Larkin and Finn to take charge of hurlers

Ray Larkin and Brian Finn are to be appointed as the new joint-managers of the Mayo senior hurling team.

The news comes following interviews and a meeting of the executive last week, with the Mayo GAA County Board deciding to recommend the duo to succeed Dave McConn and Tom Phillips on a two-year term. The appointment will be put before delegates at the next County Board meeting.

It’s an appointment that looks set to excite the county as Larkin, a native of Galway, led Tooreen to an historic All-Ireland Intermediate hurling final appearance against Limerick’s Monaleen in Croke Park earlier this year. 

Larkin, who played for his native Kilnadeema/Leitrim before moving to Mayo and joining Tooreen, has won five county hurling finals and four Connacht hurling titles as a coach and manager, overseeing Tooreen senior hurlers since 2020 and winning two Mayo senior and two Connacht intermediate titles in the process.

Brian Finn, another Tooreen clubman, has managed the Mayo U17 Celtic Challenge hurling team and the Mayo U20 hurling team for the past two years.

The duo have also assembled a very impressive backroom team with former Galway senior hurler Nigel Shaughnessy enlisted as head coach. The Loughrea native has also coached senior hurling club sides Clarinbridge and Killimordaly in Galway and Na Piarsaigh in Limerick.

Westmeath hurling development coach and former Carlow senior hurler Stephen Sheil will assist Shaughnessy in his role.

Mayo GAA Chairperson Seamus Tuohy said that if ratified, Ray Larkin and Brian Finn would have the support of the county board and all the hurling clubs.

“There is a lot of interest and support for hurling in Mayo at present and the emergence of several new adult hurling clubs in Mayo augers well for the future,” said Mr Tuohy.

Mayo GAA Hurling committee chairperson Sean Ó Raghallaigh said tremendous work is taking place in the clubs and in the county to promote hurling at present.

“Our senior hurling team is the flagship for all our club players and it is so important that if Ray and Brian get ratified that they get the full backing of all the hurling clubs and the Mayo GAA County Board going forward.

“We now have twelve adult hurling teams in the county and all these players will get an opportunity to make the grade at senior intercountry level,” concluded Mr Ó Raghallaigh.