And so the deed is done. Mayo GAA have released the following statement on their website tonight:
Tonight Friday 2nd October at 7.00p.m. at Elverys MacHale Park a meeting took place of the Mayo GAA County Board Executive. The members of the executive were briefed on the meeting which took place on Thursday evening 1st October between the Mayo Senior Footballers and officers of the County Board. The Mayo Senior Football Team Joint-Managers, Noel Connelly & Pat Holmes, then joined the meeting where they gave a detailed review of the season just gone. They then issued the following statement:
“It is with heavy hearts that we wish to announce that we (Noel Connelly & Pat Holmes) are stepping down from our role as joint managers of the Mayo Senior Football Team with immediate effect. We took on the job on a three-year basis and had been looking forward to building on what had been achieved this year. We are passionate about Mayo Football and it is deeply disappointing not to complete our project. By resigning we wish to remove any obstacle that the players might perceive as preventing them from winning the All-Ireland. We would like to thank the back-room team for their superb effort and commitment. We wish to thank the Mayo County Board for their support and for all the funding and resources they provided for the team. We would like to thank the players for all their efforts during 2015. We would also like to thank the people of Mayo for the huge support and messages of goodwill throughout the year and in the last week. Mhaigh Éo Abú.”
The statement was greeted with a round of applause and standing ovation from the members of the executive before the joint managers departed the meeting.
Members of the Executive then spoke where the joint Managers of Noel Connelly & Pat Holmes along with their backroom team were sincerely thanked and praised for their dedication, commitment and hard work over the last year where it was also noted the very difficult last few days that they experienced along with their families. Noel & Pat are both decorated footballers and managers and owe nothing to Mayo Football and both along with their families are wished all the very best in the future whatever that may hold.
There will be no further comment from the executive or management until the next statement is issued from the Mayo County Board.
