Mike Quirke has left his role as a Kerry selector 'after three largely enjoyable years.'
A former Kerry midfielder, Quirke was drafted into the Kerry management team by Jack O'Connor at the beginning of his tenure as manager in 2022.
That was a successful year as Kerry won the All-Ireland title defeating Galway in the final but they have fallen short in the following two seasons, losing in the 2023 final to Dublin before exiting at the hands of Armagh in this year's semi-final.
Quirke says he now looks forward to cheering on the team in the seasons ahead, revealing his decision to step aside on Twitter on Tuesday morning.
"I’ve decided to step away from my role with the Kerry senior set-up after 3 largely enjoyable years," he wrote.
"Very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such a storied and passionate football community.
"While I’ll no longer be on the sidelines, I remain an ardent supporter of Kerry football, and look forward to cheering on the team in the seasons ahead."
I’ve decided to step away from my role with the Kerry senior set-up after 3 largely enjoyable years.
Very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such a storied and passionate football community.While I’ll no longer be on the sidelines, I remain an ardent supporter of… pic.twitter.com/WuIsB6RO4m
— Mike Quirke (@Mike_Quirke) August 14, 2024
The Kerins O'Rahillys club-man became Laois manager for 2020 and 2021, stepping down after what he described as 'two Covid ravaged inter-county seasons' where Laois didn't hit the heights.
He said he had no issue going from a manager at Laois to a selector in Kerry due to the opportunity it gave him to learn off people such as Jack O'Connor and Paddy Tally.
“I was very conscious of the fact that if you can’t learn off Jack, Paddy (Tally), and Diarmuid Murphy, and the whole set-up that’s there, well you are in the wrong business anyways if you are not going to learn in that situation," he told the Irish Mirror in 2022.
24 July 2022; Kerry manager Jack O'Connor, centre, celebrates with selectors Diarmuid Murphy, left, and Micheál Quirke after the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Kerry and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
“I knew from a selfish point of view that I was going to learn something from it, that it would be something that would benefit me moving forward, as well as being able to contribute in some way while I am involved.”
Quirke works as a GAA development officer at MTU's Kerry campus and also runs his own coaching podcast, the Mike Quirke podcast.
6 ft 7 in tall, he won four All-Irelands during an eight year Kerry career while he also enjoyed success as a basketballer, winning two national cups with the Tralee Tigers.
