Pat Doyle steps down as St Michael's boss after challenging two seasons

St Michael’s are on the lookout for a new manager after Pat Doyle left his position recently.

The Kerry native replaced Dave Egan towards the end of 2023, but it has been a challenging time for the team with emigration and injuries biting hard.

The Blackrock club avoided the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC relegation play-off during Doyle's two-season stint at the helm.

They managed to eke out two hugely important results in the championship in the last two campaigns.

St Michael’s defeated Carbery Rangers in their first group game last year before drawing with Ballincollig in their second group match this year.

They lost all their other games in the championship in 2024 and '25.

St Michael’s released a statement following Doyle’s decision to step down as boss as well as key members of his backroom team.

“We want to thank Pat Doyle, Martin Crummey and Dave O’Connell, who have stepped aside from their roles as manager, coach, and strength and conditioning coach respectively in recent weeks.

“We thank them particularly for the time and effort invested in the players and their development and for the direction they have steered the club in. It will always be a good journey with St Michael’s, whether we win or lose, and Pat, Martin and Dave understood that and embraced that.

“They knew what was required, they faced many hurdles along the way and they invested a huge amount of time into their roles. We will forever be indebted to them for that.

“They represented everything we wanted from St Michael’s and that was never in question.

“Thanks lads, ye will always be Dazzlers and ye always have the green and gold of our club within ye. The very best of luck on the next road ye choose to embark down on.”

The process to appoint a new manager has already begun as St Michael’s look to kick on in the top-flight of the championship in 2026.

Since winning the SAFC in 2022, the Blackrock outfit have found it tough going in the Premier SFC, but the hope is that with a nice age profile at the moment and with promising young players coming through from the underage section, that St Michael’s can push on.

The new manager and his fellow management team will be taking over a side in the McCarthy Insurance Group Division 2 Football League after St Michael’s suffered demotion from Division 1 earlier this year.

They won their first game against Carrigaline, but would lose the remaining eight games. It wasn’t helped by injuries and players away.