WATCH: Kevin McStay destroys Roscommon legend for questioning his allegiance

Absolutely pelted by hail stones for his troubles

Conan Doherty

WATCH: Kevin McStay destroys Roscommon legend for questioning his allegiance

Roscommon aren’t losing because Kevin McStay is from Mayo.

Roscommon are losing because Kerry are better than them.

Donegal are better than them.

Tyrone are better than them.

Mayo are better than them.

These are the harsh realities of playing in Division One. The Connacht men have fallen to four of the five best teams in the last five years and some unrest is rumbling.

Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. The irony is that they came flying out of the blocks last season, reached the league semi-final and then stumbled when it mattered so perhaps there’s a change of emphasis in the county. Still, the poor start to the league campaign has caused people like Gay Sheerin to question a Mayo man’s involvement.

On Shannonside Radio, the former Rossies manager and ‘keeper slammed McStay and said he does “not like Mayo men on the sideline for a Roscommon team”. He said that’s part of the reason that experienced players left the panel in the off-season.

“It’s wrong and it shouldn’t happen and I’m laying the blame at Kevin McStay’s door,” Sheerin said.

“When you look down on the sideline and you don’t see a Roscommon person there… if there was a Roscommon person there a lot of those players wouldn’t have walked.

“Fergal O’Donnell got a lot of abuse last year, and I questioned a lot of Fergal’s tactics, but at the same time Fergal is a Roscommon man and wants Roscommon lads playing and they would be down on the bench tonight or playing, and they’re not.”

Sheerin worked alongside Kerry man John Evans at Dr Hyde Park.

Speaking with RTÉ after the Kingdom’s 1-19 to 1-13 win in Roscommon on Sunday, Kevin McStay was in no mood to entertain Sheerin’s thoughts.

“That he was given that platform is very, very disappointing,” the manager said.

“I hope he’s had his day in the sunshine. When he gets time to reflect on it, as a former player and a manager, he might just cop onto himself a small bit.

“I’ve trained Roscommon minors 20 years ago. I’m almost of Roscommon at this stage – my three children are of Roscommon. What do you want me to do? I can’t rebirth myself.”