FORMER GALWAY U21 manager and experienced coach Gerry Fahy has been named as the county’s new ladies football boss, and succeeds Tim Rabbitt in the role.
Fahey was ratified at a county board meeting tonight, having been part of Rabbitt’s backroom team in 2020 as Galway reached the All-Ireland semi-final.
The Glinsk native will be familiar to those in Galway Gaelic football circles, having garnered plenty of experience of working with county and club teams through the years.
He led the Tribe U21s to Connacht glory and the All-Ireland final in 2017, guided NUIG to Sigerson Cup success in 2003, and has fulfilled plenty of other backroom team roles in the past — including working under Val Daly with the seniors in ’97.
Away from his home county, Fahy also spent a stint in charge of the Offaly senior team, and steered them to the Division 2 National Football League crown in 2004.
Galway LGFA have released a statement detailing his coaching journey on Facebook tonight:
https://www.facebook.com/galwaylgfa/posts/5277785052239233
🇱🇻 News on @GalwayLgfa’s new senior team manager emerging this evening @ConnachtLGFA https://t.co/puoUDBCm7C
— Ladies Football (@LadiesFootball) January 27, 2021
Tuairisc.ie are reporting that Galway ladies football legend Annette Clarke will serve as Fahy’s selector. Clarke captained Galway to their first, and last, All-Ireland crown in 2004, and has been a long-serving stalwart for her club, Kilkerrin-Clonberne.
Kieran Collins, another successful underage manager for the county, is understood to be coming in as another selector, with Maghnus Breathnach the goalkeeping coach and Declan Burke the fitness coach.
Rabbitt stepped down in early January after two years at the helm, saying that he feels “now is the time for a change”.
Having worked as a coach in the set-up under Stephen Glennon in 2018, Rabbitt took over as manager the following year. In 2019, he led the Tribe to a Connacht title, the Division 1 National League final and to their first All-Ireland decider appearance in 14 years. They were beaten by Cork and Dublin respectively.
In the Covid-19-impacted 2020 season, Galway were joint-top of Division 1 with Cork before the competition was cancelled, while they enjoyed one-point championship wins over Tipperary and Monaghan before bowing out to the Rebels in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Controversy reigned after that last four battle following a late venue change, with Rabbitt prominent in the media afterwards.
Galway — with plenty of talent and potential in their ranks, and big names like Tracey and Roisin Leonard, Nicola and Louise Ward, Megan Glynn, Olivia Divilly, Áine McDonagh, and Ailbhe Davoren — will hope to push on in 2021 under the watchful eye of Fahy.
https://www.facebook.com/galwaylgfa/posts/5277373132280425
