KERRY ALL-IRELAND winning manager Jack O’Connor looks set to be confirmed as the new Kildare senior football boss on a three-year term.
The management committee of Kildare GAA this evening put the decorated former Kingdom man forward for ratification by the county board next month.
O’Connor will take charge of the Lilywhites after a vacancy opened up when Cian O’Neill departed after four seasons in charge last month.
Recognised for his exploits as manager of Kerry teams, O’Connor has developed a link with Kildare football through his sons Eanna and Cian who play at club level in the county with Moorefield.
They were part of county senior wins in Kildare for the past two years, while also claiming Leinster club honours in dramatic fashion in December 2017. O’Connor was part of the coaching team there as he assisted Moorefield manager Ross Glavin.
It will mark a return to senior management for the Dromid Pearses man for the first time since 2012 when he stepped down in Kerry. That was his second spell in charge of Kerry after taking over in 2009 and guiding the Kingdom to the All-Ireland senior title that season.
Previously O’Connor had been at the helm of the Kerry senior side for three years from 2004, managing to lift Sam Maguire in his debut season and in 2006.
Since then O’Connor has been immersed in positions with Kerry underage sides, steering the minor side to All-Ireland glory in 2014 and 2015. He was in charge of the Kerry U21 team in 2016 and 2017 while supervising the U20 outfit for the past two campaigns. His last game involved saw Kerry lose out heavily to eventual All-Ireland champions Cork in last month’s Munster final.
