*Niall Hickey and Graham Shine. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
CLARE intermediate ladies football manager Graham Shine has said he will take time to consider his position.
Appointed manager in October 2024, Shine’s two seasons in charge have seen the county fail to progress beyond the quarter-finals of the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate ladies football championship.
Relegation from Division 2 of the Lidl Ladies Football National League marked a difficult start to his tenure in 2025 with Clare just about clinging on to their Division 3 status this season.
When asked by The Clare Echo on his future as manager, Graham stated, “That is not for today, you walk off the field and you are absolutely gutted, we put our heart and soul into it for thirty or forty hours a week, getting home at 11:30 every Wednesday and Friday, we do it because we love it”.
Shine expressed his respect and appreciation for the panel of Clare players. “I love that bunch of girls and what they have given to me this year because I’ve had a tough year personally, what that group did for me and stood by me this year till the day I won’t forget it. Whatever criticism ye can throw at me because I tell you one thing for nothing you should be very proud of them because they are giving their soul for Clare, it will click for them, not today and we’re awful disappointed but give them time”.
Planning ahead when it comes to player availability remains an issue in Clare, he noted. “When I came in 2024 we thought we’d have the same panel the year after but when I rang there was nineteen gone, you don’t know what is going to happen down the road, we’re very disappointed but there is a great circle and a great group there, everyone is together but who knows who will be playing for Clare next year, who will be travelling, a lot of them will be in fourth year in college and who knows if they will be playing football, nobody knows until November”.
He was joined on the management this season by coach Niall Hickey from Kilmurry Ibrickane, fellow Kerry men Tim Kennelly and Mike Moriarty served as selectors with Therese Doohan former registrar and also from Kilmurry Ibrickane the team’s FLO.
Former Clare goalkeeper Emma O’Driscoll and O’Currys clubman Eoin Murray who coached St Joseph’s Miltown to win the Clare SFC in 2018 were part of the Clare management in 2025 but did not continue in their roles for 2025. Cooraclare’s David O’Brien was part of the initial management team in 2025 but left the role following the National League this year.
On the playing front, the exit door has also been busy over the past two seasons. County champions Kilmihil had no representatives on the county squad this season, former captain Caoimhe Harvey of West Clare Gaels was a huge loss after leaving the squad following the National League.
Roisin Considine of Liscannor who lined out in the 2016 and 2023 All-Ireland finals, goalkeeper Amy Lenihan, defender Grainne Harvey, Éire Óg’s Roisin Martin and Doonbeg forward Lucy Shanahan were among the players from the 2025 side not involved this year.
Part of Wayne Freeman’s management in 2024 when Clare exited the quarter-finals losing to Tyrone, the Listowel native managed the Kerry ladies footballers for two seasons, winning the Munster senior championship in 2017 and losing the All-Ireland semi-final to eventual winners Dublin before stepping down midway through the 2018 campaign after Kerry were relegated to Division 2 of the League. He was also at the helm of the U16s as they won two provincial and two All-Ireland crowns in 2015 and 2016.
Graham was in charge of Limerick up until September 2023. During his two year term, the Treaty County reached the All-Ireland Junior final and the Division 4 League Final.
