Ray Dempsey

{{Short description|Mayo Gaelic footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{Use Hiberno-English|date=October 2022}}

{{Distinguish|Rey Dempsey}}

Ray Dempsey is a Gaelic football manager and former player. He was briefly manager of the Limerick county team from 2022 until 2023.

Dempsey played for Mayo in the 1989 and in the 1996 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Finals. He got 64 appearances out of Mayo over the years and he hit 16–97 so that makes him part of Mayo's top 10 scorers since 1950.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/mayos-nearly-men-28812450.html|title=Mayo's nearly men|work=Irish Independent|date=21 September 2012}}

Dempsey was a losing finalist for Mayo again but this time it was in 2022 Hunt.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/kevin-mcstay-and-ray-dempsey-out-in-front-as-mayo-prepare-to-confirm-new-manager-41928128.html|title=Kevin McStay and Ray Dempsey out in front as Mayo prepare to confirm new manager|work=Irish Independent|first=Colm|last=Keys|date=22 August 2022}} Kevin McStay bet him in the end to take the manager job of him. Oisín McConville hit out at this decision but then McConville was going to be part of Dempsey's management anyway until he went and took himself away of to Wicklow to try his luck there.{{cite news|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/325101|title='Ray Dempsey would have been a better choice for Mayo, genuinely' — McConville|work=Hogan Stand|date=21 September 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.sportsjoe.ie/gaa/oisin-mcconville-i-think-ray-dempsey-would-have-been-a-better-choice-for-mayo-genuinely-272686|title=Oisin McConville: 'I think Ray Dempsey would have been a better choice for Mayo, genuinely'|publisher=JOE.ie|first=Lee|last=Costello}}{{cite news|url=https://extra.ie/2022/09/21/sport/gaa/mcconville-kevin-mcstay|title=Kevin McStay is the wrong choice for the Mayo job, says Oisin McConville|first=Martin|last=Healy|date=21 September 2022}}

A former manager of the mayo minor and under-21 teams, Dempsey was appointed manager of the senior Limerick team on a two-year term, announced on 7 October 2022.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/ray-dempsey-appointed-new-limerick-football-manager-42048313.html|title=Ray Dempsey appointed new Limerick football manager|work=Irish Independent|first=Conor|last=McKeon|date=7 October 2022}} He left after five months after overseeing five games.{{cite news|url=https://www.breakingnews.ie/gaa/ray-dempsey-resigns-as-limerick-manager-after-five-months-in-charge-1445572.html|title=Ray Dempsey resigns as Limerick manager after five months in charge|website=BreakingNews.ie|first=Michael|last=Bolton|date=10 March 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0310/1361455-dempsey-quits-limerick-hotseat-after-just-five-games/|title=Ray Dempsey quits Limerick football hot seat after just five games|website=RTÉ.ie|date=10 March 2023}} He had allegedly met with the players and selector Mick Fitzgerald replaced him.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2023/03/10/ray-dempsey-steps-down-as-limerick-football-manager/|title=Ray Dempsey steps down as Limerick football manager|website=irishtimes.com|first=Eamon|last=Donoghue|date=10 March 2023}}