Furlong steps down as Offaly GAA bids to finalise county managements
Board to meet with senior football management and players this week
KEN Furlong is stepping down as the Offaly U-20 football manager as the County Board bids to finalise county team managements for next season in the coming weeks.
The Tullamore man has opted out after completing two years at the helm, meaning that the board will have to appoint at least one new management for 2024.
Senior board officers, Michael Duignan, Colm Cummins and Dervill Dolan along with Tullamore's Paul Rouse and Rhode's Stephen Darby will be meeting the outgoing senior football management and players' representatives separately this week.
There has been some speculation about the future of manager Declan Kelly after the year ended very bleakly with an early Tailteann Cup exit. Separate meetings with outgoing management and players is a normal part of the review process for appointing personnel and reflecting on the season.
Kelly is favourite to be appointed for a second year, possibly with additions to his backroom team. Manager of the Offaly side that won the All-Ireland U-20 Football Championship in 2021, the Kilclonfert man completed his first season as senior manager in 2024. The retained their status in Division 3 of the National Football League and beat Laois in the first round of the Leinster Senior Football Championship before sustaining a heavy defeat at the hands of Dublin in the semi-final.
In the Tailteann Cup, however, Offaly endured a dreadful campaign, losing to London and Limerick before giving a better display in a defeat by Down in their last group game.
Senior and U-20 hurling team managers, Johnny Kelly and Leo O'Connor will almost certainly be back at the helm. County Board officers have held initial meetings with them and if either isn't back, it will very much be his own choice.
Portumna man Kelly led Offaly to the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2024 while Limerick's Leo O'Connor managed Offaly to a sensational win in the All-Ireland U-20 Hurling Championship.
O'Connor has confirmed that he is interested in becoming Offaly senior hurling manager in the future but the time is not right for that yet. Kelly has more than earned the right to manage Offaly in their return to the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship next year while the board will want O'Connor to stick with the U-20 hurlers: Pipped by Tipperary in the All-Ireland minor hurling final in 2022, Offaly will be the starters' favourites to retain their All-Ireland U-20 crown in 2025.
The Offaly minor football manager, Roger Ryan (Shannonbridge) and minor hurling manager, Enda Mulhare (St Rynagh's) are interested in staying on for another season. The minor hurlers competed particularly well in 2024 and board officers have held an initial meeting with both men. They will be reviewing all aspects before appointments are finalised – County Board chairman Michael Duignan said they will be looking at the management of the Combined Schools senior football and hurling teams and the personnel involved as part of this process.