Around ten Mayo ladies dropped themselves off the county senior panel just days before the county would begin their championship campaign.
Key players and personnel have left the fold leaving the team in a bad way prior to their first round clash with Cavan on Saturday. Captain Sarah Tierney and Vice Captain Fiona McHale were among the players who left the scene, while McHale’s father Michael, a selector on the team, has also opted out.
The best Gaelic footballer in the country Cora Staunton was another to leave Peter Leahy’s squad as the Mayo hand was detrimentally weakened at woeful timing to boot.
Speculation was rife around the county and indeed the country as to why the footballers decided to walk, and those involved issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon via the WGPA to explain that ‘personal and sensitive’ welfare issues were behind their exodus.
“We have stepped away from the Mayo panel for player welfare issues that are personal and sensitive to the players involved. Out of respect to the girls playing at the weekend and ourselves, we will not be commenting further. We wish the Mayo team well with their game on Saturday.”
The onus was on the Mayo LGFA to respond to these developments and they did that on Thursday afternoon. They’ve supported the county’s management, ensuring that player welfare shouldn’t be an issue in this instance.
“The senior management team has adhered to all protocals and guidelines set out at the beginning of their tenure.”
Meanwhile, they will work towards an ‘amicable’ solution to this conflict.
The plot thickens.
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