Michael Mooney shouts instructions to the players JPM8353
The Fermanagh ladies managerial saga took its latest turn last week when Malachy Coyle and Paddy Fox stepped away from the senior post.
The pair indicated that Fermanagh’s failure to field against Offaly had been a contributory factor, but stated that lack of commitment was at the heart of their decision to vacate the county hot seat.
“That’s what the whole things about [commitment],” said Coyle speaking shortly after the news broke of the pair’s resignation.
“There’s no point in us putting in an effort and nobody else doing the same thing. There’s a lot more problems in Fermanagh than we thought. It’s deeper than I thought it was. It’s unfortunate, but that’s the way it goes.
Coyle said the Red Hand pair also wanted to make their decision known in a timely manner to the county board.
“The Ladies county board had a meeting due after we gave our notice on Tuesday. We tried our best, that’s all I want to say on it.”
The Loughmacrory pair were only appointed last November, but a raft of retirements and player unavailability left them working with a Fermanagh team short on experienced hands to guide them through what was always going to be a transitional period.
Their five month reign saw Fermanagh ship a series of heavy defeats, losing five Ladies NFL Division 3 games in succession before conceding to Offaly.
“It was a new panel we were building,” said Coyle. “There were 14 or 15 missing from the panel that was there last year. That’s a team. There was no word on them coming back. Some of them had different commitments and weren’t going to be there. Others didn’t seem to have the interest. You can only work with what you have.”
In a statement Fermanagh Ladies Gaelic Football Association said they accepted the resignation of Fox and Coyle with regret.
“Since their appointment in November, they have welcomed past and new players on to the panel, in the acknowledgement that Fermanagh are in a period of transition and rebuilding for the future,” said the statement.
“We thank them for their commitment and efforts made with our senior ladies team during this time. Fermanagh LGFA County Board wish Paddy and Malachy every success and happiness in the future.”
Michael Mooney and Emmett Curry stepped into the managerial breach last Sunday as Fermanagh fulfilled their last fixture of the league campaign. That 0-7 to 4-11 defeat against Down at the Bawnacre sealed Fermanagh’s relegation to the bottom tier of ladies football.
The county board now set about the process of putting in place new management ahead of Fermanagh’s Ulster Intermediate Championship first round clash with Tyrone on May 28th.