Mayo footballers get new manager for New York

Ballycroy native to manage Mayo in New York


Mike Finnerty

THE name of Eoin Sweeney from Ballycroy is set to feature prominently in GAA quizzes in the future after he takes the reins of the Mayo senior football team for next Sunday’s FBD Connacht League ‘away’ Final in New York.
The 32 years-old, who has working as a Physical Therapist with the Mayo senior squad since 2004, was asked by Mayo GAA officials to ‘take the team’ for next weekend’s game against the New York All Stars.
Sweeney, who has been the joint manager of the Belmullet Intermediate football team for the last two years, is also a Connacht GAA Council coaching tutor. He has also been working extensively with Mayo GAA underage development squads in recent seasons.
“It’s a huge honour and a privilege for me,” he told The Mayo News last night. “I’m really looking forward to it.
“James Waldron and Sean Feeney asked me last weekend if I would look after the team and I was delighted to take up their offer. I’m sure they will be helping me out as well.
“I’ve got to know the Mayo lads really well during the last six years, working with John Maughan, Mickey Moran and John O’Mahony, and hopefully we can do the business on Sunday.”
The Mayo squad left Ireland on Thursday morning without a host of familiar names and faces in the travelling party, including their new manager James Horan.
Horan, who is also in charge of the Ballintubber squad that have qualified for their first Mayo SFC Final later this month, has stayed behind to oversee his club’s preparations for the biggest day in their 100 year history.
This means that Eoin Sweeney will take charge against a New York All Star selection at the Rockland GAA club in Orangeburg.
Only players who actually took part in the victorious FBD Connacht League campaign last spring were eligible to travel on the four-day trip to the Big Apple.
While the likes of Alan Dillon, Ronan McGarrity and Conor Mortimer not making the trip, fringe players like Lee Keegan, Kevin Keane, James Burke, Jimmy Killeen, Alan Feeney, Kevin Walsh and Ger McDonagh will line out next weekend.
Sunday’s final is being hosted by the Rockland GAA Centre of Excellence, in conjunction with the Mayo GAA club in New York and the New York GAA Board.
The match (which throws-in at 4pm US time) will be the highlight of a series of GAA games to be played on the Sunday of the Columbus Day weekend with an under-18 girls match between Boston and Rockland, and a senior ladies game between New York and a North American County Board selection also taking place earlier in the day.
The FBD Final will be followed by an over 40s ‘legends match’ between the Rockland Rockies and New York Yankees (not to be confused with the baseball team of the same name).
Christy Cooney (GAA President) will also be in attendance to perform the official opening of the Rockland Fields at 3.30pm.