It’s the story that keeps on going…
The 12 footballers who left the Mayo ladies football panel have spoken out for the first time about leaving the panel and in a press conference on Monday night, said it’s “crazy” for people to think they left over selection issues.
They also insisted the walkout was in no way orchestrated by Cora Staunton.
12 players and two of the backroom staff left the panel back in July, among them were Staunton, captain Sarah Tierney and vice-captain Fiona McHale.
The 12 players and two members of management who stepped away from Mayo ladies panel have broken their silence. More on @IrelandAMVMT pic.twitter.com/jMPVBd18jf
— Sinéad Kissane (@sineadkissane) September 18, 2018
According to RTÉ, McHale strongly denied any suggestions that the walkout happened over selection issues.
“There are four of us here [at the press conference] that have started in the Connacht final,” McHale said.
“Why would we leave for those reasons? Why would we leave for selection issues?
“It’s absolutely crazy for people to even think that or for it to be even suggested by people.
“I want to clarify that that was not the reason we left,” she said.
Former captain Tierney said: “Each one in this group of us witnessed or experienced an environment that we felt we could not operate or stay within.”
Speaking on the SportsJOE GAA Hour last week, Mayo manager Peter Leahy said he believed that his selection decisions caused the walkout.
“We only had nine players from the All-Ireland last year playing, that was a problem to a lot of them,” Leahy said.
“In my opinion it’s not a problem, it’s whoever is the best goes on the pitch on the day”.
