Mickey Graham has stepped down as Cavan manager after completing five seasons in the role.
Graham made the decision despite having a year left to run in his current term after agreeing a two-year extension with the county board following the 2022 campaign.
His reign was quite an eventful one as he inherited a side fresh from promotion to Division One and, despite relegation in 2019, led the side to a first Ulster final in 18 years though they lost to Donegal.
On the resumption of action during the pandemic in late 2020, Cavan suffered a surprise relegation to Division Two but this time went one better in the Championship as they turned the tables on Donegal to win a first Ulster title since 1997 before losing to Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Cavan suffered yet another relegation the following year, however, in what was a truncated League though Graham achieved successive promotions to leave the side back in Division Two for 2024.
However, their stint in the lower divisions meant that they competed in the Tailteann Cup for the last two years as they struggled to make progress through Ulster.
They lost to Westmeath in the final of the newly-created competition last year and were eliminated at the quarter-final stage by Down last month, with Graham feeling that the time was right to move on after that defeat.
A Cavan statement read: “Mickey brought great passion to Cavan football as a player, development squad coach and manager.
“Cavan County Board would like to thank Mickey for his enormous contribution to
Cavan football and Cavan GAA especially during his time as manager of the senior football
team.
“We congratulate him on his successes during his tenure and wish him every success in
his future.”
