Morgan O'Sullivan takes over at Cill na Martra with Noel O'Leary involved

MORGAN O’Sullivan is the new manager of Cill na Martra.

The Beara man has taken over from John Evans who left his role at the end of his two-year term after the All-Ireland final defeat to Cullyhanna on Sunday, January 14 in Croke Park. Evans led Cill na Martra to the PIFC title last season after a thrilling one-point win over Bantry Blues in the final back in October. The Kerry native also guided the Mid-Cork side to Munster glory just over a month later.

Cill na Martra could have won the All-Ireland decider, having notched up 16 wides, in a four-point defeat to a strong Cullyhanna side. It was expected the experienced Evans would move on from his role once the campaign did come to an end, and six days after the final the club confirmed his departure.

That set the wheels in motion to pick out a successor and it eventually was whittled down to O’Sullivan, who was at the helm of his native Castletownbere for the last three seasons but resigned at the end of last year. Castletownbere's PIFC journey was halted by Cill na Martra in the semi-final in the last campaign on a day O’Sullivan’s new team won on a scoreline of 2-12 to 1-7.

O’Sullivan, who lives in Aherla, led Castletownbere to the IFC title back in 2012 after a two-point win over a fancied Éire Óg side in the final. O’Sullivan was also a selector with the Cork senior footballers during Peadar Healy’s time in charge of the Rebels in the 2016 and ’17 seasons.

Joining O’Sullivan on the sideline will be his fellow Castletownbere clubman Alan O’Regan, who will be the coach. The former Cork senior footballer was a selector under O’Sullivan with Castletownbere in 2023. O’Regan, now based in Ovens, was on the management team with Éire Óg when they won back-to-back counties, the PIFC in 2019 and the following campaign, the SAFC title.

Cill na Martra legend and 2010 All-Ireland SFC winner Noel O’Leary will be one of the selectors. The former defender was drafted into Evans’ backroom team midway through last season and has now stepped up to be part of the new management ticket. Former player Seán Kelleher, who won an IFC medal with the club in 2018, will also be a selector.

The new management team have a bit of time to work with the players with their McCarthy Insurance Group Division 1 football league campaign not getting underway until Sunday, March 10 with a tough away game against St Finbarr’s with throw-in at 12 noon.

In the McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC group stage, Cill na Martra will face fellow Gaeltacht side Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh, Carrigaline and Kiskeam.