Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce that Martin McManus has been appointed Head-Coach of our Women’s Under 17 team.

McManus was assistant to Darragh Healy in 2019, overseeing a fantastic season for the Bit O’Red Women’s team.

He will be joined on the sideline by Neal McKenna, who will take up the position of Assistant Head-Coach.

He has a wealth of experience working with youth teams, coaching a number of different age groups with Kilglass/Enniscrone United.

McManus is also a coach with Sligo Leitrim Youth and Schoolboys/Schoolgirls League.

Currently the Assistant Head Coach of the IT Sligo’s Women’s team, McManus also takes part in coaching during Sligo Rovers summer camps, and has been involved with numerous football programmes such as Football For All and the Primary School 5s Programme.

Speaking about the role, McManus said: “It’s a real honour for me to be named Head Coach of Sligo Rovers Women’s u17s. To say I’m excited about the season ahead would be an understatement. 

“I am looking forward to working with a lot of the girls from last season and getting to know the new girls that will come in this season. We had a great season during 2019 and myself, Neal and Hugh Cunningham are looking to build on previous success.”

McKenna joins McManus on the management team. He is the current Head Coach of Ballisodare United, coaching across all age groups, including the Under 12 girls.

He is assistant coach o the IT Sligo Men’s A team, and coaches the senior team at Summerhill College. McKenna coaches the Sligo/Leitrim girls Under 12 emerging talent team.

Speaking about the role, McKenna said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the opportunity to work with the Sligo Rovers Women’s u17s. 

“I am massively passionate about growing the women’s game in Sligo and want to add to the great work that has been done with the Rovers girls over the last two years. 

“There is more and more talk about women’s football in Ireland and myself and Martin’s job is the help the players develop both on and off the pitch and be the best they can be to establish Rovers as a real force in the women’s game for years to come, and hopefully we can build the women’s structure at the club and have an Under 19 team and senior team in the near future, with players availing of the scholarship programme at IT Sligo.”