Preview
Mike Finnerty
THE manager of the Mayo junior football team has delivered a withering assessment of some players that failed to return phone calls asking them to join his squad this season.
Billy Fitzpatrick’s team face Galway in the opening round of the Connacht championship in Tuam tomorrow night (Wednesday) but the long-serving manager has called on some players “to get real” after they refused to line out with Mayo in the competition.
“The biggest disappointment for me is seeing players turn down the chance to play for Mayo,” Fitzpatrick told The Mayo News. “Some lads that have played minor and U-21 for the county didn’t even bother to respond to calls and, for me, that’s not good enough.
“Those fellas need to get real. When lads won’t answer your calls, reply to voice mails, answer text messages, or come back to you there’s something seriously wrong. And whether you play or not, it’s bad manners apart from anything else. I was very disappointed with the response of some clubs too.
“I played minor, U-21, senior and junior for Mayo and it was the same colours that were on every county jersey that I ever wore,” added the Mid West Radio analyst. “When we come up against the likes of Roscommon and Kerry they have all their best players playing. There seems to be a problem in Mayo though.
“Do these lads think they should be allowed to pick and choose what Mayo team they can play on? It should be an honour to wear the Mayo jersey but some people clearly don’t see it that way. Maybe these guys think they’re above the Mayo junior team.
“Down through the years guys like Kenneth Mortimer, David Heaney, Pat Kelly, Gary Ruane, Trevor Mortimer, Ray Connelly, David Brady, Mark Butler, David Nestor and Kevin Beirne have played for the Mayo junior team.
“Just two years ago, Noel Connelly, who had played in two All-Ireland senior finals and won a National League medal, played for me in the Mayo junior team. When he was asked, and he was available, he played for us.
“I just can’t understand why lads wouldn’t want to represent their county. Maybe therein lies some of the answers to Mayo’s problems.”
Fitzpatrick, and his selectors Michael John Mullin, James Mitchell and Ger Feeney, have been unable to bring their team together for any training sessions due to a hectic club schedule. They (and Galway) are also contending with a restrictive ruling that prevents them from selecting any players that lined out in the senior club championship in 2009.
“It’s getting harder and harder,” admitted the Mayo manager. “You’d have to wonder why Roscommon and Sligo are graded as ‘weaker’ counties now. They played in the Connacht U-21 final this year and club football is strong in those counties too.”
Mayo will be hoping that the experience of players like Fintan Ruddy, Rory Hannick, Dermot Costello, Paul Doherty and Tomás Morley will steer them past Galway tomorrow evening. However, the future for the competition seems uncertain.
“The guys that have come on board with us are delighted to get the opportunity to play for Mayo,” said Billy Fitzpatrick. “You always try and get the best panel, the best team, that you can but when lads won’t answer the phone, what can you do?”
Mayo Panel
Fintan Ruddy, James McAndrew, Brendan Moran, Alan Noone (all Cill Chomáin); Derek O’Dea, Paul Doherty, Francis Burke, Damien Burke (all Kilmaine); Dermot Costello (Carramore); Marcus and Rory Hannick (Killala); Alan Egan, James Rafter (Bonniconlon); Ollie Feeney (Islandeady); Ronan McNamara, Colm Boyle, Keith Glynn and Michael Conroy (all Davitts); Iarla Carty (Aghamore); Dermot O’Connor (Westport); Liam Lydon, Tomás Morley, Conor Heneghan (all Kiltimagh); David Prendergast (Tourmakeady), Shane Timlin (Ardnaree), Paddy Barrett (Belmullet), Colm English and Donal Gallagher
(Achill).
