Donegal appoint Burns and Gaffey to under-20 and under-17 county hurling roles

Burt’s Paul Burns has been ratified by the Donegal County Board as the new manager of the under-20 hurling development squad, while Offaly native Adrian Gaffey will take charge of the county under-17s.

Burns’ appointment is for two years with a review after Year 1. The Donegal under-20s will compete in the Ulster Under-20 Development Competition.

The former Donegal goalkeeper, the official Donegal GAA website states, has coached all underage levels in CLG An Bheart from under-6s up to minors. During that time he has managed two teams to All-Ireland Feile finals and the Burt minor team to the 2020 county championship.

He played Senior county hurling for Donegal from 2009 to 2019. During his county playing career he has won the Loey Meagher Cup in 2011 and then the Nickey Rackard Cup in both 2013 and 2018, two Allianz National League medals, one Junior Ulster hurling medal and one under-21B Ulster. With his club Burt, Paul has won eight Senior County Hurling Championships, and one Ulster Club Junior championship.

Gaffey is a native of Ballinamere, Co, Offaly and has played adult hurling for nearly 30 years, winning Championship and League titles in Offaly and with his adopted club St Eunan’s of Letterkenny.

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He has represented Offaly at minor and intermediate level. He also has a Fitzgibbon Cup medal and Division 1 league colleges medal with the Waterford Institute of Technology. His qualifications include a BA Degree in Recreation and Leisure Management and a HDip. in Health Promotion.

He is an award 3 coach and has successfully coached numerous teams including Donegal Senior Hurlers, who were Nickey Rackard winners in 2013, Gallen Community School Ferbane, Co Offaly, to All-Ireland Vocational Senior A football success in 2011, All-Ireland Vocational Senior A football finalists in 2012, Leinster Vocational Senior A football success in 2011 and 2012 and Leinster Junior A success 2010.

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With St Eunan’s, he coached the O’Donnell Park residents to the Donegal under 12A hurling titles 2017 and 2018, Qualification for Feile na Gael 2018 and 2019, under-14A hurling finalists 2018 and 2019, and under-15A hurling championship and Feile Finalists 2021.

Gaffey has also been appointed for a two-year term with a review after a year. The Donegal under-17s will compete in the Celtic Challenge Competition.