"I'm thrilled about their return" - says Mayo manager about players coming back

New Mayo LGFA manager Diane O'Hora has spoken about the season ahead.

It all starts this Sunday against Cavan in Breffni Park as Mayo kick off their National Football League campaign in Division 2 after being relegated from Division 1 last year.

O'Hora has had busy weeks since she was appointed. She announced her 37-player panel a few days ago.

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There are a few players named who took a break last year. For example Carnacon's Fiona McHale, Laura Brennan from Hollymount and Lisa and Sinead Cafferky from Kilmovee have returned to the Mayo team.

"I'm absolutely thrilled about their return," says Mayo manager O'Hora in an interview with The Mayo News.

She points out, how she convinced these players to return: "I don't think it was really a difficult sort of conversation to have. You will see that the players that take a year or two out every so often have far more longevity within their career. And it's just the likes of me coming in after another manager has stepped away while that break has been taken."

All players mentioned above have already shown what they're capable of on the inter-county stage and will raise the quality level inside the Mayo team.

"All of them, the pride that they have in putting on that jersey, it's such an honour to them", O'Hora explains: "And I do firmly believe that any of those girls that have come back this year, it's about the pride that they have in playing for their club. It's about the pride that they have representing their club at county level, and knowing that this is the top level they can play at."

According to O'Hora, there's a good vibe within the group, whether a player starts or not. 

She states that every single person has a part to play within this environment and brings so much to it.

"Unfortunately, only so many will get to play each particular game or whatever the case might be, and have to be better, pushing themselves harder, working harder in the gym, working harder on the pitch, doing everything that they can do to try and get themselves to be better players."

And O'Hora makes a point in saying "whether it's niggles, or whether it's recurring injuries or something like that that they needed to clear up, they've had that opportunity now. And when you're coming back and you're fresh, I think mentally you're in a much better place for it as well, with the demand that it imposes on players."

Mayo face Cavan on Sunday, January 25. Throw-in is at 2pm.

Read the full interview with Diane O'Hora in Tuesday's Mayo News.

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