Football

Tyrone managers Brian Dooher and Fergal Logan step down

The joint managers leave the county set-up having won one All-Ireland title in 2021

Brian Dooher and Feargal Logan have seen their resources decimated by withdrawals since winning the 2021 All-Ireland title.
Brian Dooher and Feargal Logan Brian Dooher and Feargal Logan have stepped down as joint manager of the Tyrone senior footballers

TYRONE joint managers Brian Dooher and Fergal Logan have stepped down from their positions.

The two former Tyrone players took charge of the team in 2020 after the departure of Mickey Harte.

Last season saw Tyrone finish fifth in the NFL Division One table and be dumped out of the Ulster SFC early when they were beaten by Donegal.

The Red Hands then finished second in their All-Ireland SFC round-robin, losing again to Jim McGuinness.



Roscommon would be the undoing of Tyrone in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final at Croke Park.

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Tyrone’s chairman, Martin Sludden, said: “They’ve simply made wonderful history for us, time and again, in place after place, and in so many ways.

“Always with style, class, dignity and honour.

“And, very remarkably in the world we’re now in, always as total volunteers to the Tyrone GAA cause.”

In their first year in charge, the management duo of Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher led Tyrone to the All-Ireland title last weekend - beating Mayo in the final. Picture by Seamus Loughran
In their first year in charge, the management duo of Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher led Tyrone to the All-Ireland title last weekend - beating Mayo in the final. Picture by Seamus Loughran

The highlight of Dooher and Logan’s tenure would undoubtedly be the All-Ireland title won by Tyrone in 2021 when they beat Mayo 2-14 to 0-15.

This All-Ireland SFC was the first one to be won with fans back in the stadium after the easing of restrictions following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Their run to the final was not free of controversy, with their All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry being postponed over a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad.

Before their stints as Tyrone boss, the two coaches were involved in the Tyrone U21 team along with Peter Canavan, who ruled himself out for the top job when Harte stepped down.

“Brian’s and Feargal’s contributions to Tyrone GAA are just monumental,” explained county secretary, Michael Kerr.

“Too often we focus on ‘What’ people achieve. But, in the broader picture, the ‘How’ and the ‘Why’ are probably more important.”

“Brian and Feargal have delivered the supreme prizes for Tyrone.”

The Tyrone management team of Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher have seen considerable Covid-related upheaval in recent weeks. Picture by Philip Walsh
The Tyrone management team of Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher were forced to postpone their 2021 All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry due to a Covid-19 outbreak in their squad. Picture by Philip Walsh

“But they’ve always done that in the right way. And never more so than in the COVID throes, when they unapologetically prioritised the well-being of our players and then dealt so well with the serious impacts of the virus on our panel.”

The hunt now starts for Dooher and Logan’s successor(s), for someone who can restore Tyrone football back to their place of competing with the best year-in-year-out.