Dessie Dolan reappointed as Westmeath manager for second season

Dessie Dolan has been reappointed as Westmeath senior football manager for another season.

Next year will be Dolan’s second at the helm of his native county, having succeeded Jack Cooney in the role in September 2022.

Westmeath finished mid-table in Division Three of the league in what was the 2004 All Star’s maiden campaign as manager, while they also acquitted themselves well in the All-Ireland SFC round-robin stages.

“Westmeath GAA are delighted to announce the ratification of Dessie Dolan as manager of the Westmeath senior footballers for 2024,” read a statement by county officials following Wednesday night’s county board meeting.

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Meanwhile, Laois are still to confirm their new senior football manager, though former boss Justin McNulty continues to be linked with the role.

The ex-Armagh player previously managed the O’Moore County between 2011 and 2013 but has spent much of the last decade operating in the political arena with the SDLP – McNulty is currently a MLA for Newry and Armagh

Despite carrying out a series of interviews with potential candidates over recent weeks, Laois GAA officials opted for a back to the future approach by sounding out the 2002 All-Ireland winner for the role once again.

Billy Sheehan stepped down as Laois manager in early July and the midlanders remain one of the last remaining counties to appoint a senior football boss for 2024. Waterford and Tipperary are still also without managers, though former Kerry boss Peter Keane has been linked with the vacancy in the Premier County.

Laois missed out on league promotion from Division Four this season, finishing third in the table behind Sligo and Wicklow.

They shipped a heavy 4-30 to 2-9 defeat to Dublin in a Leinster SFC quarter-final in April, but rallied in the Tailteann Cup to make the semi-finals of the competition, ultimately falling to Down at the semi-final stages.

McNulty was appointed Laois senior football manager in August 2010 and stayed at the helm for three years. During his inaugural season he guided them to league promotion from Division Two, though they remained in the top flight for just one season.

There best championship run during McNulty’s first spell was an All-Ireland quarter-final appearance in 2012.

Elsewhere, Mick Bohan will remain manager of the Dublin women’s football team for 2024.

It will be Bohan’s eighth consecutive season at the helm, with the Clontarf native leading the Dubs to All-Ireland senior glory on five separate occasions, the four-in-a-row between 2017-2020, and this year’s triumph.

Bohan was appointed to the position in December 2016, coming back for a second stint having previously managed the team in 2003. He had a spell involved as part of Jim Gavin’s backroom team with the Dublin men’s side before returning to the women’s outfit.

However, Dublin were denied the five-in-a-row by Meath in 2021 and while Bohan’s side did win the Leinster title this season, they again fell short of All-Ireland glory, losing to Donegal at the quarter-final stages. He has also managed Dublin to six Leinster senior championships and two Division One league titles.