CARL McCormick and Martin Coulter have been ratified to continue as Antrim senior camogie managers while two other camogie managers who stepped down in recent weeks will take up new roles at intercountry level in a different county.
McCormick and Coulter had stepped in at the start of 2024 when the management team appointed by the Antrim County Board stepped down a couple of days before the first Very National League game.
A month later the pair was officially appointed to oversee the team for the season.
Considering the turbulent start to the season, Antrim did well to retain their Division One League status and they then defeated Derry to capture the Ulster senior title.
However Derry came back to bite them a fortnight later in the All-Ireland senior championship and the Saffrons ended up without a win in the group and relegated to the Intermediate championship.
Their term in charge was to see the season out and the team management position was then advertised in August. It is understood that McCormick and Coulter were the only applicants and changes were announced to their backroom team.
They will set about their preparations for the new season immediately and have been keeping an eye on the various championship games over the past month or two.
The managers each have a daughter in the senior team; both Róisín McCormick and Erin Coulter included in the Irish News Allstar team announced ten days ago.
Also at Monday’s Antrim Board meeting it was announced that former Down manager Paul Donnelly will be part of the Saffron minor management team headed by his St Paul’s club-mate Willie Devlin.
Donnelly had stepped down from the Mourne senior post just a few weeks ago after three years in charge.
Like Antrim, Down retained their Division One League status this year, but were relegated to the Intermediate championship after four years in the top flight.
And another manager on the move is PJ O’Mullan. The Loughgiel man helped Derry to the 2023 All-Ireland Intermediate title and they managed to remain in the O’Duffy Cup after wins over Antrim and Limerick in the group games.
He announced his departure after two seasons in charge at the start of September.
But he is now back on the inter-county side-line after being announced over the weekend as the new Armagh camogie manager in succession to Sean Hughes.
O’Mullan hasn’t finalised his back-room team, but will do so in the next couple of weeks and preparations will start soon for 2025 with the Orchard county now competing in Division Two of the league with an eye to capturing the All-Ireland Junior title they last held four years ago.
