Paudie Kissane leading candidate for Douglas football job

Former Éire Óg boss Paudie Kissane is the leading candidate to coach the Douglas footballers for the 2025 campaign, The Echo understands.

Cork's 2010 All-Ireland football winner has been locked in talks with the city club for the past number of weeks with discussions now at an advanced stage. Should the deal get over the line, which is very close, it would be an eye-catching appointment. Kissane departed Éire Óg in October after six seasons, the last two campaigns as the boss.

While this season did end in disappointment for both Éire Óg and Kissane after the club suffered demotion from the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC, his stock still remained high.

After all, he did guide the team in red and yellow to two county titles in successive seasons in 2019 and 2020, the PIFC and then the SAFC.

This latest job for Kissane would be a very challenging role. Douglas have struggled for consistency in the top grade of Cork football for quite a while with just one final appearance since winning the old IFC in 1997 and that was in 2008 when they lost to Nemo Rangers.

After reaching the quarter-finals in 2023, the southside outfit had to beat Mallow this year in their last group game to avoid a relegation play-off.

The 2025 Cork GAA championship draws will take place tomorrow at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh around 6pm.