1. Mickey Harte (Derry)
The Tyrone great has made a positive start to his Derry tenure with yet another McKenna Cup title. Now, the real business gets underway.
Derry are up in Division 1 after finishing second to Dublin in the second-tier last year, and they start with a tough assignment away to Kerry.
Harte will aim find some new players to increase depth in the squad. Taking the scoring pressure off Shane McGuigan in attack and further developing the U20 All-Ireland winning class of 2020 will also be key, with last season’s cohort likely to filter through too. It’s unclear when Derry’s All-Ireland winning Glen contingent will return.
The back-to-back Ulster champions will be looking to reverse consecutive All-Ireland semi-final defeats, and go one step further. Division 1 is the perfect springboard, and springtime results against other top teams would be a great foundation to build from.
2. Jim McGuinness (Donegal)
Donegal finished bottom of Division 1 last year, so an immediate return would be a successful league campaign for Jim McGuinness in his second coming.
There will be no shortage of competition in Division 2, however. They open their bid at home to Cork, with a win widely expected there, from which they can drive on.
The game has changed tactically and evolved since McGuinness was last in charge in 2014, so it will be interesting to see what he may bring. It was striking that Donegal pressed high on opposition kickouts during the McKenna Cup, for one.
2023 was a rather disappointing one. Significant improvements will be sought in 2024, but are the raw playing materials still there? Michael Murphy, who McGuinness build his last team around, is among those no longer involved.
3. Raymond Galligan (Cavan)
Cavan are back in Division 2, having yo-yo’d in the league in recent seasons. The 2023 Division 3 champions have their former goalkeeper at the helm in Raymond Galligan.
This must be a strange dynamic. How will the 2020 All-Star adjust to such a big change, managing the players he was previously a team-mate of?
Galligan’s reign began with McKenna Cup defeats to Derry and Down, but there have been plenty of positives, from debutants to impressive individual performances. It all heats up in the league now: trip to Kildare is a tricky opener but Cavan will look to make a splash.
Gearóid McKiernan is the big name departure and his absence will be keenly felt, but others must step up. Retaining their Division 2 status and finding consistency will be key for the Breffni county.
4. Ger Brennan (Louth)
The former Dublin footballer is the man tasked with filling the void left by Mickey Harte and Gavin Devlin in Louth.
The Wee county finished third in Division 2 last year after rising through the ranks, and went on a memorable Leinster championship run. Harte’s exit was a shock one, but Louth will hope to continue on an upward trajectory under Brennan, Niall Moyna and James McCartan.
It’s a first step into inter-county management for Brennan, having previously coached Carlow and Wicklow club side Bray Emmetts, so it will be testing. Will all go to plan, or could the good work under Harte unravel?
A visit to Armagh is a tough start, with staying in the second tier undoubtedly the ultimate goal.
5. Mark Fitzgerald (Clare)
Clare are in Division 3 after suffering relegation last year. Like Louth, they reached the Munster final but didn’t get off the mark in the All-Ireland group stages.
After 10 years in charge, Colm Collins stood down at the end of the season, and former Limerick manager Fitzgerald was tasked with taking the mantel.
He has had to contend with several player departures — including Podge Collins and Cathal O’Connor, who have retired, and Eoin Cleary, who has opted to take a year out — and the McGrath Cup was a mixed bag with a win over Waterford and defeat to Cork.
Bouncing back to Division 2 will surely be the aim. The Banner start out against 2023 Division 4 champions Sligo.
6. Jimmy Lee (Limerick)
Similar to Clare, Limerick were relegated to Division 3 for this season as the basement team in the second tier.
Lee fills the vacancy left by Fitzgerald, who took over on an interim basis after Ray Dempsey’s brief tenure. He won three Limerick county titles in-a-row in charge of Newcastle West, and now follows in the footsteps of his brother, Billy, at the helm.
His management team contains former Treaty manager John Brudair and star player Stephen Kelly.
The Treaty will seek immediate promotion, though it certainly won’t be easy. Long-serving goalkeeper Donal O’Sullivan has retired and his successor will be settled on through the league. The 2023 Munster and Tailteann Cup semi- and quarter-finalists host Antrim tomorrow.
7. Declan Kelly (Offaly)
“Change in psyche and full commitment needed in order to be successful,” the U20 All-Ireland winning manager told The Irish Independent last September as he took charge.
Kelly succeeded Martin Murphy, who moved into the role following the death of Liam Kearns in an emotional and challenging season for Offaly football.
They lost the 2023 Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final after a Leinster championship semi-final defeat to Louth after extra-time.
The Faithful county are in Division 3 once again, having finished fifth last season, and open their campaign against Westmeath. They will look to improve on that mid-table finish, and Kelly will likely turn to his successful U20 cohort to do that.
8. Paul Kelly (Tipperary)
Tipp have slid down the ranks of late. The 2020 Munster champions finished bottom of Division 3 last year, so find themselves in the bottom tier.
Kelly, who served as a selector with Wicklow alongside Oisin McConville, is tasked with moving them back up the standings.
They’ll be targeting a swift return to Division 3 for a start, and an improved championship after a disappointing 2023. Their Munster draw is favourable, having avoided Kerry and Cork on their side.
Tipperary kick off by hosting Carlow, with further turnover in the panel. The squad has changed vastly since their 2020 Munster success, with Colman Kennedy, Liam McGrath, Kevin Fahey and Michael O’Reilly (travelling) among the latest players to step back.
9. Justin McNulty (Laois)
The Armagh All-Ireland winner is back for a second bite of the cherry with Laois.
McNulty steered the O’Moore county to Division 1 in 2011 (and the last eight of the All-Ireland in 2012 before defeat to Dublin), but they operate in Division 4 over a decade later. They finished third last year, just missing out on promotion, so bettering that will be the target this time around.
There are some ins and outs on the panel, with Portarlington trio Paddy O’Sullivan, Robbie Pigot and Colm Murphy all gone travelling.
A home clash against Longford — O’Byrne Cup winners for the second year running — gets their campaign underway this weekend.
10. Paul Shankey (Waterford)
Waterford were second last to London in Division 4 last year. They bowed out in the preliminary round of the Tailteann Cup with zero points after falling at the first hurdle in Munster.
Before beating the Exiles last year, their last win came in 2021.
A huge challenge lies ahead for All-Ireland winning Meath defender Shankey, who has Déise U20 manager Mikey Cronin as coach/selector.
Waterford’s 13th successive season in the basement kicks off with a home clash against Leitrim.
