1. John O'Mahony
2. Paidi O'Sé
3. Mickey Harte
4. Jim Gavin
5. Jim McGuinness

D.Hyde (Roscommon) - Posts: 328 - 07/03/2026 12:27:36    2660410

1. Brian Cody
2. Jack O'Connor
3. Micko
4. Jim Gavin
5. Sean Boylan

HM's: Paidi O Se (Westmeath Leinster win was special), Jim McGuinness (Took Donegal to new heights despite what people say about the tactics), Mickey Harte, John Kiely.

dakid (Australia) - Posts: 343 - 07/03/2026 12:48:58    2660414

I think it's very hard to pick top 5 GAA managers as it's very hard to compare present day managers to old school managers.
-role has changed so much that modern GAA intercounty management is more about getting together/ facilitating a near professional backroom team to prepare players.

Old school managers (no particular order)
Cody
Micko
Boylan
Heffernan
Farrell
McGee
Loughnane

Modern style managers (no particular order)
Cody
Hearte
Gavin
Kiely
O' Connor

GreenMan1987 (Meath) - Posts: 128 - 07/03/2026 13:34:05    2660421

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8467 - 07/03/2026 16:41:55    2660444

Jim Gavin
Jack O'Connor
Micky Harte
Kieran McGeeney
Jim McGuinness

John Kiely
Brian Cody
Liam Sheedy
Micheal Donoghue
Davy Fitzgerald

otgarom (Mayo) - Posts: 10 - 07/03/2026 17:40:28    2660448

Loughnane definitely deserves a spot among modern hurling managers. He turned the perennial whipping boys into one of most ferocious skillful teams ever to hurl.

It didn't transfer outside probably for same reasons it was successful in Clare. His heart woukd never have been in beating his own.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4049 - 07/03/2026 21:28:24    2660478