Shane Ronayne to coach the Clyda Rovers footballers next season

Shane Ronayne will coach the Clyda Rovers footballers next season.

The Mitchelstown native was previously in charge of the Cork ladies senior football team for three years before he stepped down back in August.

Under his leadership, they won the Munster championship twice and reached the All-Ireland quarter-final and semi-final.

Ronayne brings a wealth of experience to his new role with Clyda Rovers, who are in the Senior A football grade. He was previously in charge of the Mourneabbey ladies football team leading them to the most successful time in the club’s history.

During his tenure, they won eight Cork senior championships, seven Munster championships and two All-Ireland titles over nine years involved before leaving the role in December 2022.

Ronayne was also manager of the Waterford men’s senior footballers for one campaign in 2021. In the last couple of seasons he was a selector with the Mitchelstown Intermediate A football team. The Avondhu outfit lost the final in 2023 before bowing out at the quarter-final hurdle this year.

This new role will be a very challenging one for Ronayne as Clyda Rovers have struggled for form and consistent results in recent years. After reaching the last four of the SAFC in 2022, losing by two points to Knocknagree, the North Cork side were unable to qualify out of their group in 2023 and this year ended up in the relegation play-off, but did defeat Kiskeam to avoid the drop.

Ronayne will work under manager Karyn Graham with Derry Cronin and Tommy Walsh selectors. 

Clyda Rovers were without their star man in Conor Corbett who was injured for his club’s championship campaign in 2024. He was on fire two years ago when the Mourneabbey men made the semi-finals. Ronayne knows that a fully fit Corbett would enhance the team.

They have some fine players on top of their Cork senior footballer including the likes of Conor O’Sullivan, Aidan Kelly, Kevin Graham and Cormac O’Reilly, but they know that they need everyone fit and firing. The new coach will try and push the team on with the relegation play-off win over Kiskeam back in October showing how together the group are.

In the 2025 McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC, Clyda Rovers will meet Knocknagree, Cill na Martra and Fermoy in the group stage.