Kildare lose coach to Kerry as McGahan takes up full-time role in the Kingdom

Kildare GAA have lost strength and conditioning coach Jason McGahan to Kerry after the Armagh native was announced as part of new Kingdom manager Peter Keane's backroom team.

McGahan had served as a strength and conditioning coach in Cian O'Neill's backroom team since he took over in Kildare in 2016, but he has been tempted down to the southwest where it has been confirmed that he will become the county's first head of athletic development on a full-time basis.

It is another significant departure from the Kildare management and coaching setup, with selectors Ronan Sweeney and Enda Murphy stepping aside last month before the appointments of Tom Cribbin and Karl O'Dwyer. It was also announced last week that Galway native Alan Flynn will be coming into the coaching ticket for the 2019 season.

It continues what has been a winter of change in Kildare, with Johnny Byrne already stating that he is stepping away from the playing panel and rumours surrounding a number of other players' availability for next year.

Cian O'Neill is expected to announce his panel for the new season in the next couple of weeks.