From Kildare GAA star takes the reins of Laois GAA club football champs

Former Kildare and Moorefield star, Ronan Sweeney, has been announced as the new manager of Laois GAA county Gaelic football champions Portarlington.

The Portarlington club confirmed the news on social media on December 30.

"We are delighted to announce that Ronan (Roly) Sweeney will be the new Portarlington Senior Football Manager.

"With a distinguished inter-county playing career and years of coaching experience at both club and county level behind him, Ronan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role," said the statement.

Portarlington have been in six of the last seven senior Laois GAA SFC finals, winning five. The Laois kingpins reached semi-final of the 2025 Leinster Club SFC, losing out to Athy.

He takes over from The Heath GAA clubman Pat Roe as Port set about retaining their Laois crown in 2026. 

"The club would also like to sincerely thank the outgoing Manager Pat Roe and his management team for their exceptional work over the last two seasons, said the statement.

The club will also hope that he can take them to the next level in the Leinster Club Championship, where Port have yet to make the breakthrough despite their dominance in Laois.

Ronan Sweeney, Moorefield, in action against Hugh Coghlan, Portlaoise, in the 2010 AIB GAA Football Leinster Club Senior Championship Quarter-Final in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise. Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE

Sweeney was one of the best players in the country during his 13 seasons with Kildare between 2000 and 2013. He won a Leinster title in 2000 after defeating Dublin. He played on the losing Kildare team against Laois in the historic 2003 Leinster win for the O'Moore County in Croke Park.

He was a big part of the club's most successful ever period, winning nine county championships and two Leinster titles between 2000 and 2018. His success with Moorefield overlapped with Portlaoise's dominance in Laois.

He went straight into coaching after retiring first with Waterford and then Sligo. He also coached under Cian O'Neill when he was the Kildare manager in 2016 and 2017.

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Apart from Pat Roe, Port have been managed in recent years by Anthony Cunningham, who has led St Brigid's to the 2025 Connacht Club Championship. 

Gracefield GAA man Martin Murphy led the club to four highly successful years before stepping down in 2022. He led Port to a Leinster semi-final but lost to Kilmacud Crokes. He most recently has managed Ballyroan Abbey GAA in Laois.