Former Down star Mark Poland has been confirmed as the new Warrenpoint manager just weeks after their extra-time defeat to Kilcoo in the county final.
Having been involved in Shane Mulholland’s backroom team this season, Poland takes the reins for 2023.
St Peter’s suffered a one-point defeat to Kilcoo in the 2019 Down SFC final and history repeated itself this season.
Read more: Jerome Johnston steps aside as Ballybay boss ahead of Kilcoo clash
After beating Burren and Loughinisland on penalties to reach the decider, Warrenpoint brought the defending All-Ireland champions to extra-time in last month’s final in Páirc Esler, but slipped to a 1-13 to 0-15 defeat.
Gary Boyle, Conor Gilmore, Ryan McAleenan, Daniel Bird and Sean O’Hare join Poland’s backroom team for the new campaign as Warrenpoint begin the job of trying to break Kilcoo’s stranglehold on the Frank O’Hare Cup.
The Magpies, who take on Ballybay in Sunday’s Ulster Club SFC quarter-final in Clones, have now won 10 Down Championship titles in 11 seasons.
Poland was an integral part of the Down squad for over a decade and helped the Mournemen reach the All-Ireland final in 2010 before retiring from inter-county football in 2017.
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