By Niall Gartland
Declan Bonner and his right-hand man Paul Brennan have committed to a second season in charge of Fermanagh Senior Champions Erne Gaels.
Bonner led the Belleek team to their first New York Cup in 43 years with a 1-13 to 1-9 victory over Enniskillen Gaels in early November. The celebrations were cut short when it emerged in the days following that Mark Lyons, former Erne Gaels footballer and brother of current team captain Ryan, had passed away.
They delivered a flat performance in their Ulster Championship outing against Scotstown, after which Declan Bonner was non-committal when asked about his plans for 2025, saying he would take a few weeks away before firming anything up.
Bonner and Paul Brennan, who played with Bonner during his time in charge of Donegal, met with Erne Gaels chiefs earlier this week and it was agreed that they’d remain in charge for a second year in what is sure to come as very welcome news to the club’s supporters.
Bonner was a mainstay of the Donegal team from the early 1980s to late 1990s and was a key cog on the team that won their maiden All-Ireland title in 1992.
He has been involved in management since he was 23 years old when he became player-manager of his native Na Rossa. He’s had two stints overseeing the Donegal senior footballers – between 1997 and 2000 and 2017-2022 as well as a number of other club roles. He returned to his native Na Rossa after stepping down as Donegal manager in 2022, leading the club to the 2023 Donegal Junior Championship before embarking on a new challenge at Erne Gaels.
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