New Mayo LGFA County Board chairperson, Des Phillips. Photo: Sportsfile

New Mayo LGFA County Board now in place

Mayo LGFA has a new county board following an online meeting last night organised by Connacht LGFA and Croke Park.

The county's affairs had been run by Connacht LGFA for most of the past year following problems within the old county board, but that's in the past now and new chairperson, Des Phillips, is looking forward to a bright future.

“We're all raring to go,” he said. “Hopefully now we can move forward and get things run from within the county and hopefully during the year we get to start playing football.

“There might be a few who, due to personal reasons, cannot take up their positions on the board but if that is the case, there have been offers from people out there looking to get involved. From that point of view, it shows Mayo is in a healthy state. From once we have our meetings, we will be working with a full committee.”

One of their first jobs is to find a senior team manager following Peter Leahy's decision to step down from the role and take up a position with the new Meath Under 20 management set-up. Leahy was appointed Mayo boss in November 2017 and during his tenure, Mayo reached the All-Ireland semi-final in 2019, losing out to eventual runners-up Galway.

At the time of speaking to The Connaught Telegraph this afternoon, Des hadn't received an official communication from Leahy outlining his intentions, but earlier today the former manager told Midwest Radio it was with 'a tinge of sadness' that he was leaving such a good group of players in Mayo.

“I wish him the very best in his new role and I'd like to extend thanks from Mayo LGFA to him for his years as manager with us, and he spent the previous year coaching as well. He has a lot given to Mayo LGFA and I'd like to thank him for that,” said Des.

The new chairman added: “There are a lot of high quality managers out there. We'll advertise (the position) and hopefully we'll get the right candidate to take Mayo forward and bring them to the next level. We definitely have the footballers in the county. So we'll sit down, get back to the drawing board, and take it from there.”

The new Mayo LGFA County Board is as follows: chairperson Des Phillips (Kilmovee Shamrocks); vice-chairperson Seamus McManamon (Burrishoole); secretary Cathy Fleming (Kilmoremoy); assistant secretary Breda Murray (Ballyhaunis); treasurer Breda Waldron (Davitts); assistant treasurer Aisling McLoughlin (Davitts); registrar Fintan Keane (Castlebar Mitchels); PRO Jennifer Murphy (The Neale); culture and language officer Máire Cáit Uí Mhurchú (Cill Chomáin); delegates to Connacht Council Cormac Reape (Knockmore) and James Regan (Hollymount); delegates to Central Council Fiona McCarthy (Castlebar Mitchels) and Bernie Finn (Kiltimagh); player delegate to Connacht Council Deirdre Doherty (Charlestown); player delegate to Central Council Ciara Whyte (Kilmoremoy).