Early favourite for Mayo manager's job emerges

According to BoyleSports, Ray Dempsey is the early favourite in the race to replace James Horan as Mayo manager.

Horan announced yesterday afternoon that he will be stepping down from the role after his second four-year term in charge. He informed the county board of his decision in the wake of Sunday’s All-Ireland quarterfinal defeat to Kerry.

During his time in charge, Horan led Mayo to back-to-back All-Ireland finals in 2012 and 2013 and again in 2020 and 2021.

Dempsey has back-to-back titles with his club, Knockmore, on his CV and had been installed as 2/1 favourite by BoyleSports to take up the vacant Mayo role, but those odds have already been backed into even money.

BoyleSports also reports some early support for Mike Solan, who led Mayo to the Under 21 All-Ireland title in 2016. Solan has been part of Andy Moran’s backroom team in Leitrim and is a popular choice with punters at 4/1 from 5/1, while Moran himself is not without support as the Leitrim manager has been cut into 12/1 from 16/1 in the early betting.

Sarah Kinsella, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: “In his eight years as Mayo manager, James Horan has overseen six Connacht titles and a league title, but the Sam Maguire still eludes them. We’ve already had to cut Ray Dempsey into even money favourite from 2/1 after a burst of early support, while Andy Moran is also on the move at 12/1 from 16/1.”

Other names in the running include Sean Deane, the current Mayo minor manager, and Maurice Sheridan, the Mayo Under 20 manager, as well as Kevin McStay, Stephen Rochford, Jim McGuinness, Eamonn Fitzmaurice, Malachy O'Rourke, Liam McHale, Kevin Johnson, Tony McEntee, Kieran Donaghy and Colm Boyle.