Down boss Paddy Tally keen to impress players not pundits

New Down manager Paddy Tally says working with the Galway footballers this year gave him a new appreciation of the game and gave him the ambition to become an inter-county manager.

Renowned as a quality coach after helping Tyrone to a first All-Ireland SFC title in 2003, Tally had spells with Down and Derry before joining Kevin Walsh’s backroom team for 2018, helping them reach a league final and their first All-Ireland semi-final since 2001. However, he has also been labelled as a defensive coach by pundits like Joe Brolly, who attributed Galway’s defensive set-up this year to the influence of the Galbally man.