McHale still keen on Mayo job despite board blunder

Mayo LGFA’s executive committee breached procedures when it voted against accepting Liam McHale’s recommendation as the next manager of the senior football team.

The renowned Ballina coach had emerged as the preferred candidate after interviews for the vacancy were held earlier this month, but when Mayo LGFA’s interview committee presented their choice, rather than have club delegates — as is practice — vote on whether to accept or reject Liam McHale’s appointment as the new manager, the executive committee conducted its own secret ballot.

The Western People understands nine executive members participated in the ballot, with five more absent and two abstaining due to their conflict of having sat on the interview committee.

Held on Friday, October 6, the outcome of that ballot, the Western People has learned, was 8-1 against Liam McHale becoming the new Mayo ladies senior football manager.

But it was subsequently brought to the attention of Mayo LGFA that the executive committee had acted in direct contravention to the association’s official rules on managerial appointments; an executive committee cannot vote to accept or reject any candidate found suitable through the interview process.

A vote on whether to ratify Liam McHale as manager should have taken place at a full meeting of Mayo LGFA County Board, thus involving all club delegates.

Instead, the only thing delegates got to vote on last Tuesday night, October 10, was on a proposal to invite the recommended candidate, Liam McHale, back into the process — after the executive committee admitted the procedural process had been “flawed”.

The Western People understands that proposal passed 30 votes to 12, with three abstentions.

The reasons for the Mayo LGFA executive’s opposition to Liam McHale becoming manager are unclear but it’s understood the legendary Ballina Stephenites figure remains keen to take up the position despite last week’s unfortunate series of events and that he has accepted the board’s offer to re-engage in the selection process and allow his name go forward for ratification.

McHale and members of his proposed management team were in attendance at Saturday’s triple-header of Mayo LGFA senior, intermediate and junior football finals at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence.

The two-time coach of the Mayo men’s senior footballers — and All-Ireland winning club coach — has assembled a strong backroom team that includes his former Mayo teammates Dermot Flanagan and Kenneth Mortimer, both of whom captained their county.

The trio amassed five All-Stars during glittering playing careers that saw them appear in numerous All-Ireland senior and under-21 finals.

Flanagan was a founding member of the UCD ladies Gaelic football team and has extensive experience of coaching ladies football in Dublin while Mortimer was until this year part of the Mayo U20 men’s management.

The Mayo senior ladies job became vacant in August after Michael Moyles decided to stand down after three years at the helm during which the team reached three consecutive All-Ireland semi-finals.

This year the team won a first Connacht title since 2016.

Swinford’s Vinny Gavin, a former manager of the Mayo minor ladies, was also interviewed for the position.

Ex-Mayo player John Casey from Charlestown and Enda McManamon, who last year helped guide Burrishoole to their first Mayo LGFA senior championship title, are included in Gavin’s proposed backroom team.

A vote on whether to appoint Liam McHale as the new Mayo senior ladies manager is now expected to take place at a Mayo LGFA County Board meeting next Tuesday night, October 24.