Deirdre O’Reilly: The 11-time All-Ireland ladies football winner managing two mens teams

Deirdre O’Reilly comes to management after a silverware-laden playing career

File picture of Deirdre O'Reilly, Cork  

The practice of dual clubs having one manager oversee both their hurling and football team is becoming more and more common. Loughmore-Castleiney, who last Sunday contested the Tipp hurling final and tomorrow bid for county football glory, are probably the trailblazers in getting one manager to look after both codes, having first adopted this policy some 12 years ago.

What is not at all common is for a dual GAA club to opt for a woman to look after their two flagship teams.

A doff of the cap so to Cork club Newmarket, who broke new ground when appointing Deirdre O’Reilly as manager of their premier intermediate footballers and junior hurlers for the 2020 season.

O’Reilly comes to management after a silverware-laden playing career that saw her win 11 All-Ireland senior medals with the all-conquering Cork ladies footballers between 2005 and 2016. She also collected four All-Star trinkets during her time in red.

What isn’t as well documented is that she was similarly proficient with a hurl in hand, O’Reilly lining out at centre-forward on the Milford camogie team which won All-Ireland senior club titles in 2013, 2014, and 2016.

On the management front, it has been a case of so far, so good.

The hurlers did narrowly miss out on a place in the Duhallow JAHC final, but the club’s premier intermediate footballers are still very much in the hunt for county championship honours and will this afternoon bid for county final involvement when they take on Knocknagree in the penultimate round (Kiskeam, 4pm).

Newmarket club chairman Seán Irwin sketches the background to O’Reilly’s appointment.

“Last year was the first year we had one person over both. It worked quite well for us and so we were looking for someone to do the same role this year,” he explains.

“Deirdre runs a gym in Kanturk and for the last number of years she has helped our teams on the strength and conditioning front. She would have given a hand at the start of the year and the odd time throughout the season, as well.” 

Given the players’ familiarity with O’Reilly, it was decided an approach would be made ahead of the 2020 season.

“We sat down with her to discuss it and she was happy to take on the role, which we were delighted with.

“From the successes she has had as a player, Deirdre commands the respect of everyone. Around here, we are well aware of her credentials in both codes.

“Obviously everyone knows she had huge success with the Cork ladies footballers, but she also had a very good camogie career with Milford. She fitted the bill for us, which is great when we were looking for someone to be involved in both sides of it. And she is living locally so all boxes were ticked.

“We have a county semi-final on Saturday so it has been going well. Please God, it continues.”