Talent search and backroom quality key to Burke's Roscommon revolution

When he took on the senior job late last winter, Davy Burke's first target was to stop Roscommon's trend of bouncing between Division 1 and Division 2 as had been the case for the past five seasons.

At just 34, Burke was highly rated in the managerial game having started coaching at only 15 years of age.

Not long after he took the Rossies job, he reminded everyone of that reputation when he led Maynooth University to the All-Ireland colleges title with a last-gasp triumph over UCD in the Ryan Cup final.

Previous to that he’d taken charge of Wicklow at the end of 2019 and led them to promotion to Division 3 a year later, a status they retained in 2021, which was an even bigger achievement.

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And at club level, the Confey man also guided Sarsfields to a Kildare county title in 2019.

Though only appointed late in 2022, Burke was intent on finalising the quality backroom team with Roscommon.

Former Donegal player Mark McHugh has quickly established himself as a bright young coach, while the renowned former Sligo footballer Gerry McGowan, who had worked with Colm Collins in Clare, was also installed as a coach.

Eddie Lohan came in as selector, Noel Flynn the head of S&C. After a fruitful term with the Meath ladies' footballers, Kelley Fay was introduced as the team’s performance psychologist and Mayo’s Leo Tierney was retained as goalkeeping coach.

With the backroom assembled it was time to look at the players.

Trials were held and in the region of 90 footballers were scouted in this