Portarlington have appointed former Laois senior footballer Pat Roe as their manager for the 2024 season.
Roe succeeds Galway native Anthony Cunningham who departs after one season in charge.
A talented GAA player, Roe represented Laois and won senior championship medals in both codes.
In 1982, he was full back on the Laois team that captured the Leinster U-21 Football Championship.
While in 1991, he played on the Laois team beaten by Meath in the final of the Leinster Senior Football Championship.
He was on The Heath team that claimed championship glory in 1993 and had won senior hurling with Clonad in 1992.
In management, Roe took charge of Carlow, Offaly and Wexford football teams during the 2000s.
While his most recent inter-county job was with the Laois U-21s in 2010.
A teacher in St Fergal’s Rathdowney for more than three decades, Roe retired from that post in October last.
He inherits a Portarlington team that saw their quest for four Laois championships in a row ended by St Joseph’s at the semi final stage last year.
And with Robbie Pigott, Paddy O’Sullivan, Colm Murphy and Scott Osborne all currently gone travelling, it remains to be seen if 2024 will see them return to the heights they previously scaled.
Roe’s appointment means that eight Laois senior clubs have new management this year – Arles-Killeen, Clonaslee-St Manman’s, Courtwood, Emo, Graiguecullen, Killeshin and Portlaoise.
Meanwhile, three other senior clubs have confirmed the reappointment of their current managers.
Eoin Kearns will return for a fourth season in charge of O’Dempsey’s.
They were eliminated at the quarter final stage last year by Portlaoise after reaching the final in 2022.
Portlaoise’s Sean Cotter is back for a third term with The Heath after guiding them to the Senior B final last year.
While Stradbally have reappointed Kerry native Karl O’Dwyer as they look to build on their Senior B success.
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