The five candidates who are in the running to take over as the Donegal senior football manager have been officially confirmed.
Sean Paul Barrett, Declan Bonner, Cathal Corey, Gary McDaid and Seamus McEnaney are the men in the frame to succeed Rory Gallagher.
The Donegal County Board have put in place a five-person committee to oversee the selection.
The identity of the sub committee has not been made public.
The first round of interviews are set to begin early next week.
While the September meeting of the Donegal county committee has been put back until Monday-week, it is not likely that a recommendation will be before delegates on that date.
Instead, it seems more realistic that an appointment will be made at the September sitting of the committee.
Sean Paul Barrett
Milford man Barrett, a member of An Garda Siochana, has been Donegal’s minor manager for the last two years.
In 2016, having also had success at Jim McGuigan Cup level, Donegal won the Ulster Minor League and Championship double. Donegal only lost out to Galway in an All-Ireland MFC semi-final last year.
This year, however, Donegal lost to Antrim in the first round of the Ulster MFC.
It is believed that McDaid and Barrett are both keen on the Donegal Under-20 manager’s post, which is also up for grabs.
Declan Bonner
Bonner, who had a previous spell as the senior manager from 1997-2000, has been back involved at intercounty level since 2011.
Bonner, who has been the front-runner in the race since Gallagher’s resignation, has managed most of Donegal’s emerging young stars since their mid-teens.
The Lettermacaward man won Buncrana Cup (U16) and Jim McGuigan Cup (U17) titles with Donegal before, in 2014, he won an Ulster minor title and took Donegal to a first ever All-Ireland MFC final, losing to Kerry at Croke Park.
For the last two years, Bonner – who has managed Na Rossa, Gaoth Dobhair and Dungloe in Donegal – has been the Donegal U21 manager, winning the Ulster U21 crown earlier this year.
Cathal Corey
Corey hails from Kildress in County Tyrone. In 2009, he was joint manager of Naomh Conaill, alongside Jim McGuinness. After reaching a county final they lost to St Eunan’s, McGuinness departed but Corey remained and took the Glenties side to their second Donegal SFC title and went on to an Ulster club final, where they were beaten by Crossmaglen.
Since then, he has worked with Ulster University Jordanstown, Slaughtneil and Banagher and is now managing Truagh Gaels in Monaghan.
Gary McDaid
McDaid has been involved in all three of Glenswilly’s Donegal SFC triumphs.
He was the joint manager with John McGinley in 2011 when Glenswilly won Dr Maguire for the first time and was manager himself two years later when they returned to the top of the pile.
Last year, McDaid was a part of Michael Canning’s management team at Pairc Naomh Columba, when they overcame Kilcar in the final.
McDaid has worked with Donegal at underage level and in 2015 was a selector with Gallagher in his first year as Donegal boss.
Seamus McEnaney
McEnaney entered the race last weekend. The Corduff, County Monaghan man was a surprise candidate.
Last week, he stepped down as Wexford manager after a year in charge.
He managed his native Monaghan and took the Farney to two Ulster finals during a six-year term.
McEnaney had a forgettable two-year stint as Meath manager and, in 2017, although Wexford won promotion from Division 4, they lost to Carlow and Monaghan in the Championship.
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