Kerry club management merry-go-round in full swing as Quillinan takes over at Glenflesk

Glenbeigh/Glencar clubman Peter O’Sullivan is taking over at Kenmare Shamrocks while former Kerry minor Paddy Curran has been appointed by Templenoe

Wayne Quillinan spent three years as manager of the Kerry minor footballers. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Former Kerry minor football boss Wayne Quillinan has been appointed the manager of East Kerry intermediate club Glenflesk, replacing John B O’Donoghue, Seamus Moynihan, Shane Dennehy and Donie Donovan.

Quillinan is a major appointment for Glenflesk - who play in Division 1 of the County League -  as he has spent the last three years managing the Kerry minors, winning three consecutive Munster titles, reaching two All-Ireland semi-finals and this year losing the All-Ireland decider to a crack Tyrone team by a single point.

He has also won major honours with Austin Stacks, including the Bishop Moynihan in 2021 and also three senior club championships and numerous county league titles to boot.

Quillinan’s management team will include Jonathan Conway and Rob Cussen. The former has worked with Quillinan as a coach/selector at Austin Stacks and with the Kerry minors. Cussen will be the S&C coach and he has worked with Kerry inter-county teams as well as development squads.

Glenflesk, quarter-finalists in this year's Kerry IFC, are bristling with young talent who were involved with the Kingdom underage teams and St Brendan's College Killarney. Players like Jamie Moynihan, Luke Crowley, Cian Lynch, the three Roche brothers - Darragh, Dylan and Ian - John Kelliher, Chris O’Donoghue, Jeff O’Donoghue and former Kerry U-20 captain Killian O’Sullivan, give Quillinan plenty of talent with which to work.

Meanwhile, Glenbeigh/Glencar clubman Peter O’Sullivan is taking over at Kenmare Shamrocks after spending six years with the Mid Kerry divisional team, taking them to the cusp of SFC glory, losing three finals to a star-studded East Kerry side. A former goalkeeper with Glenbeigh/Glencar, O’Sullivan will bring a wealth of experience to a very talented Kenmare Shamrocks side, who are led by Kerry All-Star Seanie O’Shea.

Three-year Kerry Minor and U21 player Paddy Curran from Waterville, who at one stage was mentioned as a future Kerry senior star until a cruel number of ACL injuries blighted his playing career, has been appointed manager of Kenmare neighbours Templenoe with Brian L O’Sullivan from Skellig Rangers joining him.

A number of vacancies are currently being filled, with Liam Hassett having stepped down at Laune Rangers, William Harmon and his management team have done likewise at Spa, but it is understood that while discussions are being held with prospective candidates, nothing has been decided.

Former Kerry captain Darran O’Sullivan and Fergal Griffin, two ex Glenbeigh/Glencar stalwarts join Micheal O’Shea’s backroom team at the Mid Kerry Club, while John Evans remains with Listry.

On the hurling front, the big news is that former Tipperary hurler Dinny Cahill is the new boss at Ballyheigue. Cahill was manager of a number of inter-county sides such as Antrim and Laois as well as All-Ireland winning SHC club side Portumna and also managed his native county to All-Ireland Minor glory in 1996. He won four Tipperary SHC titles with his club Kilruane MacDonagh’s and one All-Ireland senior club title. He replaces Brendan O’Sullivan and Michael Slattery who are taking a break from management.

Natal O'Grady has been appointed manager of Crotta O’Neills as they bid to reclaim the Neilus Flynn Cup from neighbours Abbeydorney, who are yet to replace Francie O’Donovan. Holder of seven senior county championship medals with his native Patrickswell, O'Grady also managed the Limerick intermediate hurlers and was U21 selector with the county. In recent years he coached Patrickswell and Knockainey and was involved with Kildimo/Pallaskenry.