Eamonn Coleman (1947 or 1948 – 11 June 2007) was a Gaelic football manager who had previously played for the Ballymaguigan club and the Derry county team.
He was born in the small County Londonderry townland of Ballymaguigan in Northern Ireland, on the western shores of Lough Neagh in 1947[1] or 1948.
His son Gary, was also a talented footballer and was left half back on the victorious 1993 Derry team; also winning an All Star for his performances that year.
That year as a 14/15-year-old he won the Derry Senior Football Championship with the club,[1] scoring 1–2 in the final replay against Castledawson.
[2] After consecutive promotions, he achieved his first national trophy as Derry senior manager by winning the NFL in 1992.
[1][3] Anthony Tohill scored a late winning goal for Derry in a two-point victory over neighbours Tyrone.
[2] GAA journalist John Haughey described the Derry Board's decision to sack Coleman as "both disgraceful and shortsighted".
Joe Brolly said "He delivered a thundering oration and with all the Derry boys, the hairs were standing up on the back of the necks.
[1][12] In the late 1980s Coleman was a key figure in the University of Ulster, Jordanstown (UUJ) Sigerson Cup breakthrough team.
Along with Belfast man Charlie Sweeney, "wee Eamonn" steered Jordanstown to inter-varsity wins in 1986[1] and 1987.
[1][7] The team featured Dermot McNicholl and Enda Gormley, who would both be part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland winning side.
[5] A memorial match between the 1993 Derry team and a rest of Ireland select was organised for 7 June 2008 in St. Trea's Ballymaguigan.
It was organised to honour Coleman's memory and raise money for five charities (Marie Curie Cancer Care, Foyle Hospice, SMA Fathers, GOAL and Adoption UK[14]).