Tyrone’s All-Ireland winning joint management team of Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher has decided to step down after four years in charge. They succeeded Mickey Harte and won the Sam Maguire in their first season, also winning Ulster and defeating Kerry and Mayo on the way.
The years since have been a disappointment with no further silverware added and defeats by Armagh, Kerry and Roscommon, at home in Omagh, ending their interest in the last three championships.
“They’ve simply made wonderful history for us, time and again, in place after place, and in so many ways,” said Tyrone chairman Martin Sludden in a statement confirming the news.
“Always with style, class, dignity and honour. And, very remarkably in the world we’re now in, always as total volunteers to the Tyrone GAA cause.”
They were appointed in 2020, having managed the county to an under-21 All-Ireland in 2015.
There had been speculation in the past week that the management departure might happen although they had completed just one year of a rolled-over three-year appointment. Both joint-managers had also experienced developments in their lives to complicate their involvement.
Logan suffered a stroke earlier this year and had to step back from his involvement while he had rehabilitated but he had made a recovery and was back on the line for the final match against Roscommon.
Dooher, who managed the team on his own during his colleague’s illness, was recently appointed to the demanding role of chief veterinary officer for Northern Ireland.
Tyrone’s county secretary Michael Kerr also expressed his gratitude.
“Brian’s and Feargal’s contributions to Tyrone GAA are just monumental,” he explained.
“Too often we focus on ‘What’ people achieve. But in the broader picture the ‘How’ and the ‘Why’ are probably more important. Brian and Feargal have delivered the supreme prizes for Tyrone.”
“But they’ve always done that in the right way. And never more so than in the Covid throes, when they unapologetically prioritised the well-being of our players and then dealt so well with the serious impacts of the virus on our panel.”
This is a reference to the county’s refusal to play the 2021 All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry after a number of their players had contracted Covid-19. Kerry agreed to allow the match be rescheduled.
The county now begins the search for a new management. Paul Devlin managed Tyrone to two under-20 All-Irelands in the past three years and is an obvious candidate.
