ENDA McGinley has stepped down as Antrim senior footballer manager in the wake of his side’s defeat to Leitrim in the first round Tailteann Cup match on Saturday.
A statement released by Antrim GAA on Sunday read:
“The Antrim County Board can announce that Enda McGinley has stepped down as manager of our Senior football team.
“During Enda’s tenure our Senior footballers have both gained promotion to Division 3 and retained their Division 3 status for 2023.
“We would like to sincerely thank Enda, Stephen O’Neill, Sean Kelly, Stephen Quinn and all the backroom team for their efforts and we wish them all the best of luck for the future.”
Former Tyrone All-Ireland winner McGinley took over as Antrim manager at the start of 2020 following the departure of Lenny Harbinson.
Following Saturday’s defeat to Leitrim, McGinley voiced his frustrations at competing in the Tailteann Cup and the difficulties in motivating his team for it.
“It can’t be dependent on your league finishing position, because that leaves you that you’re trying to get out of this competition, so being in it in the first place is seen as a failure and something to get your head around,” he said.
“Whereas for normal GAA life, you play your league and you look forward to your championship, whereas for the Tailteann at the minute, the structure is that the league can get you of it, the provincial championship can get you out of it, so you’re only in it as a result of two failures, and that always leaves teams trying to gather themselves.
“As opposed to if it’s their championship, their level at the start of the year, that might work a bit better.”
