New Mayo chairman calls for ‘full support’ for players and management team

New Mayo chair Séamus Tuohy has issued an appeal for “full support from within the county for both players and management as they embark on a new season”.

His comments in a joint statement from him and football manager James Horan also call for an end to "negativity and untruths that may have been generated in the past".

This is a reference to the at times toxic fall-out from the county’s defeat in last September’s All-Ireland by Tyrone and is clearly intended to present a united front between Horan, his team and the new administration – Tuohy was elected at last weekend’s annual convention.

He acknowledged “the great work done last year by the Mayo senior football team in gaining promotion in the League, retaining the Connacht title and reaching this year’s All-Ireland final. We were all disappointed with the result in the final, but there is much to build on as we prepare for the 2022 season.

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“We have a great panel of young and experienced players working with the management team and they are totally focused on getting better and reaching their ultimate goals.

“This management team has earned our trust and their decisions should be respected, we must all give them the space and full support to do their job.

“As a county we are in this together, let us all support both management and players and give the team every opportunity as we prepare for the 2022 season ahead.”

Horan reciprocated.

“As Mayo senior football manager, I am really looking forward to the season ahead. We have new players coming through, players returning from injury, and players a year older and wiser. We are looking to build our consistency in games and from game to game.

"There is a rapid season of games coming our way, so it's all systems go. I would like to wish Liam Moffatt our previous chair all the best and look forward to working with Séamus Tuohy. It is important that we move forward together for the betterment of Mayo football."

Moffatt unexpectedly announced in the autumn that he would be stepping down after just two years citing “business and personal reasons”.

The impact of social media on the GAA has been an issue in Mayo with county secretary Dermot Butler in his annual report saying: "The torrent of abuse aimed at players on social media in the aftermath of the 2021 final was nothing short of scandalous."

This was amplified by Bórd na nÓg chair Daithí Gallagher, who expressed concern that online abuse might prevent people getting involved in the association.

“I can’t help but think that there are capable and competent club officers and Mayo GAA fans, who would like to get more involved in our organisation but who make a measured decision in silencing their interest for fear their names would be dragged through the mud on social media platforms.

“I hope that we see an end to this aspect of our games sooner rather than later, for the sake of the future of Mayo GAA.”