Mike Solan (Longford); Declan Kelly and Mickey Harte (Offaly).

All-Ireland SFC: What's the state of play for Gaelic football's management teams?

There are two current vacancies among the 32 National League competitors.

Division 1

The home of the All-Ireland champions, Mayo will defend their title with Andy Moran heading into his second year at the helm. He agreed to a three-year term last August.

In Kerry, Jack O’Connor is making arrangements for next season, the sixth year of his third coming as Kingdom boss. Cian O’Neill will depart the set-up, as reported by the Irish Examiner, with Dingle strength and conditioning coach Shane O’Rourke touted for a role. Kieran Donaghy, who was part of the Kerry backroom team this year without being named on the management in match programmes, could also play a more central part.

jack-oconnor Jack O'Connor. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO

Roscommon manager Mark Dowd achieved a Connacht title in his rookie campaign. One change is due as strength and conditioning coach Mickey Comerford has joined the Waterford hurlers.

Down the road in Galway, Pádraic Joyce will head into his eighth season in charge, having agreed a three-year extension in September 2025. Local rumours of his impending exit were dismissed last month.

Jim McGuinness and Neil McGee have been spotted watching on from the sidelines at Donegal club games, so their option of a fourth year following an initial three-year term looks firmly on track.

The longest-serving inter-county manager, Kieran McGeeney, has been ratified for a 13th season with Armagh after a year which finally added Ulster honours to their 2024 All-Ireland.

As for the promoted teams, Robbie Brennan has one year left to run on his three-year Meath appointment. 

John Cleary signed up for a two-year extension in August 2025 as he’s set to lead Cork into the top flight for the first time in a decade. 

Division 2

Like Division 1, there are no manager changes confirmed for Division 2.

ger-brennan Ger Brennan. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO

A handful of managers are heading into their second year here, including two All-Ireland semi-finalists in Dublin boss Ger Brennan and Gavin Devlin of Louth. Cavan’s Dermot McCabe and Derry’s Ciarán Meenagh are in the same boat.

In Tyrone, Malachy O’Rourke can look forward to the third and final year of his current term with some optimism after their close-run quarter-final exit to Kerry. Monaghan’s Gabriel Bannigan is also heading into the third act of his three-year project. 

There has been significant experience promoted up from Division 3. Conor Laverty has given four years to the Down cause. He was utterly despondent after their Tailteann Cup final defeat to Wicklow.

John Hegarty’s Wexford extension has already been recommended for a fifth year as the Modelmen seek to build on consecutive promotions.

Division 3

The first of the vacancies: Offaly joint-managers Declan Kelly and Mickey Harte have stepped down after two years together. Kelly had served one year prior to Harte’s recruitment.

The Tyrone native was keen to remain for another year, but once Kelly’s decision was made to depart, Harte decided it was the appropriate time to move on, according to an Offaly GAA statement. 

declan-kelly-and-mickey-harte-during-the-national-anthem Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO

The Offaly Express has reported that an outside appointment is expected, but Stephen Rochford has ruled himself out after a spell with Tullamore.

Longford are also on the lookout for a new boss after Mike Solan stepped down last week. The Mayo native, a clubmate of Andy Moran, was in the role for two years, delivering promotion from Division 4 this spring.

Justin McNulty’s three-year Laois term has concluded, with the manager declaring it “too soon” to discuss his future after their Tailteann Cup exit.

In Kildare, Brian Flanagan is at the midpoint of his four-year term, with the first-year promise of a Tailteann Cup triumph replaced by some discontent after a tricky second campaign. 

Mark McHugh will be floating into his second year as Westmeath manager after delivering a Leinster title. 

Others heading into a second season are Sligo’s joint-managers, Eamonn O’Hara and Dessie Sloyan and Clare’s Paul Madden. They were appointed on three-year terms last summer.

Another in that category is Carlow manager Joe Murphy, who gained Division 4 promotion in his first full campaign of a three-year deal, having initially taken interim charge in 2025.

Division 4

After their Tailteann Cup triumph, Oisín McConville spoke about another year with Wicklow not being just his decision, referring to the balance with home life. The Garden County do have the carrot of Sam Maguire football and McConville’s latest term extension, agreed last year, runs to the end of 2027.

oisin-mcconville-and-frank-dolan-celebrates-at-the-final-whistle Oisín McConville (right) celebrates Tailteann Cup success with Frank Dolan. james lawlor james lawlor

In Limerick, there has been no concrete update since their May exit. At the time, Jimmy Lee told the Limerick Leader about his tense relationship with the county board, referencing the “Munster debacle”. That saw the Treaty vote in favour of seeding changes to the Munster championship, which favoured Cork and Kerry.

Second-year managers include Antrim’s Mark Doran, Tipperary’s Niall Fitzgerald, Waterford’s Ephie Fitzgerald, and Fermanagh’s Declan Bonner, whose reappointment was ratified at a County Board meeting in the past fortnight.

Steven Poacher’s stay as Leitrim manager was extended to 2027 last year.

London manager Michael Maher ranks second only to Kieran McGeeney for longevity after seven years in charge.

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