Cavan man Alan O'Mara steps down as New York football boss after one season in charge

Former New York manager Alan O'Mara before the Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final. Pic: Tom Beary/Sportsfile

Alan O’Mara has stood down as manager of the New York senior footballers after one season in charge.

O'Mara, a former inter-county goalkeeper with Cavan, was appointed last December having been a member of the Westmeath NY club. He took over from Armagh native Johnny McGeeney.

In the 2024 championship, New York went down 2-21 to 2-6 against Mayo in the Connacht SFC quarter-final at Gaelic Park.

They went on produce an impressive showing in the Tailteann Cup against eventual finalists Laois in Portlaoise, losing out 1-13 to 1-9. In the current away rota, Connacht champions and All-Ireland finalists Galway are set to take on New York next year.

“Leading this team was a privilege and challenge that I enjoyed tremendously,” O’Mara said.

“However, moving forward I can no longer give the necessary commitment to the team, as I relocate to Pennsylvania and focus on my career as a Mental Performance Coach in college and professional sports.” 

It means at least 11 counties will have a change in management for the 2025 championship, including Offaly who appointed Mickey Harte as joint-manager with Declan Kelly. Derry, Tyrone, Monaghan, Meath and Westmeath are yet to make an appointment.

Elsewhere, Brian Flanagan has been ratified as the new manager of Kildare senior football team. The U20 All-Ireland winning manager was handed a four-year term. Armagh’s Aidan O’Rourke and former Kildare footballers Damien Hendy and Daryl Flynn are on his ticket.