Mayo choose Kevin McStay to take over as football boss

Kevin McStay has been named as the new manager of the Mayo senior football squad.

The appointment was confirmed following a county board meeting on Monday evening, so bringing to an end a near two-month search for James Horan's successor.

McStay, who won two Connacht titles and an All Star during his playing career with Mayo, has been handed a four-year term.

The Ballina man guided Roscommon side St Brigid's to All-Ireland club glory in 2013. After he was overlooked for the Mayo job in 2014, McStay went on to coach Roscommon, where a Connacht title was won in 2019.

Where many coaches have failed before him, the 60-year-old will be hoping that it is he who can finally guide the green and red to a long-awaited All-Ireland title.

McStay's backroom team includes former Mayo boss Stephen Rochford and his coach from 2016 to 2018, Donie Buckley, Liam MacHale, a brother-in-law of McStay, who was part of the coaching ticket with St Brigid's and Damien Mulligan from Belmullet, last year's beaten county finalists in Mayo.

Ray Dempsey, Mike Sloan and Declan Shaw were also in contention, with each of them including some high-profile names on their proposed tickets.

In the end board the opted for McStay, the man whose profile is high after nearly two decades as a Sunday Game pundit. It is he who will now be the subject of much scrutiny as he again puts on the manager's bib.