Tipperary Senior Football Management Announcement

The management committee of Tipperary GAA met this evening and have agreed to appoint Paul Kelly as Senior Football Manager on a three-year term.

Paul has a wealth of experience managing and coaching teams successfully across men’s, ladies, and juvenile level. Most recently he was part of Oisin McConville’s Wicklow management team gaining promotion from Div 4.

He managed his own Club Thomas Davis GAA in Tallaght to their first Dublin Senior “A” County Championship Final in 28 years back in 2019. Having led them to victory in the Dublin Senior “B” County Championship in 2018. Maintaining the Clubs proud Div 1 Senior League status throughout his 7-year tenure. He previously led the Club to its first Dublin Minor “A” Championship Final in 1987.

He managed the Naas Senior Football team during 2021, with the team going onto win their first Kildare Senior County Championship title in 30 years.

Paul managed the Kildare Ladies Senior Football team for three years 2009-2011 and held the role of coach for the 2007 season. During those terms, the team played in two Leinster Championship Finals and one National League Final, while participating in Division One of the National League for two seasons.

A native of Tallaght, Paul now lives in Eadestown, Co Kildare. Where he led a successful Ladies team over three years to win a Club All Ireland Ireland title in 2006.

The following management team were also appointed:

• Hugh Kenny will lead the Skills Performance coaching and will be a Selector. Hugh is a very experienced and successful Coach at Club & Inter County Level over several years. Currently is GAA Games Manager for Wicklow GAA, Leinster Hall of Fame Award 2022, Coached Castledermott to an Intermediate County Final in Kildare 2022 and Naas to a Senior Final in 2021. Coached and was also a Selector for the Ireland Compromise Rules team in 2008 led by Sean Boylan, was Wicklow’s Senior Football Manager 2004-2006, and won a Club All Ireland as a Player with Baltinglass.
• Adrian O’Brien a native of Limerick will lead the Athletic Performance coaching. Adrian is a very experienced and successful Coach at Club & Inter County Level over several years. Most recently in 2023 the S&C lead with the Clare Senior Hurlers reaching a Munster Senior Hurling Final, from 2018-2022 he led the Athletic Performance for the Limerick Senior Football team, gaining promotion from Division 4 to Division 2, winning the McGrath Cup, and reaching the Munster Senior Football Final in that period. He has also had successful spells with Young Munster in Rugby, St Finbarr’s Senior Hurling, Ballyea Senior Hurling, Kilmallock and Limerick U21’s.
• Michael O’Sullivan, a Kildare native from the Newbridge Sarsfields club, living in Drom & Inch, will assist Hugh as a Skills Performance coach and will also be a selector. He is a former Tipperary U18 manager and selector, and also coach with the Tipperary u21’s. He has worked in the past as Games Development Administrator in Wicklow and GAA Games Manager in Carlow. He has a vast amount of experience of football coaching in club and county and colleges.
• Paul Fitzgerald, a Tipperary Club, and Inter-County stalwart will function as Goalkeeping coach and will also be a Selector. Paul is from the Fethard Club and is currently part of the successful Clonmel Commercials Senior Football Management team. He has also previously been part of Inter-County Management teams in Tipperary and Offaly working with Liam Kearns.
• Paddy O’Connor from Blessington, Co Wicklow will be a Selector and has extensive Inter County experience being part of Senior Management teams at Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow, and Carlow. He has also managed and held other roles at Senior Club level across Wicklow, Dublin, and Kildare.
• Michael Byrnes a native of Tipperary from the Lattin Cullen Club will lead the Performance analysis. Michael is a Master of Science in Sports Performance Analysis. And has previously worked with Tipperary and Offaly Senior Football teams, and Limerick Camogie.

Commenting on the management teams appointment, Football Committee chairman Conor O’Dwyer said ‘I am delighted with the management team we have put in place for the next three years. All involved bring a wealth of experience across all aspects of football coaching and management and places Tipperary Football in a strong position to progress and prosper. In particular, in Paul Kelly, I believe we have a man with the footballing experience, organisational ability and passion to succeed,  to successfully lead Tipperary Football over the next few years. We wish him and his team well as they start out on this journey and will do all we can to support them along the way”

The Tipperary senior football management team appointments will now go to the next county committee meeting for final ratification.

Tipperary GAA wish Paul and his management team the very best of luck.