Derry GAA sounded out a manager with a 400-mile round trip to county but may now be about to make shrewd move

Former Kerry manager Peter Keane
-Credit: (Image: ©INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan)


It's only six months since Derry beat Dublin in a thrilling League final that ended up going to a penalty shoot-out. To many, it was the best football game of the year, and proof of Derry's credentials.

After all, they'd won the previous two Ulster titles and had just been pipped by Kerry in the 2023 All-Ireland semi-finals.

There had been turmoil with Rory Gallagher stepping aside as manager, but Ciaran Meenagh had done well in his short spell in charge, and it looked as if the Tyrone double act of Mickey Harte and Gavin Devlin were giving Derry fresh impetus.

READ MORE: Derry GAA ready to name All-Ireland winner and four-time All Star from neighbouring county as manager

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They'd been strong all season, winning the pre-season McKenna Cup as well, but few realised that the win over Dublin in that League final would be the high point of Derry's year.

A loss at home to Donegal where they leaked silly goals led to questions about the management that grew ever louder until they eventually limped out to Kerry after an abject display.

That loss to Kerry was on June 30. Harte and Devlin walked away on July 8. We're in the middle of October and Derry still haven't found a new manager.

Nobody could accuse Derry of not trawling the country in search of an answer, that's for sure. Conleth Gilligan, a Derry native who is one of All-Ireland champions Armagh's coaches, was approached. So was Ciaran Meenagh, the Tyroneman who took the reins after Rory Gallagher stepped aside. Meenagh is coaching with Down

An approach was made to James Horan, who came so close to lifting Sam Maguire with Mayo. Derry even sounded out former Kerry manager, Peter Keane. It is over 200 miles from Keane's home in Killorglin to Derry's training base in Owenbeg. That they still had him on their shortlist can be taken two ways - a sign of ambition or desperation.

Kilcoo manager Karl Lacey
Kilcoo manager Karl Lacey -Credit:©INPHO/Ben Brady

There were reports just a few weeks ago that Mark Doran, a native of Down who is managing Slaughtneil, was a shoo-in to get the job. But then Lacey's name emerged from nowhere on Friday. A day later, Derry were paired against reigning Ulster champions Donegal in the preliminary round of next year's Ulster Championship.

During Jim McGuinness's first spell as Donegal manager, there were two players who he leaned on heavily for advice and support, and to lead the charge on the field - captain Michael Murphy and vice-captain Lacey. To have McGuinness and Lacey going toe-to-toe on the MacCumhaill Park sideline would be quite something.

Why would Derry be interested in Lacey, who has no inter-county managerial experience and just a couple of years at club level with Down outfit Kilcoo? Well, the pool of managers who are available and with a proven track record isn't exactly a deep one. And there has long since been a feeling that Lacey is a top manager in waiting.

He turned 40 a month ago so is at the right age to make the step up, and it's worth remembering how highly those who've worked with him rate Lacey.

Eamon McGee first came across Lacey when they were on Donegal Under-14 development squads together. They'd end up soldering together in defence for years, winning an All-Ireland in 2012.

"Karl was head of the Academy for a few years but there were differences with the County Board and he stepped down. All the Academy coaches walked out in solidarity with him. Then the Board issued a statement saying they were happy to accept Lacey's resignation,'' said McGee.

"I was furious. I know Lacey for most of my life and have seen first hand the brilliant work he was doing in the Academy. I know the kind of vision he had for Donegal football and was excited about where the county was going. It's as if Donegal got a winning Lotto ticket and decided to flush it down the toilet.

"The first year I was involved with the Donegal Under-20s, I wanted to set up the team in a way that would make them more competitive and have a better chance of winning.

"I talked about it with Lacey and he wasn't slow to tell me that it went against the player philosophy we'd all agreed on. He wasn't slow to let me know that this was me giving in to my ego and to remember it was the players that mattered."

That's the kind of single-mindedness that Lacey possesses. Every managerial appointment is a punt but, if Derry do end up taking one on Lacey, it could pay off big time.

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