Derry GAA ready to name All-Ireland winner and four-time All Star from neighbouring county as manager
The Kilcoo manager would fit the bill for a Derry side that ended a 24-year wait for an Ulster title under the management of Rory Gallagher in 2022
Karl Lacey has emerged as a leading contender to become the new manager of the Derry senior football team.
The county have been searching for a high-profile candidate to replace Mickey Harte, who left the job in July after just one year in charge, having led the Oak Leafers to the Division One league title.
Four-time All Star Lacey would fit the bill for a Derry side that ended a 24-year wait for an Ulster title under the management of Rory Gallagher in 2022, and then retained the Anglo Celt crown in 2023.
An All-Ireland winner with Donegal in 2012, when he was also named Footballer of the Year, Lacey is currently in charge of Down’s former All-Ireland club champions Kilcoo.
He leads them into Sunday’s county final against Burren in Newry, having already managed them to their 11th title in 12 years last season in his first year in charge.
When asked about the speculation over the managerial vacancy, Derry county chairman John Keenan last night insisted the county is “following a process” and will make an announcement “when the process is complete.
While admitting it is “not ideal” that Derry do not have a manager in place ahead of today’s provincial senior football championship draws, he said that the Oak Leafers are “dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s” in their quest to appoint a new manager.
Lacey declined to comment.
Before taking the Kilcoo job Lacey, 40,. had been the head of Donegal’s academy but quit that role early in 2023 citing a lack of support from the county board.
While it’s understood the Derry players were keen on Gallagher’s return, that door was closed when the Oak Leaf county board confirmed last month that the Fermanagh native was ‘not in consideration’.
If Lacey takes charge in Derry, it will be his first appointment as a senior inter-county manager.
What is certain is that the Four Masters clubman will take charge of Kilcoo in tomorrow’s Down SFC final in Pairc Esler.
The game is a repeat of last year’s final, which Kilcoo won comfortably by nine points before exiting the Ulster club championship after a narrow loss to Scotstown.
Slaughtneil manager Mark Doran, who was also linked with the Derry job last month, will take charge of the club in today’s crunch Derry SFC semi-final against defending All-Ireland club champions Glen, who are managed by the new Tyrone boss Malachy O’Rourke.
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