The appointment of Mickey Harte as co-manager of the senior men’s football team in Offaly is now official. In a statement, the football management review committee detailed that they had recommended him for the role, which is set to be ratified in the upcoming county board meeting. Sharing this role with the current manager, Declan Kelly, Harte’s tenure is expected to last three years.
In welcoming Mickey’s arrival, Michael Duignan, the Offaly GAA chairman, voiced his pleasure. He praised Harte’s genuine passion for Offaly GAA and his extensive experience, expressing his belief that this would be greatly beneficial for Offaly football. Duignan urged the Offaly County Board to extend a warm welcome and encouraged the Offaly GAA faithful to show their support for Mickey, Declan, and the rest of the football team.
Harte expressed his anticipation towards the opportunity to work alongside Declan and the players for the projected three-year period. He spoke of his appreciation for Offaly football’s rich history and tradition and expressed his belief in the county’s potential. He added that he’s excited about the prospect of supporting both the League and Championship footballers, recognising the opportunity to meet their personal best in 2025. Harte also appreciated Duignan’s professional conduct during their discussions.
Declan Kelly, the current manager, was positive about sharing the management role with Mickey. He expressed that this development was fantastic news for Offaly football and Offaly GAA as a whole. With Mickey’s successful track record, Kelly is hopeful of recreating similar triumphs in the near future.
The composition of Harte’s managing and support team is set to be confirmed over the next few weeks. Although his short operation in Derry led to the Division One league title, Harte left after a challenging championship campaign involving four losses to Donegal, Armagh, Galway and Kerry. Having previously led Tyrone to three All-Ireland titles and six Ulster titles, Harte had been managing his native county from 2003 to 2020. After which, he managed Louth for three years before his Derry stint.
The mission set before Harte is immense; restoring the fame days of Offaly, particularly after a year of disappointment. Although they managed to secure victory over Laois to advance to the Leinster Championship semi-finals, their performance in the Tailteann Cup was underwhelming, leaving them bottom of their group after a defeat to London. This follows a middling performance in the previous season where Offaly held sixth position in Division Three. The forthcoming year will see them compete in the Tailteann Cup unless the Faithful County can pull off their first entry into the Leinster final since 2006.