Derry appear to have identified their replacement for Mickey Harte

After a long drawn out process to replace Mickey Harte as Derry GAA manager, reports today have suggested that the County Board have identified their front runner for the role.

Harte resigned from the role in July and since then the Oakleaf county has been in search of his successor.

The season ended poorly for Derry after promising so much with the Division One National League title being won in March, before the county crashed out of the Ulster Championship in their opening fixture to Donegal and then the quarter final stage of the All-Ireland at the hands of Kerry.

This brought to an end the Harte era of Derry football, after only one season.

Following his resignation there were many loud whispers about the return of Rory Gallagher as manager of the county, who had resigned from the role the week of the 2023 Ulster final after his estranged wife Nicola made allegations of domestic abuse against him in May 2023.

His solicitor, Darragh Mackin, of Phoenix Law said on Thursday night that Gallagher fully intends to return to inter-county management soon.

However, on Friday night the Derry County Board confirmed that Gallagher was not being considered for the vacant role.

Other names had been thrown around for the job including James Horan, Malachy O’Rourke and Damian McErlain.

However, Horan stated he was not in line for the job, O’Rourke has agreed to take the reigns at Tyrone for next year and McErlain was not interested in the role.

It now appears that after three months of searching for a replacement, Derry have identified their man to be Harte’s successor.

Neil Loughran of the Irish News, has reported today that the county board have identified Co. Down's Mark Doran as the clear frontrunner for the job.

Doran is currently the manager of Slaughtneil, one of the favourites for the Derry senior championship, and is well-regarded for his wealth of experience, despite not having managed an intercounty side as of yet.

He was previously part of the Wicklow set up under Oisín McConville, while he was also linked to other inter-county jobs over the summer including the now filled Monaghan position and a coaching role with the All-Ireland finalists Galway.

Any announcement is unlikely to occur while Slaughtneil remain in the hunt for their first senior championship since 2020, but it is now widely expected that he will lead The Oak Leaf County into the Allianz Leagues come the turn of the year.