John Evans departs Cill na Martra

Cill na Martra have confirmed that John Evans has stepped down as the manager of the club's first team.

The Kerry native, who has previously managed Roscommon, Tipperary and Wicklow, led the Gaeltacht club to the Bon Secours Hospital Cork Premier IFC title, going to claim Munster honours and contest the All-Ireland final.

Last Sunday, they were beaten in Croke Park by Armagh side St Patrick's Cullyhanna. It brought the curtain down on a great season and, in a Facebook post, Cill na Martra acknowledged the great work of Evans and his selectors, Dónal Ó Buachalla and Gearóid Ó hÉalaithe.

The statement said:

"Agus deireadh na bliana peile 2023 tagtha ar deireadh ba mhaith linn buíochas ó chroí a ghabháil leis an bhfoireann bainistíochta a bhí againn, John, Dónal agus Gearóid. Tá obair na gcapall déanta acu triúr.

"Ba mhaith linn fíor-bhuíochas a ghabháil le John Evans, a bhí ina bhainisteoir agus ina thraenálaí ar an bhfoireann Idirmheánach Príomha againn le dhá bhliain anuas. Bhí sé mar aidhm againn an Craobhchomórtas sin a bhuachaint le tamall.

"Beidh cuimhne againn go deo ar an lá mór san i bPáirc Uí Chaoimh agus ar an dá lá i bPáirc Uí Chuana ar an slí dúinn Corn Idirmheánach na Mumhan a thabhairt abhaile.

"Cé nár eirigh linn i bPáirc an Chrócaigh, dob’ iontach dúinn peileadóirí Chill na Martra a fheiscint ar fhód na páirce san agus an tacaíocht ollmhór i mbán is gorm in ár dteannta.  Go raibh maith agat agus go neirí leat san blianta atá romhainn."

Translated, it reads:

"With the end of the 2023 football year finally coming, we would like to sincerely thank our management team, John, Dónal and Gearóid. The three of them did a power of work.
"We would like to say a big thank you to John Evans, who has been the manager and trainer of our premier intermediate for the past two years. We had been trying to win that title for a while.
"We will always remember that great day in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and the two days in Páirc Uí Chuana on the way to bring home the Munster intermediate championship.
"Although we were not successful in Croke Park, it was great for us to see the Cill na Martra footballers on the pitch and the huge support in white and blue with us. Thank you and good luck in the coming years."
In the 2024 McCarthy Insurance Group Cork SAFC, Cill na Martra have been drawn with fellow Gaeltacht side Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh, Carrigaline and Kiskeam.