Former Mullinalaghta and Cavan supremo Mickey Graham named as new Leitrim assistant manager

In a stunning and surprising development, Leitrim GAA have announced that Cavan's 2020 Ulster Championship winning manager Mickey Graham will join Andy Moran's Leitrim Senior footballers backroom team as assistant manager for the 2024 season.

The news was confirmed on Monday evening at a meeting of the Leitrim GAA County Board Executive that Andy Moran had appointed Graham to the role and while not in the realm of the stunning news of Mickey Harte's switch from Louth to Derry, it nevertheless is an enormous move for Leitrim football to bring in such an experienced manager to the Senior team set-up.

In a statement released by on their website at 11 pm on Monday evening, Leitrim GAA said "Leitrim GAA, at its Management Committee meeting tonight, approved the appointment of Mickey Graham to its Senior Team Management. The Cavan native will replace Mike Solan as Assistant Manager to Andy Moran for the 2024 campaign. Leitrim GAA is delighted to welcome Mickey aboard and we look forward to his contribution to the football management team.

"The other additions to the management team for 2024 are Mayo native Darragh Finn as lead Strength and Conditioning Coach, Martin Garvey, and also a Mayo native as Team Doctor.

"Leitrim GAA would like to acknowledge and thank former Assistant Manager Mike Solan, former S & C Coach Daithi McCabe, former Team Doctor Alan Loftus, and former Nutritionist Philip Howard for the excellence of their contributions over the past two years to the Management Team. Leitrim GAA, and wish them the very best in the future."

Graham, who has guided Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins into next Sunday's Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Semi-Finals against champions St Mary's Kiltoghert, lead the Breffni blues to a famous Anglo Celt Cup victory in 2020 when they defeated heavy favourites Donegal in the "Covid All-Ireland" before succumbing to six-in-a-row All-Ireland champions Dublin.

The news that a manager as respected and as sought after as Graham is joining Andy Moran's backroom team is a huge boost to the Green & Gold's fortunes after the loss of Mike Solan as Assistant Manager and will ensure Leitrim will have one of the most high profile backroom teams in the country.

The current Ballinamore manager guided Mullingalaghta to a first Longford Senior title in 66 years in 2016 and completed a three-in-a-row for the north Longford club before they caused one of the sensations of the past 25 years when they defeated Dublin giants Kilmacud Crokes to claim the 2018 Leinster Senior Club Championship title.

Graham took over Cavan at the end of 2018 and despite suffering back to back relegations in the League, he famously guided the Breffni men to a first Ulster Championship title in 2020. Cavan would go on to win back to back promotions in 2021, beating Leitrim in the first round of the League, and 2022 as well as lifting the Allianz NFL Division 4 and 3 titles in successive campaigns.

Cavan also reached the inaugural Tailteann Cup Final under Graham's leadership in 2022 before the Cavan Gaels clubman stepped down from the role earlier this year despite having another year left on his term.