Mattie McGleenan revelling in unexpected Cavan role

Mattie McGleenan admits he never expected to be offered the Cavan senior football manager’s job but has identified staying in Division One as perhaps the most crucial goal of his rookie season.

The former Tyrone forward, whose first game in charge will be against his native county in Sunday’s McKenna Cup opener, says inter-county management was always an ambition.

After a successful spell in charge of Scotstown, who won three Monaghan SFC titles in the last four years, McGleenan was head-hunted by Cavan but confesses he “never saw it coming”.