Ger Brennan will succeed Mickey Harte as Louth senior football manager. The former Dublin player has been appointed for a two-year term with the option of a third season on completion of a review. The two-time Sam Maguire winner with the Dubs has assembled an impressive backroom team which includes Niall Moyna and James McCartan.
Brennan’s appointment was confirmed at a meeting of the Louth County Board on Monday night, and marks the longest-serving intercounty manager in the country being replaced by one of the most inexperienced.
This will be Brennan’s first managerial position at intercounty level. But the St Vincent’s clubman has built up a decent CV in recent years with a spell as a coach-selector under Niall Carew in Carlow, while he also managed Wicklow outfit Bray Emmets and was in charge of Kildare side Moorefield for the last two seasons.
Brennan, who is head of Gaelic Games in UCD, was linked with the Monaghan position last August and more recently the former Dublin centre back was touted a possible replacement for Billy Sheehan in Laois.
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Louth were left reeling only two weeks ago when it emerged Harte, who had already begun preparations with the Wee County for 2024, announced he was stepping down to instead take charge of the Derry senior footballers.
It will be Harte’s third county to manage and maintains his unbroken involvement at senior level, which stretches back to the 2003 season when he initially took charge of his native Tyrone.
Louth will again compete in Division Two of the National League next season. They lost the 2023 Leinster SFC final to Dublin.
McCartan’s involvement as a forwards coach and selector will bring significant experience to the Louth camp, with the two-time Sam Maguire winning Down player having managed his county to an All-Ireland final appearance in 2010. Moyna was involved with the Dublin backroom team for their breakthrough 2011 All-Ireland win. David Whyte, James Downey and Paul O’Flynn have also been named on Brennan’s ticket.
