Andy Moran aims to give Mayo fresh edge as he begins new era
Michael Bolton
One of the greatest players to put on the Mayo jersey, Andy Moran, is now determined to put them back into contention as manager.
The former Footballer of the Year is now Mayo manager, seven years after he retired from inter-county football, as he takes over from Kevin McStay.
The Ballaghadereen forward's former teammates, Cillian O'Connor, Robbie Hennelly, Michael Plunkett, and James Carr, have all returned to the panel, in a big boost to Mayo's forward line.
It means that alongside a crop of young recruits, Mayo now can call on players who have served their time on the frontline of Championship football. It's a mix of youth and experience, which Moran highly values.
“As I've said in the past, we've fellas who are 18, and we've fellas who are 35. Even getting them into the same room for a sustained period of time is beneficial at the start of any process."
Mayo defeated Sligo last Saturday as the FBD league returned, after an absence last season.
Having the pre-season competition is a benefit for any manager, especially someone as new to the job as Moran, who resists claims that competitions like the FBD league impact players' workload.
"I don't think it washes that not having the FBD league helps with player burnout. I think that's quite silly, because all our games now are localised.
"They're between Sligo and Roscommon in the first two games, and one of them is in Charlestown: they're local, so you're not doing huge travel.
"If we didn't have the FBD, we'd be in Meath, we would be in Cork, we would be in Dublin, you'd be all over the country playing challenge matches.
"So I never really agreed when the McKenna cups, McGrath cups, or FBD were pulled.
"Even getting a player in front of 2,000 people against Sligo in Charlestown, compared to having a player playing in front of nobody in a Challenge Match up the country, that's a completely different perspective for a player."
It has been a disappointing couple of seasons for Mayo, who, despite below-par performances, have exited the championship by the smallest of margins.
Last season ended in the group stages, after a defeat to Donegal in the final kick of the game.
In 2024, a penalty shoot-out defeat to Derry in the preliminary quarter-finals ended Mayo's season.
However, as close as those games were, Moran admits Kerry has opened up a lead on the chasing pack. However, he believes there is little to separate the rest of the intercounty pack.
"I think Kerry has now probably opened up a small gap ahead of everybody else. You see the way they won the quarter-final, the semi-final, and the final, against three really good teams.
"I think it'd be remiss not to say that they've probably opened up a gap. I think all the chasing pack are more or less around the same level, if I'm being honest.
"I don't think Donegal, Galway, or any of these counties are that far away from Mayo. So I think we're in the chase and back with everybody else."