Damian Cassidy

Damian Cassidy (born 22 July 1965), is a Gaelic football manager and former player for the Derry county team in the 1980s and 1990s, who was part of the county's 1993 All-Ireland Championship winning side, starting at left half forward. He also won two Ulster Senior Championship medals, three National League titles, and a range of under-age inter-county medals with the county. Cassidy played his club football for Bellaghy Wolfe Tones and won five Derry Championships

Playing career Style Cassidy played the majority of his career in the forward line (corner-forward for Bellaghy Adrian McGuckin, who coached him at St Pat's, Maghera, said he had a superb left foot and was very comfortable on the ball. GAA journalist and former Derry team-mate Joe Brolly said that despite the presence of many other great footballers at the time, Cassidy at his peak "was easily the best club footballer in Derry".

Inter-county Cassidy was part of the Derry Minor side that won the 1983 Ulster Minor and All-Ireland Minor Championships. before going on to defeat Cork in the decider, playing at left half forward. He also won back-to-back Ulster Under 21 Championships with the Derry Under 21 side in 1985 and 1986. The side defeated Armagh in the final. In 1992 Cassidy was part of the Derry panel that won the National League. It was 1992 until Cassidy and Derry got back to an Ulster final, however this time they were beat by Donegal. Derry however defeated Donegal in the 1993 Ulster decider and went on to win the 1993 All-Ireland Championship with a semi-final victory over Dublin and a final victory over Cork. The success was the county's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Cassidy won further National League medals in 1995 and 1996. The club won the Derry Championship again in 1994, and also won that year's Ulster Senior Club Football Championship. and 1998. He was awarded the man of the match accolade in both the 1994 and 1999 Derry Championship finals. Cassidy retired in 1999.

Cassidy was also a talented hurler. Mickey Moran in the end succeeded Coleman. In late 2002, Cassidy was linked with the vacant Antrim manager's job, but rejected it. The post eventually went to PJ O'Hare.

In 2008 he applied for the vacant Derry Senior football manager's job. Cassidy was announced as new Derry boss late on 7 October 2008. His backroom team will include former Antrim star Kevin Madden, as well as Martin McConnell, Brendan McCrory and goalkeeping coach Kevin O'Neill. and led the club to the Tyrone Under 21 Championship title.

Cassidy became Bellaghy manager for the 2004 season and managed them to the county final of 2004 where they lost to Slaughneil by 2 points. He also secured the league title in the same season. They captured 2005 Derry Championship title and they also reached the final of that year's Ulster Club Championship. Then reached the Derry final again in 2007 under his leadership, but lost by a point to Glenullin after a replay. He announced in December 2007 that he was stepping down as Bellaghy boss.

He was appointed manager of Tyrone club Clonoe O'Rahilly's in January 2008. He successfully guided the club to success in the 2008 Tyrone Championship, the club's first title since 1991. They shocked the "big two" of Tyrone club football – Errigal Ciarán and Carrickmore in the first round and quarter-final respectively. Clonoe then defeated Donaghmore to progress to their first Championship final in 17 years. They faced defending champions Dromore in the final, who went in as red-hot favourites. Cassidy was reappointed manager of Clonoe O'Rahilly's in 2011, where he guided them back into the Tyrone championship final against Dromore, a repeat of the 2008 final, this time Dromore got their revenge winning by a point. In 2012 he guided Clonoe to their first All County Senior League title, defeating Coalisland in the final. In 2013 he once more lead Clonoe O' Rahilly's to senior championship success, beating Carrickmore in the final. He quickly followed this up with winning the U21 county title and then the Ulster U21 championship with Clonoe, defeating Truagh Gaels of Monaghan. 2015 the O' Rahilly's recaptured the All County Senior League title for the second time in their history under Cassidy's stewardship. Cassidy became manager of Erin's Own Cargin in County Antrim in 2018. Winning the senior championship at his first attempt, beating St Galls in a pulsating high scoring semi-final and then beating parish neighbours Creggan, where the rivalry is intense, in a low scoring championship final. In the same season, Cassidy also lead Wolfe Tones, Bellaghy to their first minor championship win since 1994, by beating close rivals Lavey Gac in the Derry minor championship final at Derry GAA Centre of Excellence, Owenbeg. He followed this up by leading the 'Tones' to the Ulster minor club championship, hosted by Belfast club St Pauls on New Years Day, by heavily defeating Crossmaglen Rangers Gac in the final. Cassidy won his second senior club championship with Cargin in 2019 by beating Lamh Dhearg in a final replay and then extra time in a pulsating final. He also won the All County senior league title to do the double. In 2020 in the year of the Covid virus, he led Erin's Own Cargin to their first historic three in a row, by again defeating Creggan in extra time in a classic high scoring game.

