Mayo GAA management team 'declined offer to resign' as three frontrunners emerge

by Aiden Henry

The race to succeed Kevin McStay as the next manager of the Mayo senior football team is being led by three frontrunners, according to one of Ireland's leading bookmakers, Boyle Sports.

James Horan, Andy Moran and Austin O'Malley are each listed at 7/4 to secure the position, the credentials of the three men being widely known within Gaelic football circles.

The decision of the Mayo GAA executive committee to 'relieve' Kevin McStay and his backroom members from their roles with the senior football team 'with immediate effect' was made at a meeting last night.

The committee has since been subjected to a significant degree of criticism on social media because many supporters believed that the outgoing management team was not given sufficient credit for its work over the past three years.

But The Connaught Telegraph has learned that the management team declined the offer to resign which had been made on a number of occasions since the defeat to Donegal in the final group match of the All-Ireland FC series.

This forced the committee members into a position where it could not let the matter drag on indefinitely in their pursuit of a new manager.

It is obvious the executive committee has a clear strategy in mind and an appointment could be made sooner than expected in order to avoid ongoing speculation.

The issue is expected to dominate next Wednesday's meeting of the county board in Castlebar.

Others names listed as contenders by Boyle Sports are Ray Dempsey 10/1, Oisin McConville 12/1, Davy Burke 12/1, Kieran Donaghy 14/1, Tony McEntee 14/1, Kevin Johnson 14/1, Mickey Harte 14/1, Karl Lacey 20/1, Stephen Rochford 25/1, Eamonn Fitzmaurice 25/1, Jack O'Connor 25/1 and Jim Gavin 25/1.

Other interested odds quoted are Cora Staunton 33/1, Colm Boyle 33/1, Joe Brolly 33/1, Aidan O'Shea 50/1, Cillian O'Connor 50/1 and Alan Dillon 50/1.