By Shaun Casey

FORMER Down wing-forward Danny Hughes has linked up with his former county colleague Ronan Sexton in the Mayobridge dugout for the upcoming season. Sexton will once again be the manager, with Hughes holding the position of coach.

The ‘Bridge reached the last eight of the Down SFC last season but lost out to eventual winners Kilcoo. Sexton took over the reins from Bernie Murray midway through last season but will be there from the start in 2025.

Burren, who have lost back-to-back county finals to Kilcoo in the last two years, have also added to their management team with former Tyrone player Collie Holmes coming on board in a coaching capacity.

The St Mary’s club will once again be led by Stevie O’Hare and Eoin McCartan, who are entering their second year at the helm.

Holmes, a three-time All-Ireland winner with Tyrone, has an impressive coaching CV.

The Eglish clubman, who also played club football in the Orchard County with Armagh Harps and An Port Mór, was part of Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher’s Tyrone setup for the 2024 season and has previously managed the Tyrone minors. He has also enjoyed success coaching Dungannon in the past.

Burren are aiming for their first county title since 2018, but defeated Ulster finalists Kilcoo remain the dominant force in the Mourne County. O’Hare and McCartan will also be without star man Liam Kerr who is off to Australia.

Former Armagh attacker Stefan Forker has joined forces with his ex-county teammate Finnian Moriarty in Carryduff. Moriarty is heading into his third year in charge of Carryduff, and they remain one of the big hitters in Down.

Moriarty led Maghery to the Armagh SFC title back in 2020 and Forker, older brother of Armagh’s All-Ireland winning captain Aidan, was a key member of that team.

Forker was involved with the Armagh minor team this season as part of Aidan O’Rourke’s backroom. Armagh reached both the Ulster and All-Ireland finals but came up short against Derry on both occasions.

Top Intermediate contenders Saval will have former Armagh footballer Martin O’Rourke in their dugout next season, and he’ll be joined by Darren Quinn and Conor Fegan. Saval lost out to Rostrevor at the quarter-final stage in 2024. They did win the Intermediate Championship in 2022, defeating Rostrevor in the decider by three points, but found themselves back in Intermediate football for the season passed. Getting back up to senior will once again be the main objective for the club.

Longstone, who were relegated to Intermediate from the top tier this season, have a new manager in place with Kilcoo native Paddy Murray taking charge. The Reds lost all four championship games this year, including the relegation playoff final against Castlewellan.

Murray has some recent experience in the Intermediate Championship having won the competition with Liatroim as recently as 2023. They reached the Ulster semi-finals that season too but lost out to eventual All-Ireland champions Cullyhanna.