the summer.

In club football management, Cunningham has enjoyed successful stints in the past with Roscommon outfit St Brigid’s and Westmeath side Garrycastle – winning provincial titles with both.

And now he’s in the frame to succeed Terry Hyland as the Breffni County’s new senior boss.

During a four year-spell in charge of Galway’s hurlers, Cunningham guided the Tribesmen to All-Ireland final appearances in 2012 and 2015 – but was ousted by player power after last year’s defeat to Kilkenny.

Former Tyrone player Mattie McGleenan is another leading Cavan contender, however, and boasts an impressive recent track record.

McGleenan guided Scotstown to Monaghan SFC titles in 2013 and 2015 and they’ll aim to retain their county crown against Clontibret next Sunday.

Elsewhere, Westmeath manager Tom Cribbin is poised to add former Cavan selector Kevin Downes to his backroom team for the 2017 campaign.

Downes worked with Hyland in Cavan for the past two seasons and will be ratified in his new role at a county board meeting on Wednesday night.

Downes is also a former Cavan hurler of the year who won senior club hurling and football medals in London.

He helped Tir Chonaill Gaels to football glory in London while also starring for the Robert Emmetts hurlers.

Westmeath county board chairman Sean Sheridan revealed that negotiations are well underway with Downes, who’s also a former Cavan SFC medal winner with Cavan Gaels and a previous trainer of the London inter-county team.

Sheridan also confirmed that Michael Ryan, Michael Walsh and Tom Carr are returning en bloc with the county’s senior hurlers, as manager, selector and strength and conditioning coach respectively.

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