Dowd gets the nod for Roscommon manager role

Mark Dowd has been selected as the new manager of the Roscommon senior football team, subject to ratification at the next county board meeting.

With Roscommon opting for an inside candidate this time, Dowd is set to succeed Kildare native Davy Burke, who stepped down as manager at the end of June.

In a statement announcing Dowd's selection for the role, Roscommon GAA said the Strokestown native "brings a wealth of experience in both management and coaching at inter-county and club level".

He was part of the management team when Roscommon won the All-Ireland minor football title in 2006, when Clann na nGael's David Flynn lifted the Tom Markham Cup as team captain.

Dowd guided Ballaghaderreen to the Mayo SFC title in 2012 and led the Roscommon U21 team to Connacht championship success in 2015.

In addition, Mark was part of the coaching setup during Roscommon’s Connacht SFC wins in 2010 and 2019 under the management of Fergal O'Donnell and Anthony Cunningham respectively.

Dowd played a key role in the surprise Roscommon SFC triumph of his home club Strokestown in 2022. He is currently the manager of Roscommon Gaels, who defeated Oran in their Hodson Bay SFC Group C game last night (Friday).

In welcoming Dowd as incoming manager, Roscommon GAA chairperson Brian Carroll said: “Mark has an outstanding track record at both club and county level, and he brings with him a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion for Roscommon football. We are confident that his leadership will help drive this team forward and build on the progress of recent years.

"I have had the pleasure of working with Mark on numerous occasions over the last 12 years and I know the Roscommon senior football team is in safe hands going forward. On behalf of Roscommon GAA, I would like to wish Mark every success in the role and assure him of our full support as he begins this exciting new chapter.”

Roscommon GAA has also thanked "the selection committee for their hard work and diligence in bringing this process to a successful conclusion".

Details of Dowd's backroom team will be confirmed in due course.

Roscommon will operate in Division 1 of the Allianz Football League in 2026, having earned promotion earlier this year. But their 2025 Connacht championship hopes were ended by Galway and the Rossies were unable to qualify for the knockout stages of the All-Ireland SFC, having competed in a group containing Kerry, Meath and Cork.