Cuala’s victory over Errigal Ciaran in today’s rip-roaring All-Ireland senior club football final (a match played under the old rules) places the Dublin club in very elite company. It means they’ve now joined Cork’s St Finbarr’s as the only club to win national titles at senior level in both codes.
From a Mayo perspective, Cuala’s win today was also significant. Louisburgh native Austin O’Malley has been managing them for the past three years and in that time he’s led them to maidan county, provincial and now All-Ireland senior football titles. No matter how you cut it, that’s quite the achievement.
Today’s win will inevitably set tongues wagging (indeed, looking at the post-match comments here on the blog, this has already started) about Austy one day becoming Mayo manager. After all it was after guiding Galway’s Corofin to the Andy Merrigan Cup that Stephen Rochford was handed the reins at county level at the end of 2015. James Horan was, of course, given the job half a decade previously with just a county title as manager on his CV.
Obviously, there’s no vacancy for the position of Mayo manager at the minute so any discussion about who succeeds Kevin McStay and his management team at some point in the future remains moot for now. Whether or not the position becomes available after this season is an open question – one that will, one assumes, be determined by how we fare on the pitch this year – but, for now, it remains a hypothetical issue.
When the post does become available, however, it’s now beyond doubt that Austin O’Malley’s name will come up in conversation. Whether or not he’d be in a position to entertain serious thoughts about taking on the job – given that he’s based up here in the capital where he runs his own business – is another matter entirely but, if he is, he’d have to be seen as a very strong candidate.
My Ball says:
January 19, 2025 at 8:56 pm
Congratulations Austy and Cuala .
Fantastic achievement and deserved winners.
Re County Job .
He would possibly get more " mileage " from the Cuala brigade than from a county team
Paul says:
January 20, 2025 at 7:31 am
Winning by 3-6 to 0-1, and let the opposition bring it back to 3 points?
Not sure it's the type of thing that Mayo supporters blood pressure could handle?
Ever the optimist says:
January 20, 2025 at 11:24 am
No doubt he'll figure as a candidate, WJ. Although, with the camera shots of him on the sidelines yesterday, I'd bet he's still in an ice bath getting his blood pressure to drop under apoplectic level. He'd be the first to admit that second half performance was disastrous.
highorlow says:
January 20, 2025 at 11:55 am
Well he’s after telling Cuala he wants to do a 3 in a row with them.
Thedarkyfinn says:
January 20, 2025 at 1:07 pm
Well done Austin great achievement !
On another note on Saturday's league kick-off anyone got a list of who is available for the panel ? (minus injuries etc.)..Thks..
catcol says:
January 20, 2025 at 1:54 pm
Well done Austin - another successful Mayo club manager. That's five clubs, by my reckoning, managed by Mayo men to AI success:
Mayo: Crossmolina and Ballina
Galway: Corofin
Roscommon: St. Brigid's
Dublin: Cuala
Pebblesmeller says:
January 20, 2025 at 2:23 pm
@catcol, it's just a shame we can't get ONE Mayo man to do it at county!
catcol says:
January 20, 2025 at 5:51 pm
New year, new dawn Pebbles. See my tweet!
Paddyjoejohntom says:
January 20, 2025 at 9:44 pm
Austy manager with Andy coach/trainer ? But not sure Andy would accept being a number 2 in Mayo
Craggy boglands says:
January 21, 2025 at 5:32 am
Austy and enda mcginley. ?
2 hops says:
January 21, 2025 at 8:56 am
Dream team craggy. Give them a half each.
Craggy boglands says:
January 21, 2025 at 2:13 pm
2 hops. He was on dempseys ticket i think. I like his honesty where he comes out and says that the first half collapse was all on him. When did one ever hear that from an inter County manager. I think kiernan is one who reached the holy grail after club success. Other s like Tommy lyons mcstay Rochford well the jury s out. 2025 is a defining year for Rochford mcstay
John+McHale says:
January 24, 2025 at 5:15 pm
This will be a strange start to the league season for all the counties...with no one really sure where they might finish in their respective leagues.
After having such a disappointing finish to last season and between one thing and another, so many players not available, it's hard to know where we stand.
For McStay there will be a lot of pressure to if not win something...at the very least have a team that's going places.
For me the two teams I fancy to be there or there abouts are Galway and Donegal with Armagh, Kerry, Roscommon, Tyrone and ourselves waiting in the wings.
Sean Burke says:
January 24, 2025 at 5:33 pm
“For me the two teams I fancy to be there or there abouts are Galway and Donegal with Armagh, Kerry, Roscommon, Tyrone and ourselves waiting in the wings.”
League or championship prediction this ?
FrostTHammer says:
January 24, 2025 at 6:48 pm
Team announced: Coen captain
Colm Reape Knockmore
Sam Callinan Ballina Stephenites
Rory Brickenden Westport
Enda Hession Garrymore
Stephen Coen Hollymount Carramore
David McBrien Ballaghaderreen
Donnacha McHugh Castlebar Mitchels
Diarmuid O’Connor Ballintubber
Matthew Ruane Breaffy
Conor Reid Moy Davitts
Bob Tuohy Castlebar Mitchels
Davitt Neary Breaffy
Fergal Boland Aghamore
Frank Irwin Ballina Stephenites
Ryan O’Donoghue Beal an Mhuirthead
InTheCity says:
January 24, 2025 at 7:10 pm
Strong team from 1-9, not much experimenting in the backs. Glad to see Irwin and Neary starting. Although who knows what team tomorrow will bring?
Jr says:
January 24, 2025 at 7:38 pm
You could see tuohy at FF.