CIAN O'Neill has stepped down as manager of Kildare.
O’Neill was appointed Kildare manager in 2015 and led his native county to back-to-back National League promotions.
However, last month Kildare’s Championship campaign came to an end following defeat to Tyrone in a third round qualifier at Newbridge.
"As a proud Kildare man, it was an honour and privilege to have been given the opportunity to work with an exceptional group of players, each one of us doing our best to represent our clubs and county with distinction at all times,” O'Neill said in a statement released on Thursday morning.
“It was tough on my mum and dad. I knew I was self-destructing. And I also knew the next phase of that, if I had carried on, it was not being here. I was in a very dark place...” - the life and times of Caolan Mooney
“I felt as if the world was going to end...” St Colman’s College sports studies students submit articles on the game, fight or issue that mattered most to them this year…
“Unfortunately, the successes of consecutive promotions from Division 3 to Division 1, a first Leinster Final in eight years and progression to the Super 8s in 2018 was met with equal disappointment across these four years where frustratingly we didn’t always reach our potential as a group.”
"As manager, this is my greatest regret and ultimately my responsibility, and this undoubtedly informed my decision to step away from this role.
“This will hopefully leave time and space for my successor and the chosen group of players to take the challenge to a new level under a new direction."
Cian O’Neill becomes the fourth inter-county manager to resign this summer, with Paul McLoughlin (Wexford), Liam Kearns (Tipperary) and Malachy O'Rourke (Monaghan) having already departed.
Attention now turns to who will take over the Lilywhites, with former Donegal manager Jim McGuinness and ex-Tipp boss Liam Kearns being rumoured as possible replacements.
