Former Mayo star to take over Roscommon ladies

Pictured above: Diane O'Hora. Photo: Sportsfile/LGFA.

Former Mayo ace Diane O'Hora has been appointed as manager of the Roscommon ladies football team for the 2021 season.

O'Hara captained Mayo to their first All-Ireland senior ladies crown in 1999, and she went on to win three more All-Ireland medals.

Diane is a former member of the Defence Forces with whom she was based in Athlone. She had a spell managing the St Brigid's ladies, based in nearby Kiltoom, and she guided them to a Connacht senior club final appearance.

A native of Ballina, O'Hora was coach of the Down team which won the All-Ireland intermediate title in 2014. She steered Longford to a Leinster intermediate title and also had a spell in charge of Meath.

The current manager of Dublin club Clanna Gael Fontenoy, O'Hora said in an interview earlier this year that she would be interested in returning to the inter-county scene.

“I love winning. I have had the best days of my life winning All-Irelands with Mayo. You get a taste for that. Even as a coach you really want to succeed," O'Hora said in an interview with the LGFA.

At present, Diane works in medical device sales and her job sees her travel between Dublin and the west of Ireland. She completed the LGFA's Female Leadership Programme in recent months.

The current Roscommon manager is Michael Finneran, who will oversee the team in the 2020 All-Ireland intermediate championship.

Roscommon, who reached the semi-finals last year, will compete in Group 1 alongside Offaly and Wexford. The Rossies' first game will be against Wexford and it's due to take place on the weekend of November 7/8.

Westmeath will also compete in this year's intermediate championship, having been relegated from the senior ranks last year. The Lake County ladies will take on neighbours Longford in their opening championship game on the weekend of October 31/November 1.