Mick Lillis is a Gaelic games coach and manager and former player. He played for the Laois county football team, later managing them and has also been involved with numerous clubs in several counties. As well as managing winning senior championship teams in Laois with Portlaoise, he also guided St Laurence's in Kildare and Palatine in Carlow to county titles.
| Personal information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Micheal Laighleas | ||||
| Sport | Gaelic football | ||||
| Inter-county management | |||||
| |||||
Biography edit
Lillis is a native of Cooraclare,[1] County Clare, but played most of his club football career with Portlaoise and briefly played with the Laois senior football team.
Lillis was working as masseur for the Wexford senior football team in 2005 when he received a four-week ban from the Laois GAC following an under-16 football league final between Portlaoise and Stradbally, which also led to Portlaoise senior club treasurer JP Cahillane receiving a six-month suspension for "verbal abuse and physical interference of the referee".[2]
Laois appointed Lillis as their senior football manager in 2015.[3][4][5][6] After a defeat to Dublin in the 2016 Leinster Senior Football Championship, Laois went on to beat Armagh in the qualifiers, but fell short against Lillis's native Clare in the next round. Lillis tendered his resignation as manager of the Laois senior football team shortly afterwards.[7] Lillis led Laois to the bottom of Division 2, a Leinster SFC quarter-final exit and then an All-Ireland SFC qualifier exit to Clare before he resigned in 2016.[8][9] He also used seven substitutes in a win, causing the game to be replayed, complained about a fixture against Dublin being held at Nowlan Park and dropped Gary Walsh when he cursed at him after being substituted.[10]
Lillis succeeded Niall Carew as Ballylinan manager ahead of the 2020 season.[11]
Ahead of the 2022 season Lillis joined Offaly GAA club Shamrocks, assisting manager Brian Kelly (the former Carlow captain).[12]
References edit
- ^ "Cooraclare man Lillis steps down as Laois boss". Clare Herald. 2016.
- ^ Keys, Colm (24 June 2005). "Wexford play down Roe 'bonus'". Irish Independent.
- ^ Keane, Paul (7 July 2016). "Lillis puts past connections aside for Laois". The Sunday Times.
- ^ "Laois confirm Lillis appointment". Hogan Stand. 6 October 2015.
- ^ Dollery, Paul (5 October 2015). "Laois and Roscommon confirm new senior football managers". The42.ie. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Clare Man Appointed Laois Football Manager". Clare FM. 6 October 2015.
- ^ "Laois in the hunt for new football manager". Irish Independent. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
- ^ "Mick Lillis announces Laois resignation in statement". Newstalk. 25 July 2016.
- ^ "Mick Lillis Steps Down As Laois Football Manager". Pundit Arena. 25 July 2016.
- ^ "Mick Lillis' Departure Leaves Laois In An All Too Familiar Position". Pundit Arena. 25 July 2016.
- ^ Miller, Steven (27 February 2020). "Former Laois manager to take charge of Ballylinan as new club season comes into focus".
- ^ "New role for Lillis". Hogan Stand. 1 March 2022.