New Galway U20 football manager annouced ahead of 2027 season
DONAL Ó FATHARTA has been announced as the new Galway U20 football manager for the 2027 season, taking over from Kevin Johnson, who has stepped down after one year in charge to join Eamonn Fitzmaurice's Galway senior football management team.
Kevin Johnson stepped down as Galway U20 football manager after one season in charge, having joined Eamonn Fitzmaurice's backroom team with the Galway senior footballers.
Donal Ó Fátharta, who served as part of Johnson's management team this year, has been appointed as his successor and will be assisted by former Galway footballers Kieran Fitzgerald, Mike Comer, Cormac Bane and Brian O’Donoghue.
Bane and Comer were both involved with the U20 set-up this year, alongside Ó Fátharta, who served as a selector under Johnson. Fitzgerald and O’Donoghue are new additions to the backroom team.
Fitzgerald enjoyed a successful playing career with Corofin and has since gained coaching experience with Garrymore and Ballinrobe. He guided the Ballinrobe to the Intermediate final, where they were defeated by Davitts.Former Galway goalkeeper O’Donoghue also brings goalkeeping experience to the set-up.
Ó Fátharta, meanwhile, returns to the role after previously managing Galway U20s between 2020 and 2023. The An Spidéal clubman led the Tribesmen to All-Ireland success in 2020, but Galway have been unable to reclaim the Connacht title since that campaign.He was also involved with his club An Spidéal this year, as they reached the Galway Intermediate Football Championship final before losing out to Caherlistrane.
The Tribesmen last contested a Connacht final in 2023, while their campaign this year ended at the semi-final stage following defeat to Roscommon. Three members of this year's U20 panel also gained senior inter-county experience, with Ciaran Mulhern, Mikey Mulryan and Shay McGlinchey all receiving game time under former manager Padraic Joyce.