Playing honours

Inter-county

Senior All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: Winner (1): 1993 National Football League: Winner (3): 1992, 1995, 1996 Ulster Senior Football Championship: Winner (2): 1987, 1993 Runner up: 1985, 1992 Dr McKenna Cup: Winner (1?): 1993

Under-21 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship: Runner-up: 1985 Ulster Under-21 Football Championship: Winner (2): 1985, 1986

Minor All-Ireland Minor Football Championship: Winner (1): 1983 Ulster Minor Football Championship: Winner (1): 1983

Club All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship – Runner-up: 1995 All-Ireland Kilmacud Crokes Sevens Championship – Winner (1): 1986 Castlewellan Sevens – Winner (1): 1997 Ulster Senior Club Football Championship – Winner (1): 1994 Ulster Senior Club Football Championship – Runner up: 1996, 1998 Derry Senior Football Championship – Winner (5): 1986, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999 Derry Senior Football Championship – Runner up: 1995 Derry Senior Football League – Winner (3): 1986, 1998, 1999 Derry U16 Football Championship - Winner 1981 Derry U18 Hurling Championship - Winner 1983 (Lavey)

School / college MacRory Cup – Winner (3?): 1982, 1983, 1984 Mageean Cup (hurling) – Winner (1) – 1984

Individual All Star – Nominated (runner up): ? Derry Championship First Trust Top Scorer award – Winner (1): 1991 Derry Championship Forbes Kitchen Man of the Match award – Winner (2): 1994, 1999 All-Ireland Kilmacud Crokes Sevens Championship Player of the tournament – Winner (1): 1996 Castlewellan Sevens – Winner (1): 1997 Sunday Independent Inter-county Team of the year (left half forward) – Winner: 1993

Managerial honour

2003 St Teresa's Loughmacrory, Tyrone U21 Championship 2004 Wolfe Tones Bellaghy, Derry All County Senior League 2005 Wolfe Tones Bellaghy, Derry Senior Championship

Wolfe Tones Bellaghy, Derry Ulster Club Championship finalist

2007 Wolfe Tones Bellaghy, Derry Senior Championship finalist 2008 Clonoe O'Rahilly's, Tyrone Senior Championship 2009 Derry, National League finalist D1 2011 Clonoe O'Rahilly's, Tyrone Senior Championship finalist 2012 Clonoe O'Rahilly's, Tyrone All County Senior League 2013 Clonoe O'Rahilly's, Tyrone Senior Championship

Clonoe O'Rahilly's, Tyrone U21 Championship

2014 Clonoe O'Rahilly's, Tyrone Ulster Club U21 Championship 2015 Clonoe O'Rahilly's, Tyrone All County Senior League 2018 Erin's Own Cargin, Antrim senior Championship

Wolfe Tones Bellaghy, Derry Ulster Minor Club Championship

2019 Erin's Own Cargin, Antrim senior Championship

Erin's Own Cargin, Antrim All County Senior League

2020 Erin's Own Cargin, Antrim senior Championship