A MEMBER OF the Mayo GAA executive has resigned after describing the recent senior manager appointment process as ‘a sham’.
It was confirmed on Saturday that Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes will be proposed as the new joint managers of the county’s senior football team. They are in line to succeed James Horan who stepped down after Mayo’s defeat to Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final replay last month.
The Mayo News newspaper has reported that Gerry Bourke, the Cultural Officer of the county board, handed in a resignation letter over the debacle. It’s believed that an executive meeting last Friday agreed that the Connelly-Holmes partnership and the other candidate Kevin McStay would both be interviewed this week.
But events unfolded differently the following day and on Saturday night, an official Mayo GAA statement revealed that Connelly and Holmes would be proposed for the position.
“I’m not happy with the way in which this whole scenario was handled. It was totally mishandled by the officers of the board. It’s terrible for Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes, I have huge sympathy for them being dragged into this in the wrong way.
Tainted
“Being appointed managers of Mayo should be a most joyful thing for them but the appointment has been tainted by how it has been handled through no fault of Pat’s or Noel’s.
“I left the Executive meeting on Friday night thinking it was one of the best meetings of the Officer Board I was ever at, only to discover the next day that the whole thing was a sham. It appears the deal was done before the meeting.”
The Mayo News has also reported that Michéal Collins, a Mayo player from the 1989 All-Ireland final, will become a selector as part of the new setup. Collins was also a selector under Holmes when he managed Mayo between 2000 and 2002. Ballaghaderreen native Barry Solan, who has worked with Laois and Kildare in recent seasons, will also be on board as the county’s strength and conditioning coach.
