By Shaun Casey

LAST season’s beaten Monaghan finalists Inniskeen have retained the services of their manager John McEntee.

McEntee led the club to their first Senior Championship final appearance since 1990, but they lost out to Oriel kingpins Scotstown.

The 2002 All-Ireland Armagh winning centre half-forward has already tasted championship success in the Farney County having led Clontibret to their most recent success in 2019, and will hope to lead Inniskeen to the crown next season.

While championship success eluded McEntee’s side in 2023, they didn’t finish the year empty handed as they were crowned Division One league winners following a two-point league final win over Latton.

Clontibret are on the lookout for a new manager as Mick O’Dowd has stepped down after two years in the job. Inniskeen ended Clontibret’s championship run at the semi-final stage, with four points the difference in the end.

The 2022 championship winners Ballybay will also have a new man in their dugout next season as their search for Seanie Johnston and Micheál Lyng’s replacement is currently ongoing. The former Cavan players stepped down after one season in the job and are now in charge of their native Cavan Gaels.

Johnston and Lyng took over the reins from Jerome Johnston and Mark Doran, who led the men in maroon to the Mick Duffy Cup last year, but Ballybay struggled to find consistency throughout their title defence this season.

The Pearse’s ended up in the relegation zone but back-to-back victories over Magheracloone and Truagh secured their senior status for 2024.

Aughnamullen also survived the drop as they overcame Truagh in the relegation final to book their place among the senior ranks for next season, and Lee Conlon is set to remain in the hotseat.

They were one of the stories of the championship this year, losing just once in the group stages to reach the last eight, where they lost out to eventual winners Scotstown by nine points.