Cyril Duggan has been appointed as the new Portlaoise senior hurling manager.

The former Portlaoise dual star replaces another club legend in Tommy Fitzgerald who vacated the role in November to take charge of the Laois senior hurlers. That came after former Antrim manager and Tipperary goalkeeper Darren Gleeson was forced to step down after only three months in the role following a cancer diagnosis.

During his two years at the helm, Fitzgerald guided ‘The Town’ to a PIHC final victory over Ballyfin before reaching the SHC quarter-final last year where they were defeated by Abbeyleix. Duggan’s backroom team includes Laois’ only hurling All-Star Pat Critchley, Damien Lynch and Paul Conroy.

Meanwhile, Turlough O'Brien will take charge of the Portlaoise senior footballers in 2025 and will have fellow Carlow man Simon Rea as his coach.

O'Brien won five Carlow SFC titles as a player and five more as a manager of his beloved Éire Óg, the most recent coming in 2023. He also managed the county team for six years, during which he led them to promotion to Division 3 of the Allianz League and a famous Leinster SFC victory over neighbours Kildare in 2018.

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