I’m happy to be back in charge for another year’ – Jimmy Lee:

Paul Shaughnessy Limerick GAA Club Notes:

JIMMY Lee has been ratified as Limerick senior football manager for the 2025 season.

Lee took charge of the Treaty County in 2024 and the Newcastle West man will continue his two-year term in 2025.

It was a mixed year for Limerick in 2024. The Shannonsiders lost all seven games of their National League campaign in Division 3 which resulted in relegation to Division 4 for 2025.

After exiting the Munster championship at the hands of Cork, Lee’s side enjoyed a more positive Tailteann Cup campaign where they recorded victories over London, Offaly and Tipperary. Limerick were then defeated by Sligo in the Taileann Cup quarter-final.

“It’s a challenge all the time. It’s about trying to build for the future. I’m happy to be back in charge for another yea,” said Jimmy Lee.

Before Lee committed to Limerick for another year, he had to reflect on Limerick’s season in 2024.

“You’ve got to look at yourself as well and what can you bring to the table. If I knew then what I know now, I probably would have done things differently at the start of last year. There was a period of reflection to be done by all of us before I decided what to do. It wasn’t a given, let me put it that way. We always said from day one to the County Board that we would review it on a year to year basis”.

Lee was without a number of players last year including the likes of Brian Donovan, Hugh Bourke, Adrian Enright, Cian Sheehan, Brian Fanning and Gordon Browne. Lee is hoping to have some of those players involved next year, but a number of players are still away.
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This saw a number of new players get their opportunity in the green and white jersey. Barry Coleman and Emmett Rigter were just two of the players to impress in 2024.That saw Lee and his team experience challenges.

“The start of the year was difficult. A lot of new players came in and it took time to bed them in, we were putting a whole new squad together practically. There was times, we had 20 players that hadn’t been involved in the previous squad,” he said.

Lee’s charges compete in Division 4 in 2025.

“There’s another bit we have to do. We’re getting there and it’s like everything how many players will you get back and how many players will you lose? It’s definitely about rebuilding the whole thing from scratch again. We’re in the bottom Division in the league and we have to learn from that. It’s getting on with that from there.”

Limerick will face Wicklow, Wexford, Longford, Carlow, Tipperary, London and Waterford in Division four of the Allianz Football League. The GAA have made the decision to scrap pre-season competitions in 2025 and Lee is disappointed that the McGrath Cup will not take place next year.

“Realistically, it probably would have suited me. If you are a Division 4 team ideally that competition would be there. If you were a Division 1 team you could probably do without it. But can I do without the McGrath Cup probably not. We will be looking to replace that with challenge games”

Micheal Cahill will take up the role as coach of the Limerick senior footballers in 2025. Cahill has previously spent time in the US working in sports performance and sports science. The Mungret St Paul’s clubman will carry out the role of head coach.

Lee has remained involved with his club Newcastle West having guided the club to back to back county titles in 2022 and 2023.

The Magpies reached the Munster SFC Final in 2022 under Lee’s reign. Liam Keane has taken over from Lee, but the Limerick senior football manager remains part of the backroom team.

Fr Casey’s, Mungret St Paul’s, Adare and Newcastle West all remain in the hunt to lift the Fr Casey Cup this year.

“I’m there as a selector, in fairness to Liam I couldn’t refuse him. I would see other challengers coming. Newcastle won’t be assuming anything. There was only a kick a ball between Newcastle and Adare in the last few years.

“You look at the other side of it, Fr Casey’s have been winning titles at underage. It’s about trying to get over the line for them. Mungret have topped their group.”

Newcastle West are bidding to win the Limerick SFC title for the third year in-a-row.