'It's a huge honour': Newtownhamilton's Barra Murray is appointed as the new Armagh U17s manager

​Murray takes over from Aidan O’Rourke, who has taken up a coaching role with Kildare. Under O’Rourke the Armagh U17s made it all the way to the All-Ireland final, but lost out narrowly against Derry.

Murray will be familiar with the squad in 2025, as he was a member of the management team who took charge of the U16 Buncrana Cup team in 2023, and lost out in the decider against Mayo last year.

Murray’s backroom team will include the highly experienced Tommy Coleman – who famously led his home club Clann Eireann to Gerry Fegan Cup glory in 2021.

“Planning is well underway,” Murray told Armagh TV.

“It's a huge honour. I know these lads very well having worked with them at U16s last year, and I was keen to be involved this year again.

“The opportunity just came up with Aidan moving to Kildare. I went through the interview process, it was rigorous and I was ratified by the County Board.

“I had a couple of guys pencilled in for my backroom team; Tommy Coleman and Barry McDonald have both agreed to be coaches and we have Paul Gaffney for our Strength and Conditioning, Sean Hegarty from Armagh TV doing our video analysis work and Barry Watters in as kit man.”

Murray says that seeing the Senior team achieve All-Ireland glory in 2024 as well as the Minors reaching the All-Ireland final means that he will inherit a very motivated group of players.

“It's an exciting time to be a Minor in Armagh, on the back of Armagh winning the Sam Maguire and the Minors getting to the All-Ireland final.

“It doesn't take much persuasion for the lads to stay 'let's take another step to try and improve five per cent heading into the Championship’.

“It’s less to do with hope and it’s more to do with hard work and endeavour, planning and a structured approach. Over the last couple of years the Academy strategy in Armagh has worked really effectively.”