SRELHEASEED NEW DIRECTION WITHOUT OWEN

SHELBOURNE parted company with Owen Heary last night after informing the manager a ‘new direction and approach’ was being taken at the club.

And Sligo Rovers also confirmed that manager Gerard Lyttle’s contract won’t be renewed next season.

An interim boss will be appointed at the Showgrounds for the final week-and-a-half of the season.

But former St Pat’s manager Liam Buckley (inset) will be Lyttle’s full-time successor – as we revealed yesterday – with confirmation due once the season ends.

A Shels legend as a player, Heary was in charge of the Reds since the summer of 2016 and led the First Division club to fourth and third placed finishes respectively.

They qualified for the First Division playoff this season but lost on penalties to Drogheda United.

A Shelbourne statement read: “Shelbourne FC would like to announce that they will not be reappointing Owen Heary as first team coach for the 2019 season as a result of a new direction and approach being taken by the club. “The Board of Management wishes to thank Owen for his significant contribution in developing the playing squad over the past two seasons.

“Getting to the playoffs this year was a particular high point of Owen’s tenure as coach and another was winning the Leinster Senior Cup in successive seasons.”

It continued: “Because of his long association with Shelbourne, as player and more recently as coach, Owen will always have a really special place in the hearts of all Shelbourne supporters.”