Mark Keenan reappointed as Ireland senior men's head coach

Mark Keenan has been re-appointed as head coach of the Ireland men’s team through the end of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualifying campaign, which gets underway with an away tie against Kosovo on February 22^nd.

His extension was confirmed during the November meeting of Basketball Ireland's Elite Performance Committee. 

Keenan has been at the helm since 2019, delivering a first piece of silverware for an Irish senior men’s team since 1994, when he led his side to victory in the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries in 2021. Subsequently, he guided Ireland to a 4-6 record during FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifying, securing home and away wins over Cyprus and Luxembourg. Previously he spent four years as an assistant coach under Jay Laaranga and Greg Gurr. As a player, Keenan captained Ireland to victory in the Promotions Cup in 1994, while he remains head coach of Templeogue BC in the InsureMyVan.ie Super League.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be back,” said Keenan. “We weren’t ready as a staff to let it go at this stage. I still have great enthusiasm about the programme and I felt that continuity and progression are very important during this next cycle.” 

Ireland have been drawn in Group A of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualifiers, alongside Switzerland, Kosovo and Azerbaijan. The top team in the group will progress to the next phase, along with the best ranked second placed team across all three groups. 

Keenan will take his squad to Prishtina for the opening game with Kosovo on Thursday February 22^nd, before welcoming Switzerland to the National Basketball Arena three days later on Sunday February 25th. Tickets for that game can be purchased here. 

“It’s a tough start,” acknowledged Keenan. “It’s going to be a competitive group because Kosovo are very tough. We know Switzerland very well having faced them twice in the first round of qualification for FIBA EuroBasket 2025 and Azerbaijan will be fierce opposition as well, but we are really up for the challenge,” he added.  

The feeling of continuity extends to the coaching staff, where Belfast Star head coach Adrian Fulton is back for another term, as is SETU Carlow’s Lawrence Summers and team manager Mike Hickey.   

Deirdre Brennan, Chair of Basketball Ireland’s Elite Performance Committee added:

“We are delighted that Mark and his staff are staying on for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualifiers. The steady improvement of the team under his tutelage was evident during our victories against Cyprus and Luxembourg in the previous qualifying cycle and we are excited to see that continue in the first game with Kosovo and the home game with Switzerland next month. Mark has introduced a number of young players in that time and we feel that he deserved the opportunity to continue that excellent work in the coming years.”