McHale makes additions to Mayo ladies management team

FORMER Mayo footballers Kenneth Mortimer and Dermot Flanagan have stepped aside from the Mayo ladies senior team amid a shake-up to Liam McHale’s management team. 

McHale has added former Mayo hurling manager Derek Walsh and Kilmovee Shamrocks footballer Niamh McCann to his coaching ticket as the Mayo ladies prepare to return to training in December. 

McCann, who is originally from Westmeath, has a background in basketball and handball and managed Mercy Ballymahon to an All-Ireland Senior Girls Schools title in 2020. She is married to All-Ireland-winning handballer and former Ballaghaderreen footballer, Joe McCann. 

Walsh previously worked with the Mayo ladies in 2017, the year they last qualified for the All-Ireland final. 

Speaking to The Mayo News after being ratified for another season at the helm by the Mayo LGFA county board, McHale described Mortimer and Flanagan as ‘big losses’ but said he was ‘delighted’ to add McCann and Walsh to his management setup. 

Former Mayo captain Henry Gavin has also been added as a coach/advisor. Gavin played his club football for Castlebar Mitchels and made over 80 appearances for Mayo, predominantly during the 80s, captaining Mayo to a Connacht title in 1985. McHale’s former Ballina Stephenites teammate Dennis Coen has also come on board as a psychologist. 

Most of McHale’s management team from 2024 will remain, including Michael Slingermann (goalkeeping coach/video analysis) and team doctor Lisa Cunningham. Former Ballina basketballer Brian Collins will assist approximately a dozen Dublin-based Mayo players - the role previously carried out by Dermot Flanagan.

Clive Hennigan (strength and conditioning), Martin O’Hagan (strength and conditioning), Evan Regan (nutritionist), Padraig Hennigan (logistics and administration), Sarah Ferguson (logistics and administration), Fergus McCormack (physio), Peter Scully (stats and video analysis), Martin O’Hagan (kit man), Sean Keane (kit van and transport) and Vanessa Crawford (Female Liaison Officer) make up the rest of the Mayo senior ladies management team. 

McHale told The Mayo News that he had asked several players to join the Mayo ladies’ setup. 

The Ballina man estimated there may be several yet-to-be-confirmed departures from the panel. 

This season, several former Mayo players opted out of the panel for various reasons, including work, travel and educational commitments. 

“From talking to girls and stuff like that, I’d say there’ll be nine or ten coming and there’ll be seven or eight going out,” said McHale. 

Mayo retained their Division 1 status in McHale’s first year in charge. They later lost their Connacht title to Galway later in the summer before being beaten by Armagh in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. 

For several seasons, Mayo have been without ex-seniors Sarah Rowe, Niamh Kelly, Grace Kelly and Aileen Gilroy due to their commitments to Aussie rules football. Geelong footballer Rachel Kearns lined out for Mayo in 2023 but did not see any competitive action this year. 

Kiltimagh’s Dayna Finn also opted out of the Mayo panel due to her commitments to the Irish basketball team.