Big boost for Roscommon as Heneghan and O'Carroll return to fold

Donnchadh Boyle Twitter Email

January 08 2010 04:45 AM

ROSCOMMON manager Fergal O'Donnell has been boosted by the return to the county panel of Ger Heneghan and Mark O'Carroll ahead of the start of the new season.

Attacking ace Heneghan withdrew from the panel after last year's National Football League, but he has been recalled to the fold following an impressive county and Connacht club championship campaign with Castlerea St Kevin's.

Heneghan's clubmates Michael Killilea and Enda Kenny have also been recalled.

St Brigid's midfielder Mark O'Carroll is returning after a two-year absence having failed to gain a place in O'Donnell's panel last year.

O'Donnell has also confirmed that there will be no changes to his backroom team for the coming season with Stephen Bohan, Declan Hoare, Ross Shannon and Mark O'Dowd -- who were all selectors with him when Roscommon won their first All-Ireland minor title in 55 years in 2006 -- continuing for the year ahead.

Elsewhere, Mayo are set to name Tony Duffy as their new minor football manager at next Monday night's County Board meeting.

The Ballintubber clubman will be appointed to fill the vacancy created when Ray Dempsey agreed to take over the county's U-21 reins after last September's All-Ireland minor final defeat against Armagh.

Duffy, a clubmate of County Secretary Seán Feeney, is expected to be ratified after he and three other candidates -- former U-21 selector Donal Tuohy, former senior selector George Golden and former coaching officer Padraig Walsh -- were interviewed for the position before Christmas.

Former Mayo senior star forward Maurice Sheridan will be a member of Duffy's backroom team -- as will Michael Ruane, Dessie Ruttledge, Liam Lavelle and Vinny Walsh.

Meanwhile, Dempsey has confirmed that his backroom team of the last three seasons with the minor team -- Stephen Healy, Tomás Grady and Kevin Beirne -- will be joining him with the U-21 squad in 2010.