Roscommon, the last senior football intercounty team to name a manager for the 2019 season, have announced that Anthony Cunningham has been ratified as Kevin McStay's replacement.
McStay stepped down from the role in early September, and while Armagh native and former Louth manager Aidan O’Rourke was the preferred nomination last month, he withdrew before his name was put to the clubs for ratification.
Players and supporters in the county were in favour of a manager from inside of the county, and while Cunningham was a two time All-Ireland winner with the Galway hurlers, he is a long-time resident of Kiltoom in south Roscommon.
He previously managed his adopted county’s hurling team, and his local club St Brigid’s - winning the Connacht title in 2006, and kickstarting their dominance of the county and indeed province.
He also managed nearby Westmeath club Garrycastle to an All-Ireland club final in 2012, and after a successful stint with the Galway Under-21 hurlers he managed their senior team from 2011 until 2016 reaching two All-Ireland finals.
Since then he's worked as a coach with the Laois footballers, and last year was Pat Gilroy's coach with the Dublin senior hurlers. After Mattie Kenny was named as Gilroy's successor a week ago, Cunningham became available for the Roscommon position which he has taken on a two year term, with the option of a third.
