Kernan confirmed as new Galway boss

Joe Kernan was officially ratified as the new Galway senior football manager last night, succeeding Liam Sammon on a three-year term.

Kernan, who managed his native Armagh to the 2002 All-Ireland SFC title, had his appointment rubber-stamped at a Galway Football Board meeting at Ionad Peile na Gaillimhe in Loughgeorge.

The Crossmaglen man and recent Westmeath manager Tomas O Flatharta were the only two contenders for the vacant position, after the three other nominees withdrew.

Galway Football Board chairman John Joe Holleran is very happy with the appointment.

"It is one of the top jobs in the country and we had two high-calibre men in the running, but we believe Joe Kernan is the person to lead Galway football for the next few years," he said.

"Hopefully the success he brought to Armagh can be repeated here in Galway.

"He has a great track record and with Galway having enjoyed underage success in recent years, we hope that we can move on to the next level with Joe at the helm."

Kernan, whose later mother hailed from Ballinasloe, is currently away on holidays but is expected to attend Sunday's Galway SFC semi-finals - Salthill-Knocknacarra v Corofin and Caltra v Mountbellew-Moylough.

In an interview with the Connacht Tribune last week, he revealed how the possibility of him taking over the Tribesmen came about.

"I was approached by a couple of county teams but they didn't really appeal to me," he said.

"Then I spoke to people at the Salthill-Knocknacarra club when I was in Galway a few weeks ago and I also met with County Board officials and I just had a good gut feeling about Galway.

"I did my time with Armagh and I decided maybe it was time for a new challenge and I decided not to go back.

"The feeling I got from Galway is great and the officials seem driven and passionate as well.

"I discussed it with my family and they all said ‘yes’ so I put my name forward. Transport (to Galway) was a stumbling block at the start because (I thought) car was the only way to get there.

"But Galway football is sponsored by Aer Arann and I’m just a 45-minute drive from Dublin Airport and Galway Airport is only a few miles to the training facility at Loughgeorge, which looks amazing, and so I decided that travel wasn’t really an issue."