*Michael Neylon. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
MILTOWN Malbay’s Michael Neylon coached Galway side Tuam Stars to win the Division 1 Football League this weekend.
Back to back league final defeats had been experienced by Tuam Stars in 2023 and 2024 but the addition of Neylon as coach helped the side overcome Corofin 1-12 0-13.
It was the third successive meeting of the clubs in the league final. In Friday’s game held at Tuam Stadium, the winners led 0-8 0-3 at half time, they scored their goal in the second half via former Armagh footballer Jack Grugan before Corofin managed to narrow the gap.
They defeated Salthill-Knocknacarra in the semi-final by ten points. David Donnellan is manager of the side which won the league title for the first time since 2019.
Attention now turns to championship for the Stars, their first game is against Claregalway who have had the upperhand on them in championship for the past two years.
Neylon was in Shanahan McNamara Memorial Park, Doonbeg on Saturday evening watching his native St Joseph’s Miltown defeat Wolfe Tones to win the O’Gorman Cup for the second time in three seasons, his son Seán lining out at wing back.
Tuam Stars is his Michael’s first coaching role since stepping down as manager of the Clare U20 footballers. He had been ratified to continue in September of last year before stepping down in November citing “circumstances outside of my control”.
He had been the early favourite to succeed Mark Fitzgerald as Clare senior football manager before the last candidate to enter the race, Peter Keane was recommended for ratification by the four-person interview committee of Clare GAA Head of Operations, Deirdre Murphy, Clare GAA Chairman Kieran Keating, former Clare minor manager Dermot Coughlan and ex Clare forward David Tubridy.
