Oran Kearney (born 29 July 1978) is a Northern Irish professional football manager and former player who is the current manager of NIFL Premiership side Ballymena United.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 29 July 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Ballymoney, Northern Ireland | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Moyola Park | |||
| 2002–2005 | Ballymena United | 78 | (23) |
| 2005–2009 | Linfield | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2009–2011 | Limavady United | ||
| 2011–2018 | Coleraine | ||
| 2018–2019 | St Mirren | ||
| 2019–2024 | Coleraine | ||
| 2025– | Ballymena United | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
editKearney joined Ballymena United from Moyola Park in 2002, after father-in-law Kenny Shiels became manager of the club.[1]
In 2005, Kearney joined Linfield.[citation needed] On 30 April 2009, Kearney announced his retirement.[2]
Managerial career
editIn May 2009, Kearney was appointed manager of Limavady United.[3] He then became manager of Coleraine in February 2011. Kearney guided Coleraine to win the Irish Cup in 2018 and second place in the NIFL Premiership in 2017–18.[4] Kearney combined managing Coleraine with working as a PE teacher at the Cross and Passion College in Ballycastle.[4]
Kearney interviewed for the St Mirren job in June 2018, but Alan Stubbs was appointed instead.[4] Stubbs was sacked by St Mirren after four matches in the 2018–19 Scottish Premiership, and Kearney was appointed as his replacement.[4] St Mirren finished 11th in the Premiership and avoided relegation by winning a play-off against Dundee United.[5] Kearney left St Mirren on 26 June 2019, after only 10 months at the club.[5]
He returned to Coleraine in July 2019 for a second spell as their manager.[6] In May 2024, Kearney stepped down as manager to move into a sporting director position.[7]
In May 2025, Kearney left his role of Sporting Director at Coleraine,[8] quickly following manager Dean Shiels, his brother-in-law, out of the club.
On 7th December 2025, it was announced that Kearney had been appointed manager of Ballymena United, a team he made 121 appearances for as a player.[9]
Personal life
editKearney is the son-in-law of former Derry City manager Kenny Shiels, and brother-in-law of Dean Shiels who was a former manager of Coleraine.[10]
Managerial statistics
edit- As of match played 6 May 2024
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Limavady United | 4 May 2009 | 5 February 2011 | 47 | 29 | 6 | 12 | 61.70 | [11] |
| Coleraine | 5 February 2011 | 7 September 2018 | 336 | 155 | 85 | 96 | 46.13 | [12] |
| St Mirren | 7 September 2018 | 26 June 2019 | 38 | 8 | 10 | 20 | 21.05 | [13] |
| Coleraine | 3 July 2019 | 31 May 2024 | 222 | 106 | 51 | 65 | 47.75 | [14] |
| Total | 643 | 298 | 152 | 193 | 46.35 | — | ||
Honours
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Season-by-Season 2002/03". Ballymena United F.C. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- ↑ "Oran Kearney announces retirement". Linfield F.C. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- ↑ "Oran Kearney confirmed as new Limavady boss". Londonderry Sentinel. 4 May 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- 1 2 3 4 "St Mirren name Coleraine coach and PE teacher Oran Kearney as new manager". The Guardian. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- 1 2 "Oran Kearney: St Mirren confirm manager's departure". BBC Sport. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- ↑ "Oran Kearney: Former manager returns for second spell at Coleraine". BBC Sport. 3 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
- ↑ "Shiels and Kearney new Coleraine roles confirmed". BBC Sport NI. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
- ↑ "Kearney joins Shiels in leaving Coleraine". BBC Sport. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ↑ "Kearney appointed manager of Ballymena United". BBC Sport. 7 December 2025. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ↑ Macintyre, Kenny (6 September 2018). "Oran Kearney 'ready' to take on St Mirren role". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- ↑ "Limavady United FC: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ↑ "Coleraine FC: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ↑ Lamont, Alasdair (7 September 2018). "St Mirren appoint Oran Kearney as manager on a three-year deal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
"Oran Kearney announced as new manager". St Mirren FC. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018. - ↑ "Coleraine FC: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 26 October 2019.