Two former Mayo coaches in the frame for Galway management gig
Mayo manager James Horan before the All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 1 match between Mayo and Monaghan at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar, Mayo in June 2022. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Two former Mayo managers are among the candidates to take over from Pádraic Joyce as the new manager of the Galway Senior Football Team.
Boyle Sports have priced James Horan and Stephen Rochford at 5/1 and 6/1 respectively to take charge of the Maroon & White in 2027 after Joyce departed following 7 years at the helm.
Horan last managed an inter-county side in 2022 when his second stint as Mayo manager came to an end following an All-Ireland Quarter Final exit to Kerry and defeat in the 2020 and 2021 Finals. He was part of Peadar Gardiner's backroom team with the Mayo U20s in 2024.
Rochford guided Mayo to All-Ireland Finals for 2 out of his 3 years in charge in 2016 and 2017 and more recently was part of Kevin McStay's backroom team.
However, Horan and Rochford are considered outsiders compared to Kevin O'Brien and Kevin Johnson, who are joint favourites in the early betting.
O’Brien boasts an impressive pedigree from his time in charge of Corofin, where he guided the Galway club to three successive All-Ireland titles.
Johnson is currently the boss of the Galway U-20s and boasts a Mayo connection, having won county titles with Ballintubber. He has also overseen county success with Corofin and Tourlestrane.
However, the biggest market move so far has come from Mark McHugh, who has rocketed into contention at 5/1 from 25/1 having guided Westmeath to victory in the Leinster SFC last season.
Lawrence Lyons, spokesperson for BOYLE Sports, said: “Galway have no shortage of options with plenty of names being thrown into the hat as the search for Pádraic Joyce’s successor begins. There is a strong mix of proven winners and familiar faces in the early betting, but Mark McHugh’s move up the market is one of the most interesting developments so far.”
The full list of candidates for the Next Galway Football Manager according to Boyle Sports.
7/2 Kevin O'Brien
7/2 Kevin Johnson
4/1 John Divilly
9/2 Kevin Walsh
5/1 Mark McHugh
5/1 James Horan
6/1 Stephen Rochford
6/1 Alan Flynn
10/1 Donal O Fatharta
10/1 Derek Savage
12/1 Gary Sice
14/1 Gary Delaney
14/1 Finian Hanley
16/1 Tony McEntee
16/1 Mickey Graham
16/1 Jim Gavin
16/1 Val Daly
20/1 Cathal Clancy
20/1 Cian O'Neill
20/1 John Concannon
20/1 Eamonn Fitzmaurice
25/1 Kieran Donaghy
25/1 Anthony Cunningham
25/1 Aaron Kernan
25/1 Mickey Harte
25/1 Tomas O Se
25/1 Gerry Fahy
25/1 Gabriel Bannigan
