McCONAGHY RESIGNS AS LIMAVADY UNITED BOSS

The local man had been in charge for 18 games and secured silverware for the Roesiders by winning the Craig Memorial Cup against Tobermore.

Out of his 18 games in charge, McConaghy lost just three - including the semi-final of the Intermediate Cup - as the side he inherited from Oran Kearney finished second in the league table behind Carrick Rangers.

The success of the team meant seven players were snapped up by Coleraine and when McConaghy started pre-season training in recent weeks only four of the remaining eleven of the squad from last season turned up.

He held four training sessions in total but still the missing seven did not come along - which proved the final straw for McConaghy.

He said: “The reason I resigned was because seven players failed to show up for training. I believe some were holding out to see if they could see if they would be signed up by somebody at a higher level but that sort of lack of commitment to me and Limavady was just not acceptable.

“Some of those who did not turn up thought they were better players than they were and that they should have been snapped up by an Irish League Premier League club,” said McConaghy.

He wished to praise the four players from last season’s squad who did go to training - his son Gareth; Lee Patrick; Trevor Hutchinson and Tommy Elder.

“I was not impressed by the lack of commitment of the players who did not show up for training and that is why I walked but I have nothing but praise for Limavady United FC and their management committee. I wish to thank them for the opportunity they gave me and the committee was also disappointed at the no-show for training by several players.”

McConaghy and his assistant Ryan McLaughlin initially took over from Oran Kearney in February until the end of the season and McConaghy said that a couple of weeks before the end of the term the club committee offered the duo the post for another year.

McConaghy said: “I am disappointed at the outcome over the no-show for training but I will continue to concentrate on being a referee and with youth football at Stranocum.”

There is speculation that former Coleraine boss David Platt will be the new man in charge at the Limavady Showgrounds.