Former Rhode manager Coffey chosen as new Athlone supremo

Former Rhode manager Tom Coffey has been appointed as the new boss of the Athlone GAA senior football team. The recruitment of Coffey will be viewed as a significant coup for Athlone as the Ballyfore native had a highly successful spell as Rhode manager. He guided the club to two Offaly senior titles and two Leinster final appearances (2008 and 2010), both of which they lost to a strong Kilmacud Crokes outfit. Coffey played at wing-back on the last Offaly team to lift the Leinster senior football title in 1997, and he has managed the Faithful County's U21 team. He previously served as Offaly senior football manager on an interim basis for a short spell in 2009, after Richie Connor resigned from the post. Indeed, Coffey was the front-runner for the Offaly post last year but he withdrew from the process due to the length of time it was taking the Offaly County Board to make an appointment. Athlone GAA chairman Paul Connellan was a member of the club's sub-committee which was established to appoint a manager. He said the club is "delighted" to be appointing a manger of Coffey's calibre and track record. "We're delighted that Tom has agreed to come on board," Connellan told the 'Westmeath Independent'. "When Offaly were in the throes of appointing a manager last year, I was following developments with interest, and I was pleased when Tom opted out of that process so that he became available to talk about the Athlone job. We were anxious to get the best man and, in my view, Tom is the best man available." Athlone GAA are due to have an executive meeting tonight (Wednesday) where Coffey's appointment will be rubber-stamped. Selectors will be appointed at a later stage. Last year, Athlone had to win a relegation play-off against neighbours Tubberclair in order to secure senior status for 2012. They will be aiming to at least qualify for the knockout stages this year. Meanwhile, three other clubs have also confirmed their respective senior team managers ahead for the 2012 campaign, with Moate All-Whites hoping that a new man at the helm can revitalise their ailing fortunes. The All-Whites were sadly relegated to junior championship level last year, and are looking to Clara native, and current Ballycumber resident, Sean Greville, to help bring about a change in form. Moate had flirted with the possibility of relegation from intermediate level over recent years - a far cry from their most recent Westmeath SFC triumph (1997). Their relegation to junior level was confirmed in September, when they suffered defeat to Ballinagore in the intermediate championship relegation play-off. Assisting Greville will be long-time club members, Dermot Browne and Eamon Heavin. Browne was part of the successful 1997 Moate team, while Heavin is also a renowned Moate All-Whites stalwart, and his son, Ger, is considered one of the finest players to ever wear the All-Whites jersey. Club spokesperson Niall Cunningham, who was part of the selection committee that appointed the managerial team, said Greville's appointment is an exciting one for the club. "We don't expect miracles, but Sean is a young coach and has an opportunity to start something good here. We had a huge amount of minors playing with the senior team last season, and the underage section has been going well in recent years. We're quietly optimistic ahead of the upcoming year," said Cunningham. Greville has been involved with Ballycumber's senior team in the recent past, and has also done a lot of work with Offaly's underage development squads. "Sean came highly recommended to us for his coaching ability, and we're very pleased to welcome him, and Dermot and Eamon, on board as our new management team," said Cunningham. Meanwhile, Caulry manager Brendan Clarke has confirmed he's staying on for another campaign with the Mount Temple/Baylin side. Clarke has overseen considerable progress since taking over at Caulry, guiding the red and whites to the semi-finals of the intermediate championship in 2010, and the quarter-final stage last year. However, he feels there's unfinished business. "I'm hoping for another productive year. Hopefully, this year we won't be too badly handicapped by players going away for work. That was our main problem last year. We've made steady progress over the last couple of years, but I'd like to think we can go a little bit further," said Clarke. Rosemount, who narrowly missed out on the knockout stage of last year's IFC, have also confirmed that former Westmeath hurling manager, Eamonn Gallagher, has agreed to remain at the helm for another year, while Tubberclair native Gerry Walker will continue to manage fellow intermediate outfit Ballymore.