*Conor Shannon in action for St Breckan’s. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
LISDOONVARNA’S Conor Shannon has been appointed as the new performance and talent lead with Clare GAA.
Shannon was appointed to the role in December but until took on the post in the past fortnight after finishing up with the Camogie Association where he had been Club and Education Coordinator. Among his achievements here were an involvement in launching the Camogie Association’s playing time charter to try address dropout and improve player retention.
He succeeds Rob Mulcahy who was Clare GAA’s first-ever Performance Lead when he took on the mantle in August 2023. The Kerry man had been head of athlete development and a sport scientist with Clare GAA since May 2019, spending five years as S&C coach with Colm Collins’ county senior footballers.
Mulcahy became Head of Athletic Development with Setanta College in August 2024 so Conor’s addition to the coaching ranks of Clare GAA fills a vacancy that had existed for six months.
An intermediate championship winner with St Breckan’s in 2019, Conor is currently part of their senior side, featuring predominantly in the half-forward or half-back line. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Sport and Exercise Sciences and a Masters in Strength and Conditioning.
During James Murrihy’s two year stint as Clare intermediate ladies football manager, Conor was the team’s sport scientist and S&C coach. While recovering from an ACL injury, he also served as S&C coach with the Limerick U20 footballers.
From October 2020 to May 2023, he worked with Laois GAA as Head of Hurling Development and also as an S&C coach and sport scientist.
Since October 2023, he has been involved with Terence Fahy’s Clare U20 hurlers as athletic development coach. Last year was his first involved as S&C coach with the Inagh/Kilnamona senior hurlers who exited the semi-finals of the 2024 Clare SHC on penalties and lost the Clare Cup final to Newmarket-on-Fergus.
Speaking at Clare GAA’s Convention in December, Micheál Duffy confirmed that his fellow North Clare man was successful in his application for the post. “It was a very competitive race to find Rob’s replacement, there was eight initial interviews and five people shortlisted and Conor came out on top”.
