Galway U20 football manager steps down from role

Kevin Johnson’s inclusion in the Galway senior football management team means the Claregalway clubman has stepped down from his role as the county’s U20 football manager. The Tuam Herald have reported that Galway’s new U20 manager is expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Johnson had added former Galway footballer Kieran Fitzgerald to his U20 backroom team in September. He took charge of the county’s U20 side this season, with their campaign coming to an end following a Connacht semi-final defeat to Roscommon.

Three members of this year’s Galway senior football panel, Mikey Mulryan, Shay McGlinchey and Ciaran Mulhern, were also part of Johnson’s U20 squad.

Éamonn Fitzmaurice looks set to have assembled his backroom team with the Galway senior footballers ahead of the 2027 season. Fitzmaurice was announced as Galway senior football manager on September 30 on a three-year term and was in attendance at the Galway Senior Football Championship semi-finals at the weekend.

The Irish Examiner reported on Wednesday evening that Lisa Fallon, Gareth Bradshaw, Gary O’Donnell, Kevin Johnson and David Morris are all set to form part of Fitzmaurice’s backroom team.

Fallon is set to take up a coaching role with Galway and has previously been involved Galway United under John Caufield, while she has also worked with Chelsea Women, Northern Ireland and Cork City. The UEFA Pro Licence holder previously worked with the Dublin senior footballers during Jim Gavin’s time in charge.

Morris is set to continue his role as part of the Galway senior football backroom team, having been involved in Padraic Joyce’s management set-up over the past two seasons. Joyce added the Corofin clubman to his backroom team in 2025.

Meanwhile, Kevin Johnson is also set to join Fitzmaurice’s team. Johnson has guided Tourlestrane, Ballintubber and Corofin to county titles and was also involved with Leitrim Gaels in a coaching capacity when they won the Leitrim SFC last year. Johnson took charge of the Galway U20’s this season and has now stepped down from his role.

This will be former Galway footballers Gareth Bradshaw and Gary O’Donnell’s first involvement in an inter-county senior management set-up. Bradshaw gained coaching experience as part of Derek Savage’s management team with the Galway U20s, while O’Donnell was involved with the Galway minor footballers under Neil McHugh.