Shane Keegan has been confirmed as the new Laois GAA Head of Games development, a role similar to what was left vacant following Mike Henchy’s departure.
Keegan, who is from Rathdowney, is the current full-time coach with Portlaoise GAA, a role he took up in March of last year which will now need to be filled again following his promotion.
It’s understood that Keegan was chosen for the role ahead of at least four other candidates who were interviewed for the position.
The new role will see him head up Laois’s full-time coaching staff, including the staff dedicated entirely to Laois as well as the Games Promotion Officers that are in place with a selection of clubs in the county.
Keegan has a decorated coaching CV, predominantly in soccer where is the current manager of Cobh Ramblers and has previously had spells over Wexford Youths, Galway Utd and Dundalk.
He also managed the Rathdowney-Errill senior hurlers in 2021.
Laois GAA said: “Shane also brings with him a wealth of experience from his 15 years in management and coaching at national level in soccer, he is a UEFA Pro Licence qualified coach and also returned to college in recent years to further his qualifications in studying Coaching Science in Sport at UCD.
“Shane is no stranger to Laois GAA in aswell as his experience with the Portlaoise club, he has previously coached and managed the senior hurlers in his home parish of Rathdowney Errill and more recently has been heavily involved in the juvenile coaching set up in the parish of Borris-Kilcotton, where he now resides with his wife Roisin and 8-year-old son Conor.”
Speaking on his appointment Shane confirmed, “I’m delighted and honoured to be given the opportunity to play an important role in the progression and development of Gaelic Games in our county in the short, medium, and long term”.
“I’m really looking forward to assisting and working alongside all the key stakeholders in the county to further develop plans in areas such as underage participation levels, the player development pathway and coach education”.
County Chairperson PJ Kelly said, “Laois GAA would like to formally welcome Shane to the team here in Laois GAA and look forward to the valuable contribution he will make in assisting Games Promotion and Development Officers, players and our clubs in the years to come. “
“I would encourage all individuals and groups who have thoughts or projects that they feel can help better GAA in our county to make contact with me, and I will make every effort to facilitate their ideas and help get them moving”.
The Laois GAA coaching staff has undergone considerable change in the past 12 months with Games Manager Mike Henchy as well as Games Development Administrators (GDAs) Conor Shannon and Jason Coffey leaving to take up jobs outside the county.
Leinster GAA’s James Devane has been acting Games Manager while Declan Buggy from Castlecomer was recently appointed to the position of lead hurling GDA while Donie Brennan is the football equivalent. It’s believed that there are also plans to recruit an additional GDA.
Tom Hargroves is also part of the Laois GAA full-time set up as Head of Performance, a position that oversees the strength and conditioning of the county’s hurling and football teams.
As well as that personnel, there are a number of full-time Games Promotion Officers (GPOs) working with clubs in the county.
Jamie Moriarty is split equally between Portarlington and their Offaly neighbours Gracefield; Cian Moffitt covers Borris-Kilcotton, Mountrath and Clonaslee-St Manman’s and Martin O’Connell is assigned to Ballyroan-Abbey and St Joseph’s.
The participating clubs make a contribution of €20,000 to the scheme, which is then split if there are more than one club involved. Leinster GAA pay the remainder of the salary as well as all associated payroll costs.
Eleven Laois clubs have applied to have access to a full-time coach though in most cases they will be sharing the cost and time available.
The clubs that are in line to avail of the scheme are: Annanough, Stradbally, Timahoe, Ballinakill, Abbeyleix, Clough-Ballacolla, Colt-Shanahoe, Clonad, Ballyfin, Arles-Killeen and Castletown.
Those roles were initially scheduled to be filled last October but that has since been delayed and it is hoped they will be in place by the end of this year.
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