Irish Independent

Quaid linked with Westmeath job after Kildare exit

- Michael Verney

THE managerial merry-go-round is in full swing with a host of intercount­y hot seats to be filled and it looks like former Limerick goalkeeper Joe Quaid will be the next Westmeath hurling manager.

Quaid (right) resigned as Kildare boss yesterday having helped the Lilies to Christy Ring Cup glory this summer in his third year at the helm and it looks like he is set to switch to Westmeath and edge out Johnny Greville to take the post.

Michael Ryan departed following their All-Ireland SHC preliminar­y quarter-final defeat to Wexford and if Quaid takes the job as expected, he will hope to go one better next season following defeats to Carlow in the League’s Division 2A final and the Joe McDonagh Cup deciders.

The Lake County are also on the lookout for a football boss with former county star John Cooney and former Sligo manager Niall Carew understood to be leading the race to succeed Colin Kelly.

The next boss is likely to have Ray Connellan available to them as the Athlone ace has officially finished up with AFL side St Kilda and looks set for a return to Ireland.

“I wish my time at St Kilda could go on a little longer but sadly it’s not to be! Most amazing experience of my life coming here.. thanks to everyone who has played a part in helping me live out this dream. And now if anyone has any jobs going that would be great,” Connellan wrote on Instagram. Meanwhile, it is rumoured that Roscommon native Kevin Stritch – who helped Castleknoc­k to a first Dublin SFC final two years ago – is being targeted to replace Paddy Tally as Galway coach after Tally departed the Connacht champions having taken the reins in Down.

It is also believed that former Dublin manager Tommy Carr will be involved in John Maughan’s Offaly backroom team in some capacity with the Mayo native set to take charge in the coming weeks.

Elsewhere, Pádraic Davis’ name is in the mix as a contender for the vacancy as Longford senior football manager following Denis Connerton’s resignatio­n last month.

Connerton stepped down not long after his second stint in the Longford hot seat ended in Qualifier defeat to Kildare earlier this year and Davis, a stalwart in the blue and gold from 1995 to 2007, is expected to be a leading candidate to fill his shoes.

The Fr Manning Gaels clubman has plenty of experience having previously managed Longford’s U-21 and junior teams and Davis was also a selector during Glenn Ryan’s tenure as well as guiding Mohill to two Leitrim SFC titles in recent years.

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