As the AIB League hots up, we take a look at the role of the head coach. Des Daly offers us a breakdown of who, what and where in the league’s coaching stakes.
There are 35 Irish and 13 non-Irish head coaches in the AIB League this season. Three of the 16 coaches in the first division come from outside these shores. New Zealand supplies most (seven) of the ‘foreign’ coaches.
Six former Irish international players: Mick Galwey (Shannon), David O’Mahony (Dolphin), Stephen McIvor (Bective Rangers), Andy Ward (Belfast Harlequins), Brian Robinson (Queen’s University) and Willie Anderson (Rainey Old Boys) are head coaches at an AIB League club this season.
American-born Steven Hennessy at St. Mary’s College is the longest serving Division One coach followed by Dolphin’s O’Mahony.
In Division Two, Tony Smeeth is in his tenth season at Dublin University, Ian Morgan in his ninth at Barnhall and Martin Ryan in his eighth at Thomond. Mervyn Tweed (Ards), brother of former Ireland second row Davy, is the longest serving coach in the third division.
Below, the head coaches of all 48 clubs are listed. The first bracket after a name refers to the country of origin of the coach. The second bracket denotes the number of AIB League seasons, including 2007/08, that the particular individual has been serving as head coach at the club.
Nineteen clubs (six in Division One, five in Division Two and eight in Division Three) have a head coach appointed for the first time this season.
Brian Walsh (Cork Constitution) has been appointed coach to the AIB Club International squad this season and will be assisted by Brian Hyland (UCC). They will prepare the team for the international against Scotland at Donnybrook on Friday February 22 (kick-off 7.35pm).
| Ballymena | Jacques Benade (SA ) ( 2 ) |
| Blackrock College | Barry Gibney ( IRE ) ( 2 ) / Emmet Farrell (IRE ) ( 2 ) |
| Clontarf | Andy Wood ( NZ ) ( 1) |
| Cork Con | Brian Walsh ( IRE ) ( 3 ) |
| Dolphin | David O’Mahony ( IRE ) ( 4 ) |
| Dungannon | John Andrews ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Galwegians | Paul Young ( IRE ) ( 2 ) |
| Garryowen | Darragh O’Sullivan ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Greystones | Colin McEntee ( IRE ) ( 2 ) |
| Lansdowne | Stephen Rooney ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Old Belvedere | Warren O’Kelly ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| St. Mary’s College. | Steven Hennessy ( IRE ) ( 6 ) |
| Shannon | Mick Galwey ( IRE ) ( 4 ) |
| Terenure College | Kevin West ( NZ ) ( 3 ) |
| UCD | Bobby Byrne( IRE ) ( 4 ) |
| UL Bohemians | Ian Costello ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Barnhall | Ian Morgan ( IRE ) ( 9 ) |
| Ballynahinch | Derek Suffern ( IRE ) ( 2 ) |
| Bective Rangers | Steven McIvor ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Belfast Harlequins | Andy Ward ( NZ ) ( 2 ) |
| Buccaneers | Tony Dolan ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Clonakilty | Terry Dillon ( IRE ) ( 4 ) |
| DLSP | Simon Broughton ( NZ ) ( 2 ) |
| Dublin University | Tony Smeeth ( ENG ) ( 10 ) |
| Highfield | Geoff Moylan ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Malone | Andy Dougan ( IRE ) ( 2 ) |
| Old Crescent | Mark Ring ( WAL ) ( 2 ) resigned / Jed O’Dwyer ( IRE ) ( 6 ) |
| Suttonians | Robert Forbes ( IRE ) ( 4 ) |
| Thomond | Martin Ryan ( IRE ) ( 8 ) |
| UCC | Conor Twomey ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Wanderers | Andrew Spraggon ( NZ ) ( 2 ) |
| Young Munster | Mike Lynch (IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Ards | Mervyn Tweed ( IRE ) ( 5 ) |
| Banbridge | Andre Bester ( SA ) ( 1 ) |
| Bruff | Eugene Murnane ( WAL ) ( 3 ) |
| City of Derry | Neil Stewart ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Connemara | Henry O’Toole ( IRE ) ( 2 ) |
| Corinthians | Leon Jordan ( SA ) ( 1 ) |
| Co. Carlow | Jason Jones ( AUS ) ( 1 ) |
| Instonians | Clem Boyd (Ire) (4) |
| Midleton | Jason Holland ( NZ ) ( 2 ) |
| Naas | Andrew Melville ( NZ ) ( 1 ) |
| Nenagh Ormond | Noel O’Meara ( IRE ) ( 2 ) |
| Old Wesley | Philip Rice ( ENG ) ( 1 ) |
| Queen’s University Belfast | Brian Robinson ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Rainey OB | Willie Anderson ( IRE ) ( 1 ) |
| Sundays Well | Tommy Crowe ( IRE ) ( 3 ) |
| Waterpark | Martin Fenlon ( IRE ) ( 2 ) |
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