Harps and Shinrone land big fish in North Tipp transfer market
By Gary Culbert
Excitement is building as the 2026/2027 North Tipperary & District League season comes into view, and the jewel in the NT&DL crown – the Premier Division – is where the most anticipation lies.
Henry Newman, with the help of Johnny Coleman, Mark Fennell and Shane Purcell, achieved the impossible last season by guiding BT Harps to an historic quadruple. With his work now done, but who will continue his legacy?
As Newman, Fennell, and Purcell move on to manage the NT&DL Oscar Traynor squad, Johnny Coleman has been chosen as the new manager BT Harps manager. Having played a key role as head coach, his promotion to main man was never really in doubt.
Coleman's first big job was the creation of an entire new backroom team. Speaking on his appointment, the 39-year-old said he is happy with the direction that the squad and management team are going in.
"After last year’s success it was impossible for me to also leave with Henry, Mark and Shane,” Coleman revealed.
“I had a few weeks in the summer to canvass who I thought were the best fit for the team, luckily for me, the three guys that I asked didn't even hesitate and jumped at the opportunity".
Declan Fogarty has come on board as head coach. Fogarty played all his schoolboy football with Templemore FC. He impressed so much there that he made it onto the North Tipp youths’ team, which was managed by John Freeman. North Tipp would go on to collect silverware by beating Cork AUL in the final, played in Thurles Greyhound stadium. Fogarty went on to play with Blackcastle and was left-back the second last time the club won the Premier Division title in 2002.
Fogarty’s foray into coaching began in 2009, firstly with BT Harps and then with the North Tipp Schoolchildren’s Football League (NTSFL).
He won many leagues and cups with his hometown club, with the highlight being guiding two different Harps teams to the last 16 of the National Cup. He was also the manager of the men’s side in 2017 who finished runners-up Thurles Town in the Premier Division.
But his true love of coaching was born from a period spent working under James Scott, the current Republic of Ireland U17 women's head coach.
“With the NTSFL, that's where I developed my love for coaching,” he revealed.
“James appointed me as head coach of the NTSFL Futsal academy in the Templemore Centre for three years. I did my badges during that time and received my UEFA youth cert. (National C licence today).”
Fogarty was involved in four Kennedy Cup campaigns as a coach with the NTSFL, acting as head coach in two of those campaigns and winning the Kennedy Cup Trophy section back in 2012. This CV culminated in Fogarty getting the top coaching job in the NTSFL two years ago.
Ben Stapleton has also joined the management team. Unfortunately, Stapleton's trophy-laden career as a player has, through injury, has had to take a significant pause. The 25-year-old scored the opening goal in the Premier Division title play-off win over Moneygall last season but suffered a devastating ACL injury in the process which will see him ruled out for the season.
Former player Sean McCormack concludes the line-up as Strength & Conditioning coach/physio.
However, the good news stories do not stop there for BT Harps as Stevie Nolan will be returning to play a part in the upcoming Premier Division campaign.
After a little over a year away, Nolan’s return will send a shiver down the backs of Premier Division title rivals, yet another player as dominant as Sean Paddy Guerins to overcome in an already stacked squad.
The highly technical 28-year-old will bring a calming presence to the Harps midfield, using all the experience he gained in his underage years with North Tipp and the Republic of Ireland to move the opposition around the park, effectively making them chasing shadows.
Nolan's last appearance for Harps was in March of 2025. His return once again highlights the abundance of riches that the BT Harps academy has produced over the years. Is there any other club in the whole of North Tipperary that has such a repertoire of former players waiting in the wings to return and put a shoulder to the wheel?
New Shinrone United ‘A’ manager Derek McLoughlin has been busy strengthening his squad during the off-season, with some high-profile transfers arriving from nearby clubs.
The first man on his wish list was Highfield United’s Simon Hayes. With 22 goals in all competitions last season, helping Highfield to a third place finish in the CCFL First Division last season the pacy striker, has traded Birr for his native Shinrone.
For context, the Killavilla United 'A' front three of Ruairi Murphy, Johnny Corboy & Ben Lynch managed a combined 39 goals in all competitions in the same division.
One major issue with the Shinrone team last season was how isolated all three forwards were in the 4-3-3 formation. There were massive gaps between the front three, who at times operated individually and not as a fluid unit, meaning there was minimal link-up play across the frontline.
The signing of Hayes may be the beginning of the end for that formation as the ex-Highfield striker will likely be deployed alongside Rian McLoughlin in a front two.
Wherever Derek McLoughlin decides to play his star man up front or on the wing, one thing is for sure, this signing is a real statement of intent by the new manager.
Martin Harty is Shinrone’s second big signing of the season. The 32-year-old has made the short journey from Cloughjordan. The highlight of his half-season with the club was his five goals against Arra Rovers in the Tipperary Cup.
Harty previously played at the top level with BT Harps. Back then he came back to haunt his hometown club Killavilla United. The question now is: can he come back to haunt his former team this season while wearing a Shinrone shirt?
Tipperary Cup runners-up Ballymackey, have strengthened in the heart of midfield with the return of Denis Haverty. Haverty has the ability to make a serious impact on the Ballymackey spine, potentially getting the nearly-men over the line.
First Division
Last season has not been finished long when Knigh United landed a big fish in the form of Bryan McGee.
The 34 year old central midfielder has plenty of experience under his belt at various clubs, most notably with Nenagh AFC - both in the NT&DL and the Limerick District League.
In 2023, McGee raised eyebrows by signing for Sallypark Odhráns, who were plying their trade in the First Division at the time. What followed was a treble winning season, in which McGee netted a fantastic goal in the Barry Cup final against Portumna Town.
The Barry Cup final would turn out to be his last game for the Park, but not his last game alongside Alan Flynn, Kieran Ryan, and Jack Sanders. The latter is now player/manager at Knigh and has signed his old teammate in a hope of recreating the First Division treble they previously enjoyed together.
Coincidentally, McGee's most recent clubs follow the course of the Nenagh River, which trickles just a stone’s throw from the pitch at Sallypark Odhráns FC in Latteragh, flowing through the back of Nenagh AFC in Brickfields, before picking up speed at the weir in Ballyartella - which is located just down the road from Knigh United.
If Knigh were not already hot favourites for back-to-back promotions, they certainly are now.