Harte steps down as Derry manager

Derry suffered an alarming dip in form under Harte following their Division One title win in March

Mickey Harte has stepped down as Derry manager after one season in charge following the county's All-Ireland quarter-final exit at the hands of Kerry.

Harte, a shock appointment last September, guided the Oak Leafers to a National Football League Division One title but oversaw a difficult championship campaign.

With their Ulster reign having been ended by Donegal at Celtic Park, Derry finished third in their All-Ireland group and beat Mayo in the preliminary quarter-finals before falling to Kerry in the last eight at the end of June.

"I would like to thank the players for the huge commitment they gave to the Derry jersey during the 2024 season," said Harte, 72.

"I would also like to thank Gavin [Devlin, coach] and the entire backroom team for their hard work, dedication and expertise.

"Thanks too for the support of the County Board and all those generous sponsors of the GAA in Derry. Finally, I wish the players every success in the years ahead."

John Keenan, Derry GAA chairperson, said: "We sincerely thank Mickey, Gavin and their entire backroom team for their hard work and dedication throughout the 2024 season. We wish them the very best in their future endeavours."

Derry GAA added "a process will now be put in place for the appointment" of a new management team.

Harte sent shockwaves through the GAA when he left his position as Louth manager to take over as Derry boss last year, stepping in after Ciaran Meenagh's interim spell following Rory Gallagher's departure.

A three-time All-Ireland winner with Tyrone, many felt Harte could be the final piece in the puzzle in Derry's attempts to win Gaelic football's biggest prize for the first time since 1993.

And while Harte's reign started superbly, with a thrilling victory over Dublin in March sealing the county's Division One title since 2008, their league form deserted them during a turbulent championship campaign.

Beaten comprehensively at home by Donegal in the Ulster Championship, Derry then suffered defeats by Galway and Armagh in the Sam Maguire round-robin series, conceding nine goals across the three games.

They salvaged their season by beating Westmeath in their final group game, after which Harte dismissed suggestions of disharmony in his squad.

And while they battled past Mayo on penalties in the preliminary quarter-finals, Derry's season petered out against Kerry, Harte's side managing just 10 points in a cagey knockout game at Croke Park.

Analysis

Given Harte's status as the face of Tyrone football over the past two decades, his move to Derry was one of the most shocking managerial appointments in recent memory.

Speaking to BBC Sport NI in December, however, Harte said he was unbothered by the noise his move had generated.

And when the shock in Derry dissipated, there was belief that the man who masterminded Tyrone's rise to the top in the early noughties could do something similar in the Oak Leaf County.

Winning the Dr McKenna Cup and league title only enhanced that belief, but the championship matters most and the results speak for themselves, with four defeats in six games.

And given that Derry reached the All-Ireland semi-finals in 2022 and 2023, a quarter-final exit was always going to raise questions over Harte's future.

Speaking to the BBC after the Kerry game, Harte said: "Every year is what it is. We certainly enjoyed our time here and the future will take care of itself."