Rory Gallagher back on GAA sideline at club level amid rumours of county return

Rory Gallagher was on the line at the weekend for Corduff in their Monaghan Senior Championship encounter with Ballybay.

Gallagher, who was linked with a return to the Derry post he vacated after last year’s Ulster final win over Armagh on penalties, has been working with the Corduff side.

The speculation of a Derry return led to former Oak Leaf All-Ireland winner Gary Coleman - a son of 1993 Sam Maguire winning manager, Eamonn - saying he wouldn’t attend another Derry game if Gallagher was reappointed.

READ MORE: Derry GAA legend speaks out against Rory Gallagher's return to Oak Leaf hotseat

READ MORE: Mark McHugh reacts to Derry post rumours and Mickey Harte's departure

Last September the Ulster Council ‘temporarily debarred’ Gallagher from coaching, but that was overturned at a Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) hearing in February.

The DRA agreed with Gallagher’s legal team, who contended that the Ulster Council ‘safeguarding committee’ did not have the authority to impose debarment on him.

This left the former Fermanagh and Cavan player, who had been with Corduff the previous year, free to return to the sidelines.

Gallagher was the subject of claims of domestic abuse by his estranged wife. At the time he said: “Allegations against me have been investigated and dealt with by the relevant authorities.”

The Donegal All-Ireland winning coach spent five years with Derry, taking them from Division 3 to Division 1 and landing back to back Ulster titles, bridging a 24 year gap.

His appearance on the line at the weekend wasn’t enough for Corduff, who lost the game 3-12 to 1-12 to 2022 Monaghan senior champions, Ballybay.

Corduff won the Monaghan Intermediate Championship in 2022, and made it through to the Ulster final, where they lost out to Galbally.

Derry are without a manager since Mickey Harte left the post after one year in charge, having led the Oak Leaf County to the Division 1 title and a McKenna Cup.

Their form tailed off badly in the Chamionship as they lost four out of six games, falling to Donegal, Galway, Armagh and Kerry, while defeating Westmeath and Mayo.

Harte replaced Ciaran Meenagh, who stepped up from Gallagher’s backroom team to take over as manager for last year’s Ulster final and the All-Ireland semi-final loss to Kerry.

Meenagh stepped aside then before joining Conor Laverty’s Down backroom team, and helping them to the Tailteann Cup.

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