Mark Connolly steps up as Derry City interim manager Derry City have appointed Mark Connolly as their interim manager following the departure of Tiernan Lynch. The club confirmed the move on Tuesday, with Connolly taking charge for Friday's home game against Sligo Rovers. The Candystripes currently sit 6th in the League of Ireland Premier Division with 33 points from 27 games, 21 points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers. Their recent form shows two wins, two draws and one loss in the last five matches, including a 2-0 victory over Sligo Rovers last Wednesday. ## Who is Mark Connolly? The 34-year-old from Clones, County Monaghan, spent three-and-a-half seasons as a player at Derry City, making 115 appearances across all competitions. After leaving in 2025, he joined Coleraine for a season before returning to the Brandywell as Director of Football earlier this year. In his new role, Connolly will oversee football operations, player recruitment and development, while also taking charge of first-team coaching duties. His first match in charge will be against bottom-placed Sligo Rovers at the Brandywell on Friday evening at 19:45. ## What's next for Derry City? With the international break approaching, Derry City will look to build on their recent 2-0 win over Sligo Rovers. Their next fixture after the break is an away game against UCD on August 14th. The club will be hoping Connolly can provide a fresh impetus as they aim to climb the table in the second half of the season. With 35 goals scored and 32 conceded so far, there's room for improvement at both ends of the pitch.