New favourite emerges as Antrim move closer to managerial appointment

Andy McEntee stepped down as Antrim boss in June and is appears the Saffrons are a step closer to finding his replacement

A new front-runner has emerged as Antrim move closer to appointing a new senior football manager.

Nominations for the role, which was vacated by Andy McEntee after three years in charge, closed at the end of July.

Paddy Bradley had been the early favourite, but withdrew his name from the race last week.

It appears former Louth manager Colin Kelly is now the leading candidate for the role with Colm Nally possibly joining the ticket as coach.

Kelly managed the Wee County to back-to-back promotions in 2016 and ’17, which included a win over the Saffrons in Croke Park in the 2016 Division Four final.

The Drogheda native also had spells in charge of Westmeath and Wicklow and is currently managing Cavan senior side Kingscourt Stars.

Nally has previously worked with Kelly with Louth U21s and has coached Kildare and Meath in recent years as well as managing Armagh side Silverbridge. However, he stepped down as Cavan coach earlier this year due to his commitments with the GAA’s Football Review Committee.

Kelly’s potential appointment would be the second successive time Antrim have turned to Leinster for a manager after McEntee took on the role from Enda McGinley in 2022.

They reached two consecutive Tailteann Cup semi-finals during the first two years Meath man’s tenure, but they were relegated to Division Four this year and lost out to Wexford in the Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final.

After McEntee stepped down in June, clubs were asked to submit nominations, although a three-man sub committee has been established to find a new manager with a remit to go beyond the names put forward by the clubs.

It is understood that at least one Antrim club has nominated Barry Dillon for the role, but it is unclear whether or not he has been interviewed for the position.

The Ballinascreen clubman led Ulster University to Sigerson Cup success in 2024 and is managing Ardboe, who face a tough opener in the Tyrone SFC when they take on holders and Ulster Club champions Errigal Ciaran next month.

Ronan Devlin, manager of Antrim champions Cargin, Anthony McGrath, Leitrim coach and former Queen’s manager and ex-Antrim star Kevin Madden have also been linked to the role in recent weeks.