Sean O'Connor has been appointed manager of First Division side Athlone Town.
O’Connor ends a long association at St Patrick’s Athletic where he served as coach since 2017, working with five managers in total.
He also coached within their academy.
The former Saints player has opted to move into a management role after a long apprenticeship with the Saints.
Town face a battle to get a place in the play-offs after a disappointing season under Ian Ryan. They are seventh in the table, four points off fifth.
Ryan parted company with the club a fortnight ago, with the midlanders opting to move for O'Connor.
The new boss, speaking after confirmation of his arrival, said: "I am delighted to be here at Athlone Town Football Club.
"It is a club that has massive potential with really good people behind the scenes. It’s my job to now add to that and push the team to achieve good things."
Athlone Town’s technical director Brian Shelley feels O’Connor has all the characteristics they need to build a tilt at promotion.
He stated: "Once we began to look for our next head coach, Sean stood out as the right person to lead our men’s first team. We believe he has all the qualities needed to be a successful head coach.
"He is an excellent coach, but just as importantly, he is a strong leader who knows how to manage people, build relationships and create a positive culture. He has a clear idea of how he wants his team to play and works to high standards every day.
"Sean is ambitious, hardworking and has a real passion for developing players and staff.
"We believe he is the right person to lead our men’s team and help move the club forward. We are delighted to welcome him to Athlone Town AFC and look forward to supporting him in the years ahead."
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Source: RTE
