*Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
FORMER Kerry minor football manager, James Costello has joined the management of the Clare senior footballers.
Mark Fitzgerald has added his fellow Kerry man to the management team in recent weeks as he begins preparations for his first season in charge of the Clare senior footballers.
Offering some continuity to the new management is selector Declan Downes. The Kilmihil man will be involved with the senior side for the ninth season in a row and will fulfil the same role he had under Colm Collins.
Former Limerick captain, Seanie Buckley is the side’s head coach, as first reported by The Clare Echo in September. A two-time Clare SFC winning coach with Éire Óg, he captained his county to two Division Four League titles in Croke Park, beating Waterford in 2010 and overcoming Offaly in 2013.
Kilrush’s Owen Tarrant is the side’s strength and conditioning coach, replacing Micheál Cahill. Owen held the same post with the Mayo footballers last season. He was S&C coach and assistant sports scientist with the Chiefs Rugby Club in New Zealand. He has been lead S&C coach with Young Munster and Garryowen and for close to two years he was an academy S&C coach with Munster Rugby. Before the Mayo role, he was Head of Performance with Kobe Steelers Rugby and Japan RFU.
Jim Marrinan of St Joseph’s Miltown will continue as the team’s kitman while The Clare Echo understands that Cratloe’s Jody O’Connor and Brian O’Connell have left their roles covering video analysis and statistics. Diarmuid Whelan of Kilmurry Ibrickane will be remaining involved in this capacity.
At a structures meeting of Clare GAA on Monday evening, Kildysart’s John Meade once again pressed the County Executive for details on Fitzgerald’s management.
Chairman Kieran Keating at this meeting in Caherlohan confirmed the addition of Costello as selector. “He has worked closely with Mark in the past and he is comfortable with him. He had to go outside the county to fill his team,” the Naomh Eoin clubman stated.
“They are crippled with injuries and retirements”, commented Head of Operations Deirdre Murphy.
