Paudie Kissane leaves role as Éire Óg football boss

Paudie Kissane has left his role as Éire Óg football manager in the last 24 hours.

Cork’s 2010 All-Ireland winner leaves the Muskerry club following their relegation from the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC last Saturday week following a two-point defeat to Carbery Rangers in the relegation play-off.

Kissane departs after six seasons with Éire Óg, two of those being the manager. He initially joined Harry O’Reilly’s management ticket before the 2019 campaign as the team in red and yellow would go on to complete back-to-back football county titles, winning the PIFC in 2019, followed a season later by claiming the SAFC.

Éire Óg reached the quarter-finals in their maiden season up in the top tier in 2021, but have struggled since then. The Mid-Cork outfit defeated Newcestown in the relegation play-off in 2022, with O’Reilly stepping down as boss weeks later paving way for Kissane to take on the role as well as being the coach. 

The last two campaigns have been challenging to say the least for the Ovens club, with injuries and players abroad also playing a part in Éire Óg's struggles. The team lost five of their six group games in that time. Éire Óg’s four-season stay in the top tier of Cork football came to an end last Saturday week after the loss to Carbery Rangers.

There’s no doubt Kissane made a significant impression on the team in the first few years, but the last couple of years had been a struggle. The process to appoint a replacement will begin immediately.

O'Reilly, who was manager when Éire Óg won the IFC in 2014, PIFC in 2019 and the SAFC in the following campaign, is one of the early contenders to take over. 

The SAFC is extremely tough, but the last two teams who dropped down from the Premier SFC have responded well. Newcestown bounced straight back up to the top tier in 2023, and Carrigaline have the chance to do the same on Sunday when they face Knocknagree in the SAFC final.