Conan Power named new Rathfriland Rangers boss

Conan Power has been appointed as the new Rathfriland Rangers manager.
Conan Power (second left) has been installed as Rathfriland Rangers' new boss. He and joint  Player/Manager Ryan Monaghan led Rathfriland Swifts Reserves to Reserve Division Four League Cup glory in 2013. Photo: Gary Gardiner.Conan Power (second left) has been installed as Rathfriland Rangers' new boss. He and joint  Player/Manager Ryan Monaghan led Rathfriland Swifts Reserves to Reserve Division Four League Cup glory in 2013. Photo: Gary Gardiner.
Conan Power (second left) has been installed as Rathfriland Rangers' new boss. He and joint Player/Manager Ryan Monaghan led Rathfriland Swifts Reserves to Reserve Division Four League Cup glory in 2013. Photo: Gary Gardiner.

The Irishman has been a Rathfriland player for a number of years and has now replaced John Kernaghan in the club hot-seat.

Club chairman Junior Murray confirmed on Tuesday morning that the committee had appointed Power at a meeting on Monday evening.

“Conan has a lot of experience in the game,” he told the LEADER.

“He played League of Ireland football and has been playing for our second and third teams this season.

“We see it as a very positive move for the club after John (Kernaghan)’s resignation.”

Murray also confirmed that former Linfield legend Dessie Gorman has also left the club.

“We’ve gone with a completely new management team and he will appoint someone to work with him at a later date,” he said.

“There were three interested parties for the manager’s position but we went with Conan because the players all know him and they have already learnt a lot from his experiences in the game through playing with him.”

Ex manager John Kernaghan resigned on Saturday after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Orangefield Old Boys.

Kernaghan told the club’s committee that it was “with a heavy heart” that he made the decision to vacate his position at the club.

He said that after giving the job his “total commitment,” he felt that the time was right and that it was in the best interests of both him and the football club.

On leaving Rathfriland, John thanked the committee for their support and wished the club all the best going forward.

Rathfriland FC put on record their thanks to John for his commitement, dedication, passion and enthusiasm towards his job as manager and to the club and wished him all the best for the future.

Rathfriland Rangers are bottom of Division 1A but have played six games less than the teams above them.

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