Andy Moran hails Graham appointment to Leitrim Senior management team

Andy Moran has predicted that the appointment of former Cavan manager Mickey Graham as assistant manager is a huge lift for the Leitrim Men’s senior footballers, proclaiming that the current Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins boss “ticks all the boxes”.

The stunning news that Cavan’s 2020 Ulster Championship winning boss was succeeding Mike Solan as part of Andy Moran’s backroom team was confirmed late on Monday evening after the Leitrim County Board Executive announced the appointment.

For Andy Moran, the news that Graham is joining his backroom team is a huge boost for the 2024 season: “It is brilliant, when Mike stepped away from it, we just put our heads together and just went through what we know we needed in the management team and Mickey’s name was top of that list. Obviously his connection with Ballinamore, he is looking at Leitrim football, we knew he was available. When we met, we had a great meeting and he didn’t take too much persuasion to come on board.”

BREAKING: Stunning news as Mickey Graham named as new Leitrim Senior team Assistant Manager

Former Ulster Championship winning manager stepped down as Breffni blue boss this Summer and is currently managing Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins in Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Semi-Finals

Asked if Graham’s appointment was a vote of confidence in the potential in the Leitrim squad, Andy said “You’d probably have to ask Mickey that but from our point of view, he ticked all the boxes and he has great experience that we can lean on, he is a football man - what I mean by that is he has seen Division 4, he has seen Division 3, he won an Ulster title with Cavan.

“He is involved in the Leitrim Club scene with the semi-final next weekend so he ticks all the boxes for us for what we’re looking for and we’re just delighted he is willing to come on board. It has given us a great lift and I hope it gives the players the same.”

Looking forward to 2024, the Leitrim manager is enthusiastic about the development of football in the county: “When you see the quality of the club championship, the quality of the first half of Ballinamore and Manorhamilton from both teams was absolutely exceptional. I think you can see the work the county lads have put in over the last 24 months. 

“Yes, we haven’t got to where we essentially want to get to yet but you can see from the county lads, the way Evan Sweeney played, the way Tom Prior played, the work and conditioning they have put in is really paying off and Mickey can see that. I think it is evident to everyone that there is quality there within Leitrim.”

The inter-county scene may be officially more than three months away but Leitrim’s players are putting in the work with off-season conditioning work and Andy believes the fruits of that labour is evident on the club fields of Leitrim at the moment: “The way the inter-county scene has gone is the work is constant throughout the year. I probably think where we fell down a bit was through Covid, we struggled those two years in Leitrim after a great 2019, we struggled to keep the lads together and it probably cost us in trying to get back on track.

Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins eventually find the target to see off Glencar Manorhamilton

BALLINAMORE SEAN O'HESLINS 4-13 GLENCAR MANORHAMILTON 1-13

“The conditioning of the boys at the moment is just incredible, the individual gym programmes they are doing is brilliant and you saw the U20 Final between St Mary’s and Mac Diarmada Gaels, the quality that was on show that day was brilliant. The quality is there, the conditioning is getting there so all preparations aiming towards the last weekend in January.”