Board says sorry for the statement but not for the decision

The decision to remove Kevin McStay as Mayo senior football manager has been defended by the county board’s second in command, but an acceptance how that decision was publicly communicated “wasn’t to the standard that we’d all aspire to,” has also been offered, as Mayo GAA looks to leave another of its turbulent spells in the rearview mirror.

Delegates convened in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park for the first time since Kevin McStay was denied taking charge of the Green and Red for a fourth season, with vice-chairman Michael Diskin presiding over a longer than usual monthly meeting.

The Mayo GAA executive committee had been widely criticised for the curtness of their announcement late last month that McStay was being ‘relieved’ of his duties and while correcting the record somewhat with a new statement last Monday night, Diskin was unapologetic that Coiste Bainistí had not consulted with delegates before removing the Ballina native and his backroom team from their roles.

“What happened is not unprecedented – in other counties or in Mayo,” said the vice-chair. “All the people who were involved in making the decision were elected by the clubs in this county.” 

Deputising for chairperson Seamus Tuohy who was unable to due to illness, Michael Diskin told the meeting: “As far as we’re concerned, we got a lot of feedback and there was a very strong will among the executive in relation to the loss to Cavan, the loss to Galway in the Connacht final and our exit from the championship.

“People in clubs would have contacted us in relation to their disquiet in relation to where we were going.” 

Disquiet, however, and disillusionment was also expressed by a small number of delegates last Monday, including Padraig Prendergast of Ballina Stephenites, at how, if delegates were required to ratify the appointment of a manager, that they were not also required to sanction any decision by Coiste Bainistí to end a manager’s tenure.

“I think we’ve lost a lot of ground with our supporters from the way it was handled,” said Prendergast, while Ballinrobe delegate Gerard O’Malley likened Mayo GAA to Enoch Burke, as the “gift that keeps on giving” to the media.

But Michael Diskin had been somewhat unrepentant, saying that the executive just couldn’t afford to ‘sit on its hands’.

“We were criticised often before for being slow at making decisions yet when we make a decision we get criticised as well.

“We were very cognisant of the fact that if there was going to be a change of management, it needed to be done fairly quickly,” he continued, referring to the executive’s wish that a new manager would be installed by the very early stages of the club championship, which commences in early August.

“It’s important to realise that we’ve made a statement, we have corrected the record in relation to it. We’re now moving forward and the focus has to be on getting the best person, management team, backroom team, that will do the county proud.” 

Michael Diskin did confirm that since Kevin McStay’s departure, the now former manager and Mayo officials had met in person.

d on ensuring it reflects the ambitions and values of Mayo football.”