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Best 5 GAA County Managers In Your Time

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1. John O'Mahony 2. Paidi O'Sé 3. Mickey Harte 4. Jim Gavin 5. Jim McGuinness D.Hyde (Roscommon) - Posts: 328 - 07/03/2026 12:27:36 2660410 Link
1. Brian Cody 2. Jack O'Connor 3. Micko 4. Jim Gavin 5. Sean Boylan HM's: Paidi O Se (Westmeath Leinster win was special), Jim McGuinness (Took Donegal to new heights despite what people say about the tactics), Mickey Harte, John Kiely. dakid (Australia) - Posts: 343 - 07/03/2026 12:48:58 2660414 Link
I think it's very hard to pick top 5 GAA managers as it's very hard to compare present day managers to old school managers. -role has changed so much that modern GAA intercounty management is more about getting together/ facilitating a near professional backroom team to prepare players. Old school managers (no particular order) Cody Micko Boylan Heffernan Farrell McGee Loughnane Modern style managers (no particular order) Cody Hearte Gavin Kiely O' Connor GreenMan1987 (Meath) - Posts: 128 - 07/03/2026 13:34:05 2660421 Link
Replying To Viking66: "In fairness to Armagh and Tyrone they wouldn't have much more of a potential GAA population" They won't be winning a hurling All Ireland any time soon. GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8469 - 07/03/2026 16:41:55 2660444 Link
Jim Gavin Jack O'Connor Micky Harte Kieran McGeeney Jim McGuinness John Kiely Brian Cody Liam Sheedy Micheal Donoghue Davy Fitzgerald otgarom (Mayo) - Posts: 11 - 07/03/2026 17:40:28 2660448 Link
Loughnane definitely deserves a spot among modern hurling managers. He turned the perennial whipping boys into one of most ferocious skillful teams ever to hurl. It didn't transfer outside probably for same reasons it was successful in Clare. His heart woukd never have been in beating his own. BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4061 - 07/03/2026 21:28:24 2660478 Link
Replying To BarneyGrant: "Loughnane definitely deserves a spot among modern hurling managers. He turned the perennial whipping boys into one of most ferocious skillful teams ever to hurl. It didn't transfer outside probably for same reasons it was successful in Clare. His heart woukd never have been in beating his own." The history of gaa shows Managers have most success managing their native county. O'Dwyer, Gavin, Boylan, Cody, Kiely. John O'Mahony a Mayo man won two All Irelands managing Galway so he certainly deserves a mention here. endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2615 - 08/03/2026 07:15:52 2660490 Link
Replying To tomsmith: "Tomsmith here I ask you to name the best 5 County Gaa managers in your time of watching Gaa matchs . Present day managers can be included even if the dont mange ones own County My six are as follows No1 John Kiely Limerick No2 Michael Harte Tyrone No 3 John Maughan Mayo No4 Martin Mc Hugh Cavan Manager No 5 Jack o Connor Kerry manager Kevin Heffernan , Malachy o Rourke, James Mc Guinness did not make my selection cut Put your expert opinion down" John Maughan ?, thats a wind up right ?? southmeathgael (Meath) - Posts: 1058 - 08/03/2026 10:41:17 2660501 Link
- Cyril Ferrell - Johnno - Micko - Coady - Jim Gavin The_DOC (Galway) - Posts: 836 - 09/03/2026 10:17:18 2660615 Link
Replying To southmeathgael: "John Maughan ?, thats a wind up right ??" Are you not familiar with the work of Tomsmith on Hogan Stand? tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1709 - 09/03/2026 11:43:08 2660636 Link
Replying To otgarom: "Jim Gavin Jack O'Connor Micky Harte Kieran McGeeney Jim McGuinness John Kiely Brian Cody Liam Sheedy Micheal Donoghue Davy Fitzgerald" Why would anyone even think of mentioning Davy Fitz as one of the top 50 managers, never mind the top 5? He might be one of top 5 richest managers but it's a joke to include him here. BlueBeret (Dublin) - Posts: 57 - 09/03/2026 14:14:07 2660669 Link
Them Dublin, Kerry, Kilkenny, Limerick teams any old chump could manage them they were so good. StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1974 - 09/03/2026 16:31:09 2660697 Link
Football: Sean Boylan Mick O'Dwyer Rory Gallagher Mickey Harte Jim McGuinness Hurling: Brian Cody Justin McCarthy Ger Loughnane John Kiely Cyril Farrell icehonesty (Wexford) - Posts: 2587 - 09/03/2026 16:38:30 2660699 Link
Replying To BlueBeret: "Why would anyone even think of mentioning Davy Fitz as one of the top 50 managers, never mind the top 5? He might be one of top 5 richest managers but it's a joke to include him here." He's better than anyone on your top 5 though. GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8469 - 09/03/2026 17:23:22 2660709 Link
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Are you not familiar with the work of Tomsmith on Hogan Stand?" Tomsmith is like Luka Modric - a creative spirit. He sees things none of the rest of us can imagine. Boxtyeater (Leitrim) - Posts: 764 - 09/03/2026 20:10:07 2660737 Link
Replying To Boxtyeater: "Tomsmith is like Luka Modric - a creative spirit. He sees things none of the rest of us can imagine." He had a long career with Unreal Madrid. GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8469 - 09/03/2026 21:23:02 2660745 Link
Replying To GreenandRed: "He's better than anyone on your top 5 though." He has been a sort of a one hit wonder in multiple counties. In my opinion he has always been more a Motivator than a Manager. Personally, I don't like his ranting and raving behaviour. BlueBeret (Dublin) - Posts: 57 - 10/03/2026 08:05:56 2660763 Link
John O Mahoney has to be up there in top five, he did it with three counties, not just one good team like the others. jacktheboy (Donegal) - Posts: 536 - 10/03/2026 09:04:57 2660766 Link
Brian Cody is out on his own with 11 All Irelands as the greatest GAA manager ever but special mention to Mick O'Dwyer, Jim Gavin and Jack O'Connor. Past hurler (None) - Posts: 1024 - 10/03/2026 09:56:11 2660771 Link

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