McIver resigns from Donegal post
Brian McIver has called time on his managerial career with Donegal following last night's 2-12 to 1-7 All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Monaghan at Healy Park.
McIver informed the Donegal players of his decision to step down in the wake of the third round defeat.
The Tyrone native took over the reigns as Donegal boss in September 2005, succeeding long-time manager Brian McEniff.
McIver's experience on the club front led him to take charge of the Tir Chonaill men after he guided Derry side Ballinderry Shamrocks to All-Ireland senior success in 2002.
Last year he guided Donegal to the All-Ireland quarter-finals where they lost to Cork by a slender margin, while 2007 saw McIver's side win Donegal's first ever National League title as they secured Division One silverware.
It was Donegal's first national success since their All-Ireland win of 1992 and brought McIver further accolades when he was a joint winner of the Ulster GAA Writers award for April.
However McIver's troops failed to transfer their league form to the championship and they lost out heavily to Tyrone in the Ulster semi-final. They regrouped somewhat with qualifier victories over Leitrim and Westmeath but a quarter-final spot proved beyond them as they went down to Monaghan in Omagh last night.
McIver was a well-liked figure in the Donegal dressing room, the players were full of praise for his regime and he boasted a strong back-up team which included his son Paul, as technical coach, strength and conditioning coach Ryan Porter and Ballinderry stalwart Adrian McGuckin.
His decision to quit is a somewhat surprising one given that he still had year to run on his three-year term.
Speaking after the quarter-final defeat to Cork last summer, McIver vowed: "I am going nowhere and most definitely staying on. The job is for three years and I intend to see the term out."
