Gaelic Games

Rory Gallagher named as new Fermanagh manager

Former Donegal boss and Fermanagh native to be joined by Ryan McMenamin

Rory Gallagher: the Belleek man was the only name put forward by the committee tasked to appoint a successor to Peter McGrath. Photograph: Inpho

Tue Sep 12 2017 - 08:15

Former Donegal team manager Rory Gallagher was last night ratified as manager of his native Fermanagh at county committee meeting in Enniskillen.

And it is believed Ryan McMenamin from Tyrone was due to be part of his back room team.

Gallagher stood down from the Donegal job in early August and is back in another hot seat within five weeks.

The Belleek man was the only name put forward by the committee tasked to appoint a successor.

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It is believed Gallagher impressed the committee during his interview.

And he was given also given strong backing from former Erne All Star Martin McGrath at the weekend.

It is understood Gallagher would have the broad support of he players, who effectively dispensed with the services of Peter McGrath in July.

Gallagher was coach to the Donegal team that took the All-Ireland in 2012 after linking up with Jim McGuinness in 2011.

Gallagher and McGuinness parted company in 2013.

He was back as manager in 2014 and took Donegal to two senior consecutive Ulster final appearances in 2015 and 2016 losing narrowly on both occasions.

Gallagher sought and was given a three- year extension to his term last year which would have taken him to 2019 with the Donegal team.

But he quit in early August after heavy defeats to Tyrone and Galway.

Gallagher played for Fermanagh on and off from 1996-2010.

He was top scorer in Ulster for the Erne County from 200-2002 and scored 3-9 in an Ulster Championship match in 2002.

He left the county that same year and missed out on the county’s great run to the All-Ireland semi-final in 2004.

Gallagher played for Fermanagh again in 2005 but did not feature again until 2010.

In between he won a Leinster club title with St Brigid’s in 2005 and two Ulster and an All-Ireland club medal with St Gall’s in 2009.

In the interim, he lined out with Cavan in the Ulster Championship of 2007.

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