THE DUST HAS firmly settled on the 2022 All-Ireland races, with club championships now in full swing.
As ever, the inter-county off-season has brought about plenty of change on the managerial front.
Several county boards have appointed new managers in recent weeks, although there are plenty of hot seats still too be filled.
Here are nine positions in the spotlight.
Football
Donegal
The deadline for clubs to nominate a successor to Declan Bonner closed last night. Bonner’s second stint ended in the summer after five years in charge. The Donegal county board have not revealed the names of applicants.
However, speculation is mounting locally that 1992 All-Ireland winning player Martin McHugh is in the running, with his son Mark and Donegal ladies football boss Maxi Curran part of his set-up.
A return looks unlikely for Jim McGuinness, while Rory Kavanagh, Karl Lacey, Malachi O’Rourke and Enda McGinley have also been mentioned.
Longford
Billy O’Loughlin’s reign lasted just one year. He cited a change in his work schedule as the primary reason for stepping down. Could John Maughan be tempted following his departure from Offaly? Longford may well opt for a local candidate or take a chance on a younger manager.
Padraig Pearses manager Pat Flanagan, who applied for the position before and has previously managed Sligo, Westmeath and Offaly, is another experienced option.
Mayo
Interviews for the job started last week. Four candidates announced their interest in replacing James Horan: Ray Dempsey, Kevin McStay, Declan Shaw and Mike Solan.
McStay’s all-star ticket features Stephen Rochford, Donie Buckley, Liam McHale and Belmullet’s county title winning boss Damien Mulligan.
Shaw has Paddy Christie, ex-Mayo player Richie Feeney, Sligo U20 boss Dessie Sloyan and former Sligo player Cormac Rowland on board.
Aidan O’Rourke, Eamonn O’Hara, former Galway United manager Alan Murphy and ex-Mayo player Mark Ronaldson are involved with Solan.
Dempsey’s backroom team includes Oisin McConville, Declan O’Keeffe, James Burke, Keith Higgins and 2013 All-Ireland winning minor boss Enda Gilvarry.
Monaghan
Last month former Dublin coach and player Jason Sherlock was linked with the job vacated by Seamus ‘Banty’ McEneaney. Former Dublin defender Kevin Nolan is reportedly in line to assist him, although as the weeks have passed the talk has quietened in the Farney County.
Mark Counihan and Andy Callan, both highly-rated coaches in the Monaghan underage system, were also discussed as potential contenders. A return for former manager Malachy O’Rourke looks unlikely.
Roscommon
The bid to find a replacement for Anthony Cunningham has thrown up several high-profile names such as Dublin ladies manager Mick Bohan and ex-Mayo boss Stephen Rochford.
However, the presence of Rochford on Kevin McStay’s prospective management team in Mayo complicates matters.
Jason Sherlock has been mentioned in some quarters in the past few days, while former Galway boss Kevin Walsh would be an obvious choice if he was interested.
Wexford
The Wexford county board are currently on the hunt for Shane Roche’s replacement. With the senior football championship set to begin shortly, they’ll want to have a new man in place for the concluding stages. A selection committee has been put in place to find the new manager. Another county that is likely to shop local.
Hurling
Dublin
The process to find a successor to Mattie Kenny has dragged on in the capital. Names such as Anthony Cunningham, Derek McGrath, Eddie Brennan and Anthony Daly have been floated in recent weeks. Even former manager Pat Gilroy has been mooted.
Current Westmeath boss Joe Fortune and his predecessor Shane O’Brien, both with plenty of experience in Dublin club hurling, have also been linked.
Laois
The post has lay vacant for two months since Seamus ‘Cheddar’ Plunkett’s decision to step down. A move for Derek McGrath, who coached the county’s minor hurlers, doesn’t seem realistic. Ryan O’Dwyer and Brendan Bugler were previously suggested as contenders.
Offaly
The news that Eamon O’Shea and Liam Sheedy are set to rekindle their double act in charge of Offaly sparked plenty of excitement in the Faithful County last week. Outside of that duo, ex-St Rynagh’s manager Ken Hogan, former Galway coach Franny Forde and Leinster-winning minor boss Leo O’Connor were also discussed as viable replacements for Michael Fennelly.
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