GABRIEL Bannigan has been confirmed as Monaghan’s new manager - with Mayo legend Andy Moran part of his backroom team.
The Aughnamullen man, uncle of current Farney star Miceal, was announced at a hastily-arranged county committee meeting on Thursday night. He has been appointed on a three-year term, with a review after two.
Alongside Moran on the management team are Damien Freeman and John McElhone.
Alongside Martin Corey and Dermot McArdle, Bannigan had been part of Vinny Corey’s backroom team until his shock departure last month, and also has past experience of managing in Dublin with St Sylvesters and Kilmacud Crokes.
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Closer to home, he led Aughnamullan from junior football to the senior championship, and is understood to have a wide knowledge of the playing personnel within the county.
There was surprise when Corey stepped down as Farney boss last month, as it had been widely expected the Clontibret man would carry on into a third campaign.
After his playing days came to an end, Corey joined Seamus McEnaney’s backroom team before taking over the top job when the curtain came down on McEnaney’s second stint at the helm.
Monaghan avoided the drop to Division Two on the final day of Corey’s first in charge, dramatically beating Mayo in Castlebar to secure survival, before going on to reach the 2023 All-Ireland semi-final – losing a close encounter to eventual champions Dublin, having beaten Armagh on penalties in the last eight.
However, Corey’s second year in charge wasn’t so straightforward as, hit by a succession of injuries, as well as the absence of influential goalkeeper Rory Beggan for most of the League, Monaghan fell through the relegation trapdoor alongside Roscommon.
Beggan - who spent most of the spring months in America attempting to seal an NFL deal - returned in time for the Championship, but couldn’t stop the Farney exiting Ulster at the hands of neighbours Cavan, before losing out to Galway at the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final stage in June.
Among the other names linked with the post were David McCague, boss of reigning county champions Scotstown and Armagh All-Ireland winner John McEntee, who led Clontibret to the 2019 Monaghan title and is currently over Inniskeen.
Former county skipper Owen Lennon, who led Kingscourt Stars to last year’s Cavan SFC final, was also in the frame.
Another name that cropped up in the conversation was Mark Doran.
Alongside fellow Down man Jerome Johnston sr, he led Ballybay to a first county crown in a decade two years ago, and is currently in charge of Derry contenders Slaughtneil.
As a result, the Longstone man has also been mentioned in connection inked with the vacant Oak Leaf post. The Emmet’s lost out to eventual All-Ireland champions Glen, 1-5 to 0-6, at the county semi-final stage in 2023 – though they look a different animal this year, having already got the better of their neighbours in the Derry SFC group stages.
Derry’s search for a replacement for Mickey Harte is now in its 11th week, with James Horan, Peter Keane, Ciaran Meenagh and Conleith Gilligan all ruled out as potential candidates, while Glen boss Malachy O’Rourke opted to take the Tyrone job instead.
Doran has plenty of previous experience with county set-ups, though all in a coaching capacity rather than manager, having worked alongside Paddy Tally in Down, Colm Collins in Clare and, last year, with Oisin McConville in Wicklow.
Meanwhile, Kilmacud Crokes boss Robbie Brennan is set to be named as Meath’s new manager on a three-year term – with former Tyrone star Joe McMahon and Monaghan’s Martin Corey, part of brother Vinny’s Farney management team last year, arriving as selectors.
Once Brennan’s appointment is confirmed, that will leave Derry and Clare as the only counties without managers in place.
